Top patterns/stitching

[jake]

Now use some baby powder to take some of the "tackiness" of the rubber cement off the flesh side. This will allow your "Frommer" skiver to do a better job by decreasing the drag of the blade against the leather. I have a sewn up bag which is filled with baby powder to coat my goods.

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[jake]

Here's the "Frommer" skiver. It's basically a #1 French skiver from Ron's Tools with longer guides. Dee-Dubb, correct me if I'm wrong.

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[jake]

Skive your panels..

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And ALL your plugs (this is just one)...

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I like the glass much better than anything I've tried to date. Most of us use glass to skive on during other skiving operations, so we're familar to the feel. There's less drag compared to other materials. I've tried things like manila folders, but they tend to sometimes catch the guide of the "Frommer" tool, wrinkle, and cause me to chuck out an edge, especially if you're wetting the goods.

I'll try to finish this in the near future. Hope it's helped in some small way.

[dw]

Jake,

Re: the skiver...when you order one from Ron's tools you have to ask for a "Frommer" style. I had Ron make up a special version of it that was sharpened from the bottom only (important) and which was carefully machined to be flat and smooth on top (between the guides). Also, I actually lower and thin the sidewall as needed. Not too much but most of the time the tool comes with the sidewalls too high and too thick and it interferes with getting in close.

Other than that, no correction.

And Jake, good on you for taking this photo essay on. I want to thank you from all of us. You do such a good job on these kinds of presentations.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

[tomo]

Jake, DW,
thanks for your words of encouragement with my attempt at inlay, and thanks also Jake for undertaking this workshop.
That Skiver works way different when it's set up to your specs DW. OOH! Just got a twinge to spend some money...
Thanks guys.
More power to y'awl.
T

[shoestring]

Jake,
thanks for the lessons it's a mighty fine start looking forward to the rest.
Ed

[jake]

Dee-Dubb,

You are correct in all your comments. So many important features I forgot to mention. Thanks for bringing them up and shedding some light on the tool. After reading my comments, it seemed to me that I wasn't giving much credit to the tool. But I have stated several times previously, the "Frommer" skiver is a BIG HELP in making inlays. Thanks for your input and kind remarks.

Tom and Ed,

Appreciate it Fellers! Feel free to ask questions if something doesn't make sense. Like I said, I'll try to finish it up soon.

[dw]

Jake,

Don't worry about credit if it the tool you're referring to. I couldn't care less and I couldn't care less if it's called a "Frommer" skiver or whatever. I just happen to be fairly particular and when I ordered from Ron, I was quite insistant that it be done just so. Since that was different from the way he was doing it for his standard run of French skivers, he ended up referring to it as the "Frommer" style--just to differentiate it. No biggie.

PS. Pardon me for sticking my nose in here just a little...but you might also mention that it takes a certain type of sewing machine with certain features (not all machines are suitable), and that the machine has to be set up a certain way to do the cutting with a needle.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[plugnickle]

Great work, Jake. I look forward to absorbing the rest of the essay when you get the time to finish it.

Steve

[jake]

Dee-Dubb,

Good point! I can use all the "nosen'-en" you can stand! Glad to have your input, and anyone else's for that matter.

First of all the needle. Most people use a broken off #14 needle. It should get the job done just fine. One thing I forgot to mention...the chisel blade needs to be in the line of stitching. What I mean is, the blade needs to be straight, not angled one i-o-ta!

Next the machine. You should be able to adjust the machine to almost NO feed. This means the goods will not move but just a smidgen. This allows the chisel to cut the leather cleanly by overlapping the cuts and allows the operator to manipulate (cut) small curves.

I've grown accustomed to the Singer 110 series of machines, specifically the 110W124. As most people know, it's gear driven, so you are limited to the number of stitches per inch (stroke). One of my gears allows something like 24 spi. I use a #16 needle to compensate for the increase feed. Like I've mentioned, you want a machine to be set to almost NO feed.

Dee-Dubb, step right in if I have forgotten anything. I don't mind one bit!

Hey Steve! Thanks Partner!

[jake]

One feature I really like with the glass, is you can turn it over and look at your panel. Cutting out your plugs can weaken the panel and cause it to distort while cementing to a flat surface. After cementing your panel to the glass, turn it over and see if everything looks normal.

