Two ?'s

Chef Niloc

Chef Niloc

Well-Known Member
Could anyone tell me a place to get Irish Barbour thread? Can't seem to find it online?
Also what is the difference between a harness neddle & stitching awe? & what do you prefer?
 
Chef, do you mean stitching awl?
There are a couple types of needles. The ege eyed harness needle is the one used for stitching with a awl. It has a blunt tip and will follow the hole made by the stitching awl. This is the one used for most sheath work, size depends on what thread you prefure. Al Stolmans book Stitching Leather is about the best for getting you started.

The glovers needle is sharp and pirces it's own hole, mostly used on thinner soft leather.

The stitching awl is a two part purchase. The haft or handle and the awl itself.
The awl has to be polished in to work it's best. Also helps to have a stitching horse of some sort.
hope this helps, RS
 
Can't answer the first one but can the second.

A stitching awl is a heavy weight needle mounted in a bulb shaped handle. It is typcially fairly spearshaped on the tip with the eye towards the point. A stitching awl is designed to pierce the hole and sew at the same time. The stitching awl will give you a stitch similar to a sewing machine.

The harness needle is a heavy weight needle used by saddle makers and such. You will need to pierce the hole separately using an awl.

Myself I prefer to use the harness needles as I always sew with a double needle setup as recommended by Al Stohlmann in his book. The double needle system gives you essentially two independent threads holding the piece together. If one wears through, you still have the other holding it together.

Charlie
 
To clarify you will still need a saddlers or harness awl to poke the holes when using a harness needle and saddle stitch.

This is the preferred method for most when hand stitching although many cheat and use a drill press to do the holes. I do this myself on thick stuff but not with a drill bit. I just use the drill press to poke the holes.

It's best not to drill holes and remove material so the leather can close back around the thread. It's best to make the holes with a diamond shaped awl.
 
Got it, so I want a harness awl blade to fit a heft when hand sewing. I got my self a nice heft but it did not come with the awl. So I was looking at awl blades there were a lot to pick from, one was a "stitching awl" a spear shape the other a "harness awl", some were curved do any of you use that type of awl blade to make holes?
 
roughcountry said:
Chef, do you mean stitching awl?

The stitching awl is a two part purchase. The haft or handle and the awl itself.
The awl has to be polished in to work it's best. Also helps to have a stitching horse of some sort.
hope this helps, RS
Click to expand...
polished? Like Japanese water stone type of polish*l or just sand paper or buffer?
 
You probably want a diamond shaped harness awl for your haft. Don't punch the holes in line but on an angle.

If you can get the book by Al Stohlman on hand stitching it will help you a lot by showing illustrations and such. I got all that along with my other tools from Tandy when I was a kid and that's how I learned.

I still see the book at Tandy Leather or you can probably get it on line somewhere.
 
Also on polishing the awl, mirror polish it if you have a way. I have never found one that suits me so I regrind them a bit and mirror polish.
 
It's a lot lot tighter & stays whither. Could not find any for a long time, wish they had the 7 cord
 
12/3 bur they have a big white one like the read hand that I think is 10/3? The smaller the# the thicker the thread
 
The 12/3 is the biggest they stock. I just sent them a email asking if they can get or know were to get 5 or 7 cord, I'll let you know if I can find it. BUT I have the red hand 5 cord & while it is a little thicker then the 12/3 cord the Barbour thread above is heavier & stronger then the red hand.
 
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