Two questions Gruff. I will be making my first leather sheath soon. Do you stain in The beginning or when it’s finished? Also , you mentioned you drilled the holes. Is that easier than the 4 prong punch? Or reasons why I would use one method over the other?
When I make sheaths, I drill as opposed to trying to use pricking irons. By the time you stack all the layers, including the welt, a pricking iron/punch would not go all the way through. I do use a pricking iron or rotary wheel to mark the holes for drilling.
I always stain before I stitch as well. Of course edge coating is done after the fact.
Edit: I know I'm not Gruff but I have done a fair bit of leatherwork over the last few years