Stitching is a crucial part of leathercraft. It is the art of combining leather pieces and producing beautifully made seams, be it manual or machine done. To achieve this, the best tool to aid you in stitching should be on top of your list. A stitching chisel will be your best buddy in stitching. This is not just for the professionals but also for the beginners.
There are many leather tools available in the market, but stitching chisels are unanimously one of the most budget and beginner-friendly. More so, this COVID-19 pandemic has opened many hobbies for you, and leatherworking may be one of them. This article will talk about the best chisels in the market needed for leathercraft and how much it will cost you. It is a list that can go on and on, but these are the top stitching chisels you should check.
A Quick Acquaintance: Stitching Chisel and What Its For
It will be a challenge for a novice leatherworker to acquaint himself or herself with many leather tools. For a start, here is what a stitching chisel is and how you can use it for better outputs.
Specs and Benefits
A stitching chisel, also called the diamond chisel, is a leather tool used to step up a slanted stitch marking and punch leather holes. The unique thing about leather stitching using a diamond chisel is how it draws and punches leather all at once, saving you the skill and time of using additional tools to make holes like a scratch awl.
It is a tool with pointed “teeth,” or sharp points organized in an equally spaced row. They are similar in appearance to pricking irons, although chisels are intended to make holes in leather while pricking irons are designed to just mark holes in leather. It has the same function as a pricking iron, but each has the edge over the other; you can read this article to get a clear view of their difference.
Built for Durability: Aiskaer Diamond Lacing Stitching Chisel
One crucial thing to consider in any tool is durability. The Aiskaer Diamond Lacing Stitching Chisel is a product that will surely stand out in terms of durability.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
It is made of 100% white steel, making it a very durable and robust leather tool. It has an anti-slip handle that gives the user a firm grip when it is used. The Aiskaer Diamond Lacing Stitching Chisels structure is wrapped with rust-preventive substances and can be washed when getting ready for its use.
It has a delicate, smooth, polished handle that makes it very comfortable to hold. It also has a pointed diamond-shaped tooth which makes stitch markings and punches very convenient. This tool comes in different sets with various prong numbers ranging from two to ten with a diameter of 3mm to 4mm. It is resistant to deformation, but it’s handles are not ergonomic despite being durable.
What It’s Worth
You can buy this chisel in online shops where the price may vary depending on the prongs’ number and size. The price for a set of four chisels consisting of one, two, four, and six-prong tools starts at $10 to $20. This gives a price average of $4 each, which is quite affordable for a leather tool with a very valuable role.
Go For Robust! Citian Diamond Stitching Chisel
If you prefer alloy material build for your tools, go and check out this stitching chisel. Get ready to be amazed by the robustness and structure it has to offer.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
It is composed of robust alloy stainless steel, and it is a very sharp tool for creating diamond-shaped leather holes. It has refined anti-slip handles that give you a firm grip and help you hold it conveniently when not in use, mainly if you spend a lot of time making stitch holes for their leather projects.
A plus factor for this chisel is the firm structure and robust texture, making it difficult to break or wear. Like other stitching chisels, it also comes with four chisels per set. Each set has one, two, four, and six prongs that give you various options to work with.
This stitching chisel has a prong diameter of about 4mm and an overall tool length of about 10.5cm. The weight for each set is 0.36 pounds that are enough for easier manipulation and storage.
What It’s Worth
The price per set with four chisels starts from $12 to $13, and no import fees deposit. The price varies from different online shops and locations. It is available both from online shops and physical stores. Being available online makes it easier to buy and try this out despite this pandemic.
Sturdiness Winner: Tandy Leather Diamond Hole Chisel
If you have trust issues and want to stick only to trusted brands, this chisel is perfect for you. It lives up to its manufacturer’s legacy in terms of durability.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
The Tandy Leather House is a huge leatherwork brand that produces quality products and shares great leathercraft video tutorials, tools, and leatherwork materials for many years now. Stitching chisels are one of the tools they make that has a significant role in leather craft. It comes in a set of diamond chisels that punch many kinds of leather hand stitching holes using many different thread types.
