Sewing machine

[rl69]

I started building knives a few years back and I'm geting to the point that I'll give them away well a knife without a scalbert is kinda silly so I started doing leatherwork


Today my wife gave me a elnita sewing machine .. It says it will do two layers of 8 oz leather ?

I've never had a sewing machine before so any info is useful

Right now the machine will punch threw 3 layers of 6 to 7 oz untel I use thread just normal cotton I have a number 20 needle coming so I can use never thread... but I'm not very hopefull

[Winger Ed.]

Get needles and thread from somewhere that sells upholstery supplies for working on cars & boats.

They'll have the right needles and the heavier nylon thread. That will work for thinner leather jobs.

If you want the real big heavy sewing done & thread like shoe soles are put on with,
you'll need to find a shoe repair shop and cut a deal with them.

[Bulldogger]

I use two semi-industrial machines to sew nylon Cordura fabric and ballistic nylon. One will sew through 16 layers of ballistic. Research the needles compatible with your machine and buy some larger ones. The size of the shank and size of the eye determine what thread you can use. Basically if the needle can hang off a piece of the thread, and slide easily from one end to the other as you raise/lower your hands, the eye is big enough.
Find out the size designation of the needles, don't be bound to only ordering needles listed as your brand. There are many good aftermarket sellers on eBay with needles. I am recently using Organ brand from Asia, and they seem to be doing fine.

Hope this helps!

Bulldogger

[Hickory]

I've never had a sewing machine before.

If you can cook, do dishes, and wash cloths you might make some unsuspecting woman a good catch. :groner:

[rl69]

I can do all them things....You got any rich ones in mind :)

[Hickory]

I can do all them things....You got any rich ones in mind :)

But would you want to work for her as a butler?
Or have you something else in mind?

[Traffer]

My grandmother gave me her treadle sewing machine when she moved to CA in 1959. I used it to sew leather, 1/8" thick canvas belt material and even beer cans (the old steel ones) For the beer cans I had to punch holes first then run the machine needle through the punched holes.
If you get the right needles and hand feed, I figure any machine will sew leather. Just goes slow that's all.

[Rcmaveric]

Oddly I have been cooking, cleaning, sewing and crocheting since I was nine. When I was teenager my mom would joke and say I would make a good wife one day. She taught those things herself because though.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Beerd]

Okay Traffer, I give. Why did you sew beer cans?
..

[Plate plinker]

You want to get a wedge point needle. Also I suspect your working beyond maximum for that machine.

My current machine is a cobra class III. That thing can punch through about 1" of leather with ease.

If you get serious about this knife and sheath making check out a machine like this.

https://leathermachineco.com/product/cobra-class-17-walking-foot-machine/

[Traffer]

Okay Traffer, I give. Why did you sew beer cans?
..

Made hinges out of leather and beer cans.

[Bulldogger]

You want to get a wedge point needle. Also I suspect your working beyond maximum for that machine.

My current machine is a cobra class III. That thing can punch through about 1" of leather with ease.

If you get serious about this knife and sheath making check out a machine like this.

https://leathermachineco.com/product/cobra-class-17-walking-foot-machine/

Interesting pulley mechanism/layout. Looks like it has a lot of torque. Not a statement I would make about most sewing machines! My Pfaff 1245 can only handle about 3/8" leather/cordura.

BDGR

[Bulldogger]

Made hinges out of leather and beer cans.

I figured you were going to say you made those funky hats I used to see at county fairs...

[blackthorn]

My Dad farmed with horse-drawn machinery. He repaired harness using my mothers old treadle sewing machine and a heavy-duty needle. As far as I can recall, he just took it real slow and careful.

[Springfield]

Or just hand sew and save yourself a lot of time and trouble. I do Cowboy Action shooting leather items as my job, and have never found the necessity of a sewing machine. They sew faster, but not better, especially if you have a lot of curves. Now, I have 5-6 older singer sewing machines, and sew cloth items, and I sew on LOTS of Boy Scout patches on uniforms, but nothing leather. And I sometimes make my own clothing for the Cowboy matches, so I do know how to sew. Still prefer to hand sew leather. More control, and I think it looks better.

[Greg S]

For the length of stitching, as others have said, manual saddle stitch. I could knock out a standard sheath in probably 20 minutes. A couple of recommendations:

Stitching horse
Ritza Tiger thread .08-.10 size
3.5mm pricking irons
Dead blow hammer for irons
Recommended harness needles for above thread.

I hand stitch all my holsters and 2 x 8-10oz belts.

Buckleguy.com for thread and possibly hardware (only importer of thread in U.S.) and he just started carrying Sedgewick's english bridle leather.

Tandy or ebay for pricking irons.

Google leather stitching pony. You can stitch without but, you will handicap and frustrate yourself on trying to get nice uniform stitches.

Utube: Armitage leather saddle stitch.

[rl69]

I just built a stitching pony it did help. I put down the easy sticher. Had sewing is easier. The three prong puch I have I don't like. I'm going to try a pricking iron see if I like it better

[Springfield]

I have never cottoned to stitching ponies, and I have 2. I prefer to use a stitching wheel to mark the leather and sewing awls. It is more time consuming to hand sew but I try to do most of my sewing while watching TV with the wife, and do 2 useful things at one time.