Drill bit

[Skeeter Lewis]

Pards - what is a good size for a drill bit to make stitch holes?

[Cliff Fendley]

It's best not to drill holes, punch them so the leather can tighten back up around the stitching.

I put a small finish nail with the head ground off in a drill press and turn it on and poke all of the holes. Then it's easy for me to run my awl through when sewing. Makes hand sewing much more bearable on old hands.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That sounds like a good trick, Cliff. I also don't like to remove any leather when stitching. Have you tried putting an awl tip in the drill press and punching the holes? Without turning it on, of course.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Two great ideas there. Thanks, Cliff and Marshal.
Yes, my hands are a bit creaky nowadays.

[Trailrider]

For certain situations where I can't prepunch holes with my industrial sewing machine, I will drill #56 (0.0465") holes in the leather. I then use a 0.060" Landis machine hook in a hand haft to do the stitching.
Stay well and safe!

[greyhawk]

Pards - what is a good size for a drill bit to make stitch holes?

Skeeter --if that stuff is your work? then it follows you are trickin with these boys here and you know all of this what I write below.

# we use a diamond awl for stitch holes for several reasons
1) it displaces the leather rather than remove it (leather closes back around the stitch someone said)
2) a longish hole not a round one better accomodates the two lines of thread
# we punch the stitch holes with the awl at an angle to the forward progress
1) so there is no tendency for the leather to tear between he stitches
# we hand sew with two needles at the once (the needles are passed through the awl hole at the same time)
1)so that we never tear or disturb one line of stitching with the point of the opposing needle

hand sewed is at least three times as strong as machine stitched with the same size thread
why? because hand has two complete separate stitch lines through the leather where machine has the threads pulling on each other and any movement no matter how minute has the thread chafing on itself

Did ya know ---that thread branded "machine twist" is twisted opposite direction than most use for hand sewing - used to be able to buy either - machine twist will work for hand stitching but its tangly - a continual problem that does not happen with hand prepared tread - also you cant get the tapered end on it properly and so are forced to use bigger needles and thus punch bigger awl holes. 

[Skeeter Lewis]

Greyhawk - thanks for that information. In fact, I've been making leather goods for a number of years but I've always hand-sewn. Now, unfortunately, I'm getting problems with my hands and saddle-stitch is becoming hard. I'm not sure i want to buy a sewing machine, so I'm looking at ways of pre-punching holes so sewing won't be so difficult. I seem to remember Chuck Burrows resorted to pre-punching for the same reason.
Skeeter

[Johnny McCrae]

I use a 1/16" (.0625") diameter drill in a Dremel tool.

Dremel does make an attachment that converts their Rotary Tool into a drill press.

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-Workstation-Portable-Drilling-Perpendicular/dp/B00068P48O/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvJXEqdre7AIVhq_ICh30qghgEAAYASAAEgLYjvD_BwE&hvadid=409952199979&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9012083&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4994933958849200644&hvtargid=kwd-94898355&hydadcr=1646_11256770&keywords=dremel+drill+press+attachment&qid=1604142999&sr=8-7&tag=googhydr-20

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, Johnny. That looks good.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I do have to admit that when I worked in the saddle shop, I needed a sheath for my leather knife. Because of the thickness of the leather to go through, I drilled holes instead of using an awl. I recall using a small bit, perhaps 1/32" or 3/64" but I don't remember exactly which size. I used it more as a guide for the needles so they would go through straight. I think I may have followed through the holes with my long awl.



Here's a photo after years of use with my leather knife.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Nice job!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, Skeeter. Sometimes there's nothing better than a good Dremel.

[Johnny McCrae]

Skeeter,

That's an outstanding display of your talent and craftsmanship.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, Johnny.

[Cliff Fendley]

I've thought for some time one of those little cordless dremels would be the cats meow for such things.

[greyhawk]

Thanks, Johnny.

Skeeter
I have replied back twice - both times has disappeared - dunno whether I incurred the wrath of a moderator or just pushed a wrong button someplace - or my post is hiding in plain sight .................. puzzled ...................

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I haven't seen your two replies, Greyhawk. No moderator action going on that I know of. Maybe there was some kind of a glitch when you were trying to reply. I had that happen myself on another forum (not CAS City) yesterday when I tried to post.

[1961MJS]

Hi, I got a black handled awl with replaceable bits, blades, whatever.  The replaceable blades work well in a drill press, just don't plug it in.

Later

[Skeeter Lewis]

How would an awl be held securely by a drill press or Dremel?

[Cliff Fendley]

Maybe a drill press but you couldn't turn it on. What I use is a finish nail with the head cut off in my drill press and have thought a cordless dremel would let me do the same thing while sitting in a comfortable chair since my back gives me so much trouble now.