thimble, pullthrough or something else when hand sering heavy duty stuff

[petrochemicals]

Is there anything avaliable to aquire to aid sewing heavy duty material by hand. I have done a bit recently and my fingers still hurt from trying to grip the needle, it was also slow to do. Sew far (< !)I have used pliars, a thimble and a cut off thumb from a marigold glove.

A pull through looks too slow as it is not attached to the finger. So I am thinking of a driving glove from leather or maybe just the index finger and thumb from one. Is there anything else avaliable?

 

[Macaroon]

Have you considered one of these? Brilliant things, and easy to get the hang of;

https://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/item/451/sailmaker-palm

 

[Stew]

I struggle t grip needles if much force is required so actually use vice grips when sewing leather. It's not too slow when you get a rhythm going.

 

[Toddy]

Sailmaker's palm, but I do use a wee 3cm disc of rubbery stuff to pull through a tight one too.

I look for a thimble before I look for a needle. I still have my infant thimbles&#8230;.and the whole range up to the size I use now too

There are new silicon thimbles available now, and they are truly excellent for 'tight' needles. Wear one on your thumb as well as on your thimble finger and that gives you a grip every time you pull.

They are the lightweight pack of three in this listing.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEMLINE-S...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item58bf3a7ace

I found someone else selling them by individual sizes&#8230;.they aren't big, put it that way. The small one's too wee for me, but the thimbles are really surprisingly good.

M

 

[Ogri the trog]

Your thimble looks to be way too small for your finger PC.

Maybe visit a specialist and get a larger one!

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Macaroon]

When using the sailmaker's palm I give a little circular "wiggle" whilst pushing the needle through, just stretches the hole enough to make the needle follow through; I'm assuming you're stitching leather here. The leather will close agin the thread almost immediately, and won't be seen.

 

[Robson Valley]

I use an American-made "Speedy Stitcher." Useful to have at least 2 sized of waxed thread.
4 layers of canvas is no big deal. Less than $20 in my local Farm supply store.

 

[petrochemicals]

Your thimble looks to be way too small for your finger PC.

Maybe visit a specialist and get a larger one!

ATB

Ogri the trog

It was too small but it sure didn't fall off.


They look the business mary padded, and grippy.

I'm actually sewinng 3 layers of webbing around 4 layers of polyester at certain points, and doing the wiggling bit, but it slowed the pace down considerably.

 

[Toddy]

Have you a scrap of thin leather available ? or even a bit of chamois for cleaning the car ? Cut out a disc from that about the size of an old penny or half crown and use that until you get sorted out later. It'll work very well and you soon get the knack of picking it up and pulling as need be.

M

 

[bilmo-p5]

+1 for both the palm & the Speedy Stitcher

 

[HillBill]

Speedy stitching awl.

1st link i found.
http://www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog...gclid=CI7G_p6zocYCFaISwwod878A_g#.VYcARSnihv0

 

[Toddy]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silicone-..._DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d953582a#shpCntId

I've asked how many sets he'd send for the one postage, so it might be worth putting into the sewing kit.

M

 

[HillBill]

You develop fingers of steel sewing leather Mary The wax on the thread tends to give great grip for pulling needles.... if using waxed thread of course

 

[Toddy]

The old leatherworkers had forearms and shoulder joints like Popeye &#8230;.and hands like trolls.

M

 

[Macaroon]

The old leatherworkers had forearms and shoulder joints like Popeye &#8230;.and hands like trolls.

M

And truly crippling arthritis in the twilight years

 

[birchwood]

A small pair of flat faced pliers will do the job .

 

[Toddy]

And truly crippling arthritis in the twilight years

Aye.
The R.A. left me for a while with no pinch grip. Damned hard to hold anything securely without gripping it. The joints are still 'fragile' but they're working again. Until someone has suffered this I doubt they have any concept of just how debilitating it is when your hands don't work

M

 

[HillBill]

I've cut tendons in the past.... surgery needed.... i have a rough idea

 

[Toddy]

The surgery to fix my thumb joint would entail removing a tendon from my palm, and curling it up like a spring and fitting it into the place where the synovial membrane (think the discs in your spine) ought to be before the R.A. attacked it.
Just the thought of it makes me feel ill.
My hands are working again, but no stamina. Driving any distance over an hour is one crampy mess, tbh. I can sew for just over half an hour and then I need to go and do something else.

That long ramble is the explanation of why I know which pull throughs actually work easiest

M

 

[petrochemicals]

I use an American-made "Speedy Stitcher." Useful to have at least 2 sized of waxed thread.
4 layers of canvas is no big deal. Less than $20 in my local Farm supply store.

Thanks robson, it looks the business, but probably a bit too heavy duty for this task, but I think getting one will be a good idea, it should replace the pliers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k40kKKCGyac&app=desktop