This tool comes with a sturdy, textured non-slip handle, which you can set or fix on all the chisels available in the set, one prong chisel, and three groups of chisels. It is topped with a black electrophoresis chemical coating that gives the instrument its strength to wear, rust, or corrosion.
In addition to a single prong chisel, there are three groups of prongs. Each set also has two, four, and six prongs, with three stitch sizes. It tends to come with ten interchangeable stitching/diamond chisel heads and one handle. Every other chisel head is made to be finely threaded for a secure and secure handle lock. It is an excellent quality tool that can give you variety in a very convenient way. One mention-worthy feature is that it has a fine thread head to secure the lock while changing its prongs.
What It’s Worth
The stitching chisel can be bought in sets with variations. The first set has 2mm prongs that creates small spacing which makes approximately six stitches per inch. The second group of prongs comes with a 3mm or medium-sized spacer set that makes around five stitches per inch. The third type of prong-set is a 4mm or wide spacing that will allow you to make about three to four stitches per inch as it is used along the leather. Most of these sets weigh around 6.4 ounces.
The price is around $50 to $60 for ten-piece diamond hole chisels, depending on what shop you will buy yours. This will bring each chisel to an average of $5 for each chisel if you purchase it individually.
Expertly Coated: Tandy Leather 6 Prong Diamond Stitching Chisel
If you are looking for a chisel that is expertly designed and made, the Tandy Leather 6 Prong Diamond Stitching Chisel is worth checking.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
It’s made of 41xx steel, making the chisels ridiculously durable and tough. To form these chisels, the steel is subjected to a very rigorous hardening process. It is intricately polished with a black electrophoresis coating to prevent the stitching/diamond chisel surface from rusting, wear, and corrosion. This build makes the tool highly valuable and long-lasting.
What It’s Worth
The spacing between holes of this chisel is four mm large and can create about three to four stitches per inch. A six-prong chisel price starts at $15. It can reach up to around $27 for a whole set containing one, two, four, and six prongs. For lesser prong numbers, it is about $5, which is not bad for a price.
Carefully Crafted Yang Yao Prong Leather Craft Tool
You will never go wrong with Yang Yao chisel. It is carefully crafted suited for leather works and any project. You just have to apply enough force when using this.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
You can buy this chisel alongside the brand’s 18pcs leather toolset that includes awl, polish tool, skiving knife, punch tool, and skiving tool. These are very easy-to-use DIY hand tools. It is excellent for custom leather work such as sewing leather, canvas, cloth, paper, or other projects. All the leather tools are useful for beginners and professionals. This brand can offer you a sample kit that you can utilize to design work for a start.
This stitching chisel has carefully crafted prongs easy to pull out after puncturing with an elegant and stylish design. It has a complete set of prong numbers. The only downside is that you have to exert effort in punching because it is heavier than other chisels.
What It’s Worth
The chisel package consists of one, two, four, and six prongs starting at $25, but the price may vary from different shops and locations. It is readily available in online shops and is one of the best budget deals out there. It is just perfect for a start and your pocket. Take note of the shipping fees also if you order these chisel packages online.
Simple And Smooth: WUTA Leather 2 Set Diamond Chisel
This is one of the chisels which produces smoother punctures that are easy to use. It comes with an oxide-finished steel body. It is undoubtedly durable but does not come cheap.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
Wuta leather is a modern Chinese leather tool manufacturer with a simple mandate to make quality tools affordable. The material used for the chisel’s build is oxide-finished steel.
The steel is used to make this stitching/diamond chisel stable and robust. The surface of the tool is slightly forged and, as such, can be smoothly punched through the leather. With a somewhat shiny surface, the chisel can pierce through and be pulled smoother than the usual one and protect the leather holes’ shape to help you stitch a more beautiful line.
