Rate this post by selecting a number. 1 is the worst and 5 is the best.

Author Message   Glenn Tinkerer Username: Glenn Post Number: 262 Registered: 07-2006 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 03:34 pm:    Here in the UK there is a small hand-tool that will produce a lock-stitch in leather, or other thick materials. The tool consists of a hollow handle, containing a spool for the waxed thread, onto which is fastened a collet chuck to hold standard sewing machine needles. The tool is basically a modified pin vise, and one could easily make a replica from this basic engineering tool. The devise works on a modification of the 'two needle' method. The tool is worked from one side of the stitch line, you pull a free length of thread through the first hole and this is used to work the rear of the stitch. The tool will also hold curved needles, which can be useful when you are trying to restitch a case side and bottom together. Curved needles can be made from the straight variety, by heating and re-tempering. In repairs using the original needle holes, the stitching rate is very quick and easy. When stitching new materials/stitch lines, more care is required to produce even stitch patterns. The use of a star-wheel pricker should be used, to lay out the stitch lines before hand. To get the best leather repair tools look for a saddler/tack maker, or a supply house that caters for their needs.