Maybe I got one more knife left in me?

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I received one of those stitchers from my Dad when he passed away. To date I've never figured out how to use it properly. Think it's time I gave it a second try. I would mostly be working with canvas or similar boat type stuff and it should come in handy (if I can figure out how to use it....).
 
Speedy Stitcher...

Have used one for years, but on heavy leather, pre-punch the holes with an awl. Haven't ever tried pre-drilling the holes--That's probably a bit more precise. The lock stitch works really nice.

For light leather, canvas, & similar, I've acquired an old Singer treadle "shoe-patch" sewing machine, which of course also sews with a lock stitch. Wouldn't use that on really heavy leather, either. It is A LOT faster than the Speedy Stitcher.
 
rc,

To quote one of my favorite NCO's "OUTSTANDING!"

Thanks for all the effort you have put into this, and double thanks for the tips and neat photos.

I once stitched my thumb to a half bushel sack of rye seed with the power stitcher. We used a stitch that allowed one to sort of unzip the stitch sort of like one finds on feed sacks (whoa I forgot I need to go to the feed store TODAY, good thing I posted this) Hurt rather well and there was the whole "Don't Panic" panic. I eventually got the stitch to start unraveling after discovering I really needed to do more work with my left hand to be more dexterous. Pulling the loop back through my thumb was interesting. Got in trouble with the straw boss for bleeding all over a sack.......

-kBob
 
lemaymiami,

I have used the little stitcher to repair horse blankets, re attaching nylon webbing straps to a nylon covered blankets. My only problem was getting bored and not paying attention so as to shove the needle through the strap, cover, blanket, and skin of left thigh.......got my attention right back onto what I was doing though.

Now off to the feed store.

-kBob
 
I handle and sharpen lots of pretty good sized hooks (up to 10/0 with a 4" mill bastard file) and if my attention wanders... bandaids are needed as well....
 
rcmodel said:
I used to use the double-needle saddle-stitch thing.

But my god, it is hard on your hands pushing those needles through.

(In this sheath, 362 stitches, X 2 needles = 724 needles to push through!!)

I'd be out of band aids, and blood, & belly up on the floor before I got done doing that there deal!!

Do you use leather finger stalls, or gloves, or??



That's not to say the Speedy-Stitcher is without risks.
About 20 years ago, before I started pre-drilling stitch holes, I was sewing a very thick welt on a holster.

The needle broke in half, and nailed my left thumb to the cutting board about dead center, 1/8" in front of the cuticul.

Then the broken needle pulled out of the handle with the thread still in it!!

So I had to take my cutting board and my impailed thumb, with nylon thread hanging out of it, across the basement and find some nippers to cut the thread off, and pliers to pull it out!!

Eeeeeowwwww! :cuss:

(It's possible I wet my pants! but! I'm not owning up to it at this late date!!)

Needless to say, I pre-drill holes now!!


Rc
Click to expand...
I punch my holes with a diamond shaped awl and double needle stitch, as described by Al Stohlman in his book on leather stitching. No leather fingers or anything, sometimes I use needle-nose pliers to help pull a needle through.
I have been experimenting with pre-drilling holes, and it works well if I have more than 3 layers of 9-10 oz leather. I don't have an awl with a narrow enough taper to punch the right sized hole, and still be stiff enough to go through that many layers. For just 2 or 3 layers, like a gun belt or something I find the awl does a nicer job, the holes shrink up tight around the stitches.That sheath does have a lot of stitches in it but I think my belt has a couple more.....:what:
 
After trying to do Scrimshaw on the 'Last Knife' project, I decided to try to get better at it.

So, I'm Trying to do scrimshaw necklaces for the grand daughters today.

Using 100 year old elephant Ivory scrap I had in reserve for 35 years!!

I works a heck of a lot better then the crummy Micarta I had on the knife!!!!

Pete (the dog) is done on one side for Paige, and Oliver (the Cornish Rex cat) is almost done on one side for Kaylee.

Now to do their names on the reverse sides!!

image.jpg

Next problem is, now I need to do two more for the other grand daughters, Tempy & Trinity!
But I have no photos of anything I could use for patterns??

They have a Black dog, but I don't think I can do a black dog!!


Another thing I learned.
Big scrimshaw would not show as many mistakes as postage stamp size scrimshaw!!! :uhoh:

One slip is half-way across the picture!!


Rc
 
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Thank you for the education. I knew nothing about knife making, I learned a lot! Beautiful work. Sure beats my factory knives!
 
You're a very talented craftsman RC, absolutely wonderful, first rate work all the way through. Heirloom worthy and and work ready, you have made a wonderful piece of functional art. It certainly helps me one understand why custom knives & leatherwork cost what they do. As a matter of fact, after seeing the amount of labor that goes into such work, I'm amazed it doesn't cost even more.

I'd also like to add my vote to those calling for this thread to be made a sticky.
 
I'll say this RC, knowing that I don't know how difficult the knife was for you - It'd be a shame and a bit of a loss were this to be the "last" one.

Thanks tons for taking the time to photo document this for all of us. I know from doing this with cars and motorcycles that the photography and posting time is a significant intrusion into the actual task at hand.


Todd.
 
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