This tool comes with a pair of chisels. This allows you to choose two-prong pitches to choose from, such as 3mm and 4mm spacing. These are quality tools at an affordable price. The tool’s surface is polished and can be easily punched through the leather with its oxide-finished steel making the tool reliable and robust.
What It’s Worth
The price of these chisels starts at $19 for two up to $60 for a set. A 3 mm teeth size chisel will cost you around $19. This price is relatively higher than other chisels but indeed a bang for the bucks. Online sites usually get this from China and ship it to your location, including delivery fees.
Win Over Slippage: Vktech Stainless Steel Flat Chisel Leather Craft Kit
Having a slip-proof handle is fantastic for products. It will minimize accidental slippage of tools. This chisel is one of the best when it comes to battling slippage.
Two Sides of The Tool (Pros and Cons)
This stitching chisel has an anti-slip handles design, exquisite appearance, sharp prong, and strong hardness. It comes in four different sizes that can make it easier to choose chisels for specific purposes.
Its body is made up of stainless steel with an ergonomic design. It’s resistant and durable. However, the prongs can easily misaligned, and the handles are somehow short.
What It’s Worth
You can order from online shops at $27 for a set of four chisels with one, two, four, and six prongs. The price may vary if you order it from online shops due to the service fee. You can also get it from physical stores, but you might be limited to its availability.
Getting The Best Experience With A Stitching Chisel
Here are some tips and hacks on how to maintain chisels durability. It may be a simple tool, but it will be your key to good leather outputs ready for flaunting.
Working With A Stitching Chisel
You can organize your chisels in your work area by their differences in terms or prong or diameter so that you can easily grab what you need. Most importantly, to get a good hit through with a chisel, you can put a stone block on your table and a pounding board on top. This set-up controls the vibrations in the table and makes sure that the force you apply is concentrated on the leather.
When using on the leather, it must be perpendicular to the leather and do not beat it with heavy hammers. Use plastic hammers or nylon hammers instead to avoid too much force on the handle. Use the tool with a soft cushion to protect the cut tip, such as a smooth board or open plate as mentioned. You can also add beeswax on the prongs prior to use so that it will help teh chisel get in and out of the leather easily.
Maintaining Durability
One simple trick to maintain your tools’ best state is to soak the chisel into vinegar for a few hours. The vinegar will soften the rust and dirt in the tool enabling you to scrub it off easily later using an abrasive pad. You can also lightly brush the chisels to remove the specks of dirt slowly. You can opt to use material-friendly products like soap to remove the other dirt. Lastly, rinse with water and baking soda after soaking, and do not forget to dry it with a towel before storage.
When not in use, a layer of oil between the cut can be coated with a protective sleeve for maintenance. When it is removed, always pull it out from the leatherwork straight, never move it side-by-side to loosen it, or it could snap the prongs. Avoid using leather that’s so thick that it’s hard to remove or pull. If used with leather that is thick enough to make it difficult to remove, it is recommended to use a wider grinding iron. Suppose there is paint adhering on the chisel’s teeth. You can remove the color from the teeth by using sandpaper in between the teeth.
Keeping It Sharp
To keep the chisel sharp, regular sharpening is needed. You can use a sanding disk to sharpen the teeth of chisels. Drag the chisel from up to down on top of the strop. You can also use a sandpaper, wrap it around a stick and work around the prongs. It is better to use a soft pad tool to protect sharp chisel teeth as it is sharp. Make sure to put on the sheath or place it in a safe place but accessible for more comfortable use.
Conclusion
Stitching chisels are ideal tools for getting evenly spaced stitches and quick stitching on your projects. Knowing how to maintain and use it to the best of its capacity will indeed be the primary trick to get that enjoyable stitching experience. For beginners, do not fret. This is a novice-friendly tool that can enhance your skills and be the stepping stone to becoming the best leather worker you want to achieve.
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