Stitch picking?

[Ray T.]

Hey guys

Hugh ,you did misread what I was saying but that's o.k.I just thought everyone did use a sharp knife between the welt because that's how I always do it.I am not a fan of sanding the welt because its too easy to hit the welt stitch.By far the best tool in my 40 years for that has been my wire brush wheel.Nothing comes close to cleaning the welt better and you don't hurt your welt thread. P.S.Thanks for the kind words and I really do enjoy this forum.

Ray Torcaso

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Ray, it's this line that threw me.

so you don't cut the welt stitch.Hugh the thing about this forum that makes it so great is know matter how good we think we are at its the total of everyones imput

 

It was the full stop between the words stitch & Hugh that I missed.

 

Small bladed knife goes between sole and welt to run round the stitches thereby cutting the stitches. As for cutting throught the welt and upper... yes I have done it myself many years ago using a knife that was far to large for the job, anyone can have this problem.

But.. large knives and Stanley Knives.. yuck.. the later should be banned unless you have level 7 in Shoe Repair skills Yes many folk use them and cant get by without them but I've seen just as many in and out of the trade have devastating accidents with them.

 

As for the dislike of scouring, this is just that it clogs the band which are more costly than sciving the leather down first. (not every pair can be done according to plan though can they.)

[Gray]

Stanley knives are fine in the right hands Hugh. One learns to respect knives over the years. I only use the stanley knife for cutting out sheeting or trimming nitrile heel fronts. I also use a small bladed knife for cutting welt stitches and a 4" blade for skiving. I can't remember the last time I sliced myself.

[Ray T.]

Hi all

Hugh,am sorry that I can't write the words down as well as I think I do.I still use I think its a 4 or 5" long shoe straight knife and I cut between the welt and sole coming to me.The problem I was talking about is sometimes you think your in between but your blade is tipped down enough and that can cut the groove of the welt off thus leaving no groove to restitch.The best part about doing this for so long is you have already made every mistake there is to make to date.

Ray Torcaso

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Ray, it was my fault, I should have taken more notice.

4"-5" blade cutting between sole & Welt... wow, there goes control outta the window, no matter how good one is that blade will bend/twist, not something I would train someone else to do,Same with Craft knives, I'm sure there are folk who can do wonders with one but I would not allow one to be used other than for cutting Sheeting and then only by a very experienced trades person. Damage done by these is far greater than Leather knife.

I am of course talking in general terms here and not at a personal level.

I used to use a Chain Saw for cutting Rendenbach Sheeting

[keithm]

get your self a junior/trainee and get them to unpick the stitching leaves you to do more constructive things

carry on!

 

Jesus, that'll cost you more than $300 Jo