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[jake]

If the panel looks straight, then it's time to cement our inlay material. In this instance, I've used a front stay (panel stiffener) to serve as my inlay.

Rubber cement the flesh side of your front panel, and while the cement is still fresh (wet), lay your inlay material grain side down in place. While the glue is still wet, take a stylus and find your borders of your cut-out, then take a pen and mark it.

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[jake]

Now place a good coat of rubber cement over the "inked" plug borders. Lay in your plugs grain side down. Be careful in keeping the plugs oriented correctly. Take a small hammer or flounder (fitter's hammer) and lightly pound the plug to place. If you've done a good job with the stylus and the rubber cement is still wet, it will just slide home. Baby powder on the surface of your hammer will keep it from sticking to the glue covered leather pieces.

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[jake]

Turn the glass over and see if all looks well.

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[jake]

When you're satisfied with the look, carefully peel your front panel off the glass. Lay it to the side and rub off the excess glue still on the glass with your hand. It should just ball up and fall off. Then powder your glass with a bag of baby powder. This will help to keep the panel from sticking to the glass in our next step.

Place your panel flesh side down on the powder-covered glass. Take your stylus, and very carefully outline (crease) the leather where the triangular piece for the "A" will lay. Rubber cement the corresponding area and place your "inside" piece of the "A" flesh side down.

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I'm going to bed.....more to come.

[plugnickle]

Wonderful job, Jake! I caught the concept with no problem. The ability to explain in easy to understand detail is an art in itself.

Steve

[dw]

Jake,

One question...what kind/thickness of glass are you using that you can pound on it?

Great presentation, BTW.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[jake]

Thanks Steve! It's always nice to receive compliments.

Dee-Dubb,

Oh....I guess it's 1/4" safety glass. A feller could use plexiglass. I'm not pounding hard with the flounder. There's a crack in my glass slab, but it was there when the glass company GAVE it to me. Never have crack one ........yet!

[dw]

Jake,

Here's another question for you...when you cement the leather to the glass--grainside down, presumably--do you apply cement to the leather? the glass? Or both?

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[shoestring]

Jake,
nice job there,question,can the same effects be achieved by cutting out the design pattern with a skiving knife or exacto blade beings that I don't have a sewing machine to chisel the design, then follow the remainding steps.
Ed

[jake]

Dee-Dubb,

Just the glass......an opportunity to get sloppy! If you need to straighten the panel up anywhere, the wet cement allows you to move the panel around.

Ed,

Yeap! But it's mighty easy to stray off....at least for me.

[jake]

Well....the next chore is to clean the excess glue off the panel. I remove most of it with my fingers. It just balls up. I remove the stubborn glue with my plantation crepe (rubber cleaner).

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[jake]

Finally, lay in your top bead and rubber cement your liner to the panel. Let set for a few hours, minimum.

I used a #10 round point needle and #33 thread to sew around the inlay. It doesn't take 20/20 eye sight to see I had some trouble with the triangular piece, but I thought I would show everyone just how human I am. With inlays, I want the stitching to blend into the surrounding leather and let the inlay do the talking. The fancy stitching on the rest of the panel is next. As I've said before, hope this has answered some questions. Hope it helped.

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[plugnickle]

Jake,
How wide is the skive? How thick is the cut edge after skiving? Do you shoot for 1/2 the thickness of the cut edge, or as thin as possible without gouging the edge?

Do you use a flame to remove the little fuzzy's on the the chiseled edge, or are the fuzzy's negligible with chiseling?

I think that I will call Ron's Tools and see if they can have one of the DW skivers ready at the boot & saddle show in WF. Maybe he keeps some in stock.

Steve

[jake]

Steve,

Skive....
panels = 1/8" wide, not quite to a feather(skant skive), you need some thickness to stand up to the sewing
plugs = 3/16" wide, full skive to an absolute feather

I don't use a flame. I have no problems with the fuzzies when chiseling.

BTW, I still see some excess glue on my margins. I have to tell ya, I'm a little disappointed on this inlay. I must say, they usually turn out better. This is "macro" pic.....YOU SEE EVERYTHING! A crooked line seems enormous, doesn't it?

Hope this helps. Good Luck!