I know this video is old, but I just started this hobby and you've explained this subject perfectly. No one else has gone into such great depth about the differences between these tools. Thank you!
I used to start with an awl and a mullet. I punched each hole seperately. After a while I got my first diamond stitching chisel and it changed everything. My work looked 10x better. There are really cheap ones out there that work perfectly fine. Keeping the chisel waxed and also resharpening them every time you use them also helps a bunch with these cheap chisels, as they tend to pull on the leather when trying to pull them out of it and, as you mentioned, tends to leave some "not so nice" holes in the back. 🙂
Awesome video! I'm pretty fussy about how I want my stitches to look and wasn't sure what to get until I watched this. Diamond shape stitching chisel it is :)
As a beginner, I started with the Diamond Shape tool from aliexpress but it was really hard to go throught the leather, I had to repunch every hole one by one and the result was a bit messy. Maybe it is because the tool is from aliexpress, or maybe it is the tool itself that is not easy to use on every leather. I ended up using a hole punch and it was way better, much easier to use and to get a cleaner result. For begginers who buy cheap tools on aliexpress, I would recommand the hole punch !
I also added a piece of scrap in my 4 in 1 hole punch to fix the wobbling! An issue mine had as well was one prong sitting at a slight angle or wobbling compared to the rest being 90° and stable. This seems to be from bad machining on my specific one, so hopefully it's not common, but this can be helped by holding the bracing bracket at a slight angle (after the scrap piece has been added as mentioned before) while tightening the set screw. It can be fiddly but beats buying a whole new punch if you're needing to make do.
I think the round hole punch that you are using here was mainly intended for punching pin holes in watch straps. There are other round hole punches with 2 to n punches for punching stitching holes, and these are less expensive. I could be wrong, of course...
I just want to thank you for the info. I have just started leather craft in the last 6 months and when I you my diamond punch set it was just like you said one side is good the other not so much. I have been trying everything I could think of to make my stitches better on both side but well you know very frustrating. It drives me crazy and trust me it's a short ride. I can use my single hole punch and thread lays nice it just takes long but in order to get a good looking line I am game. Thanks again Jessie
Tandy sells them as "poundo" boards. You can also get them off Amazon. I personally prefer just having a scrap piece of leather between my project and my marble, or even a cutting board.
I disagree with your statement in reference to the Flat or Straight chisels. I use flat chisels and I don’t have 4:44 ugly puckered stitches. I use size .08 waxed thread with a .08 St. James needle and my stitches come out beautiful. Just because you don’t use the flat chisels doesn’t mean that the stitches come out better or worse than the diamond chisels. My leather projects come out excellent! Unfortunately we can’t download photos on these comments! Richard Katzman, RIK Leather Works
The size of thread has nothing to do with the type of stitching iron. Kit has to do with the size of the stitching iron you are using. Each size of thread has an ideal spacing for the stitch hole it sits in. The reason some of these look bad with thicker thread is not because of the type of prong you are using but because the prong is of a smaller size.
I know this video is old, but I just started this hobby and you've explained this subject perfectly. No one else has gone into such great depth about the differences between these tools. Thank you!
I used to start with an awl and a mullet. I punched each hole seperately. After a while I got my first diamond stitching chisel and it changed everything. My work looked 10x better. There are really cheap ones out there that work perfectly fine. Keeping the chisel waxed and also resharpening them every time you use them also helps a bunch with these cheap chisels, as they tend to pull on the leather when trying to pull them out of it and, as you mentioned, tends to leave some "not so nice" holes in the back. 🙂
Good video you did a good job breaking everything down. I've seen alot of leatherwork videos on TH-cam ,but never one covering this subject.
Awesome video! I'm pretty fussy about how I want my stitches to look and wasn't sure what to get until I watched this. Diamond shape stitching chisel it is :)
Awesome video! Best explanation I have found on the topic, thanks!
Thanks! You covered it all for me! Great info.
This is incredibly useful information. Wow, thank you so much
As a beginner, I started with the Diamond Shape tool from aliexpress but it was really hard to go throught the leather, I had to repunch every hole one by one and the result was a bit messy. Maybe it is because the tool is from aliexpress, or maybe it is the tool itself that is not easy to use on every leather. I ended up using a hole punch and it was way better, much easier to use and to get a cleaner result. For begginers who buy cheap tools on aliexpress, I would recommand the hole punch !
I also added a piece of scrap in my 4 in 1 hole punch to fix the wobbling! An issue mine had as well was one prong sitting at a slight angle or wobbling compared to the rest being 90° and stable. This seems to be from bad machining on my specific one, so hopefully it's not common, but this can be helped by holding the bracing bracket at a slight angle (after the scrap piece has been added as mentioned before) while tightening the set screw. It can be fiddly but beats buying a whole new punch if you're needing to make do.
I think the round hole punch that you are using here was mainly intended for punching pin holes in watch straps. There are other round hole punches with 2 to n punches for punching stitching holes, and these are less expensive. I could be wrong, of course...
Gracias por tu información exelente nos ayuda mucho a por que recién estamos empezando en el rubro
I just want to thank you for the info. I have just started leather craft in the last 6 months and when I you my diamond punch set it was just like you said one side is good the other not so much. I have been trying everything I could think of to make my stitches better on both side but well you know very frustrating. It drives me crazy and trust me it's a short ride. I can use my single hole punch and thread lays nice it just takes long but in order to get a good looking line I am game. Thanks again Jessie
Super well done overview. Thanks for all the good info.
Useful video! Thank you!
great info- ty😊 . Can you please tell me the technical term for your clear punch board and maybe where you bought it?
Tandy sells them as "poundo" boards. You can also get them off Amazon. I personally prefer just having a scrap piece of leather between my project and my marble, or even a cutting board.
I glue my seams first, then use a lacing chisel. I have never had a seam come apart.
Helpful. Thank you.
Thank you. Great info!
Great explanation. That helped..
I prefer the lacing chisels with thread. But it's all subjective.
Not a single video on stitching pliers. I'm just a beginner but they solve the puckering problem for thinner leathers?
Thanks excellent information.
I disagree with your statement in reference to the Flat or Straight chisels. I use flat chisels and I don’t have 4:44 ugly puckered stitches. I use size .08 waxed thread with a .08 St. James needle and my stitches come out beautiful. Just because you don’t use the flat chisels doesn’t mean that the stitches come out better or worse than the diamond chisels. My leather projects come out excellent! Unfortunately we can’t download photos on these comments! Richard Katzman, RIK Leather Works
Why don’t you use the back of the iron and flatten the back where the leather pucker?
Can I use this tools on suede leather? Tq
Yes
Not gonna clean now
The size of thread has nothing to do with the type of stitching iron. Kit has to do with the size of the stitching iron you are using. Each size of thread has an ideal spacing for the stitch hole it sits in. The reason some of these look bad with thicker thread is not because of the type of prong you are using but because the prong is of a smaller size.
Great info, thank you