Wing Dividers vs. Stitch Groover...and Bourbon

[santee]

I don't have the best control with the stitch groover when using it for border lines. Hard for me to achieve consistency, and if I slip it makes me mad and I do a shot of Bourbon. Wait...that's another issue...

Do wing dividers provide the same looking gouge? I assume they remove leather, as opposed to the creaser which makes an impression. Correct? Do those of you who use the wing divider find it is easier/smoother/whatever?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Here's the kind I use most of the time.



Those are available from Tandy or other suppliers. I also have a straight tipped one for times when I can't get into the spot I need with that one. I haven't seen one of those advetised too many places. They work good against a straight edge or other guide.

[Pitspitr]

That's what I use too. The groover, that is, not the bourbon.

[Dalton Masterson]

Ditto on that one. I also use the other adjustable one, with the knurled portion on it. It tends to cut a bit larger than the one pictured above, and lately have been using the smaller one. This tool will remove a small strip of leather as you use it.

I only use my divider/compass/caliper to lightly scribe lines that I am going to use the swivel knife on, or to space things out evenly. It does not remove leather, just scratches it up.

You say you lose control when you use it? Is your leather damp? Did you use the bourbon first?   I usually make about 2 passes thru my main stitch seam with the groover, which gets it nice and even.

Good luck. DM

[cowboywc]

I don't have the best control with the stitch groover when using it for border lines. Hard for me to achieve consistency, and if I slip it makes me mad and I do a shot of Bourbon. Wait...that's another issue...

Do wing dividers provide the same looking gouge? I assume they remove leather, as opposed to the creaser which makes an impression. Correct? Do those of you who use the wing divider find it is easier/smoother/whatever?

Howdy Santee
You say you are useing it for border lines, It is for your stitch lines. For border lines I use wing dividers and
carve in the lines.
WC

[santee]

No, my leather isn't damp when I use the stitch groover. That may be the issue. I have one of the adjustable ones (with the chuck) and I do fine with the stitch lines because they are typically straight. It just gets hairy up around the trigger curve.

It may just be a "practice makes perfect thing." Thanks for the input!

[Johnny McCrae]

I also do not have good results when using a stitch groover for borders.

I have a question on how to align the cutting blade to the shaft. There is a flat on the cutting blade and when I tighten the screw on the flat, the cutting blade is parallel to the tool's shaft. The tool seems to work better when it is on an angle to the shaft. Please see the attached pictures. Dampening the leather does help. As Santee said, it may be a matter of "practice makes perfect".

WC, what is your method for carving borders with a wing compass? Maybe I would have better results that way. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/jvsaffran/Leather/100_0306.jpg

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk81/jvsaffran/Leather/100_0307.jpg

[Dalton Masterson]

Hey Johnny, if it works better that way, make a modification and put a new flat on there. I also liked it that way when I first started, but have since gotten used to it, and have no problems now.

To use the dividers, I just set it to the depth from the edge I want, scribe lightly, and then go over that with my swivel knife. Once my initial cut is in, then I use that cut for the next line if I want one. I dont think this would be good for stitch lines tho, only decorative border lines.
DM

[santee]

Hmmmm....I might try the Wing Divider. Sigh...yet another tool to buy.

[Dalton Masterson]

Santee, check walmart for a regular compass for making circles. Sometimes they will have a alternate steel point instead of a pencil. Will work for you in a pinch. Even the pencil might work, or sharpen a wood dowel to fit in the pencils place.
I think I got my actual dividers for 10-12 bucks, but cant remember now. Good luck. DM

[Marshal Will Wingam]

You may find good ones at a flea market, too. Mine are ancient, used to be my grandfather's. They work like anything else except that the adjustment is done by loosening a wingbolt and sliding the tips to where you want them. Simple and effective. You could also look at Harbor freight although I hesitate to do that because so much of the sltuff is made in China these days.

[santee]

Good tips, thanks!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Santee

         Tandy and Hide Crafters, sells there divider for about $12.00, and when on sale the're like $ 1o.00. I had mine given to me , but its the tandy devider, it has the screw in/out nurled nob that seems to stay in place, if I do my part and hold it the right way, it works great, CowboyWC showed me how to use the devider when I first got started in leather craft, and I find myself useing it with just about everything, like Dalton said you can use the divider to scratch a soft line in the leather, and then go over it with your swivel knife, or sometimes you can use your stylist to make the line deeper, almost like you would a creaser, just remember to keep the outside point of the divider on the edge of your leather, but put some pressure on it to keep it down, if you don't it can come off the edge and mess up your design , I try to keep the same pressure on both points and an eye on the outside point ( thats on the edge ) as I scribe my line, by pulling the divider downward on my work, if you practice this on scrap first you will get the hang of it, the same is true for the stich grover, keep the pressure consistant on the shaft of the groving tool that is on the leathers edge, keep it down or it will slip, and your line will be messed up, as well as the tip that is cutting the grove, and be carefull when going around curves and corners.


                                                     tEN wOLVES 

[santee]

You know, you just hit on one of my problems. Bought a Tandy wallet kit (May sale) yesterday and whist doing the border, I wasn't paying attention to the guide and sliiiip! Small ouchie, but I learned to really pay attention to that guide. You re-affirmed it, Ten Wolves.

Incidentally, that Tandy wallet kit is kind of a mess. The liner doesn't fit with the tooling leather. I had to trim it and re-punch the holes. The pocket section works okay. Sigh...glad it was on sale! At least now I have a pattern if I ever make another.

[HorsePen Henry]

I have a couple of wing dividers that I bought from to different sources but are the same with just different brand names on 'em. I have customized one pair for leather work and the other pair for silverwork. Filed up the tips to do specific jobs oriented for that perticular craft. Sometimes I use one or the other for whichever is needed at the time on leather or silver. A good compass for drafting is a good tool to buy too. One that has interchangeable points comes in real handy.

X Horse Pen

[santee]

Would love to see some of your silverwork, Horsepen. Got a site or Photobucket or sumthin'?

[ChuckBurrows]

Regarding the adjustable stitch groovers - I found I have much better control after CAREFULLY grinding and then polishing the lip lower edge of the main shaft at about a 45° angle - the lower edge of the shaft is the side that is below the cutter when the cutter is to the left for a right hander - hope that makes sense - here ya go got a picture:

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Chuck

          Thats a good idea, I'll give this a try, I'm always looking for new and better ideas, thanks for sharing


                                                              tEN wOLVES 

[HorsePen Henry]

Would love to see some of your silverwork, Horsepen. Got a site or Photobucket or sumthin'?

Santee, I don't have a bunch a pix of my silverwork. Silver is a real challenge to shoot because of the glare and all. The silverwork I do is Oklahoma style trade silver. Kind of a wedding of southwest and great lakes fur trade stuff. I don't want to go into the hsitory here as it is not cowboy or leather. These will give ya an idea of what I am doing. I would like to branch off and do some stuff that would be good for cowboy gear though. Here are a couple of brooches. Simple stuff.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/lennowenoxie/P4161473.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/lennowenoxie/P4161472.jpg

Here is a pair of engraved armbands:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/lennowenoxie/Secondinearmbands.jpg

[santee]

Thanks, Chuck. On your DVD you make the stitch goover look pretty easy. I'll try polishing it.
Nice silver, there, Horsepen!