There’s only a couple of reasons to taper a thread end, stab with an awl and ( mostly using a clamp ) stitch up a seam without big needles and large,pre- punched holes. The time you spend tapering an end and threading a smaller needle cuts dramatically into the time you’re going to spend pre-punching a bunch of holes and lugging oversized needles through stubborn holes with a plier.
You’re also going to make tighter, more uniform seams. There will not be visible, large holes in your work because you will not be using hole punchers and ten penny nails for needles. Witness the fact that almost every shoemaking video on YouTube will show the Cordwainer using tapered ends on two needles or bristles. Practice is your friend…Practice is your friend…Practice is your friend…
We’ll use artificial Sinew and some un-waxed linen thread. Sinew represents something you can buy off the shelf. Instead of a spool of unwaxed I use thread a Spinner named Maggie once spun for me of three parts hemp and one part flax but it’ll work the same as off the shelf unwaxed linen or flax.
GENERALLY…not always…I’ll use the sinew on softer leathers made in a camp/primitive look where tight stitches or tacking (one needle rather that two) is called for. I’ll use thread when a Townie look is called for. We’ll use Beeswax because it is readily available. Do a search on …”John James” …or…”Osborne”… harness needles and buy the medium size off their chart. They’ll be smaller than the off the shelf Tandy needles.
The Web is loaded with good reference points, but it is also loaded with guys who know very little about what they’re doing. So, however you are going to stitch, be careful in your discrimination. This is the way I was taught. I have almost always worked with needles, which is different than prepping thread for use with hogs bristles. It’s not the only way, but it’ll work every time. Wrap your thread clockwise around the first joint of your index finger and pin it there firmly with your thumb. Leave about five or so inches on the thread end. It should look like this…
Don’t let up on your thumb pressure, Pard, because you don’t want your work to move around. When your index finger points to your tummie tum tum, the thread runs from left, around your finger joint and to right. Now you have to separate it into two groups.
In the case of the sinew, stick and awl point through it and pull it to the end. Don’t take any prisoners. Force the awl without mercy through the end. The sinew will rip and maybe ball up toward the end and may even scream like a small child who just got a boo boo….
In the case of the thread, just unwind the stuff with reverent patience until you can separate into the two groups…
It’ll take you a while to master this next part, but the way I do it is to shave the ends with my knife blade. My Master used to separate each ply of the thread with his fingers, squeezing and jerking the ends to get them fibrous and finely tapered. I prefer to shred gradually with pressure on my clicking knife. It’ll take you some practice to get the touchy-feely to shred the ends without cutting them or slicing your thumb. You can also try it on the bench…
Now, wax the Jimmy-John out of each end. At least four or five passes, tightly enough so the wax partially burns into the ends. Now wind each end counterclockwise, toward you. Let ‘em hang for a second or so while you work on one, then the other. Once they are overly gooey, show some taper and are wound counter clockwise, place them both on your thigh down by your knee. This will happen way faster than it takes to write about.
Be sure to keep the thread taught with your left hand after allowing it to un-wrap from your index finger and thumb. When you roll the end on your thigh, keep a firm pressure so that you feel the thread wrapping around itself under your palm. Start down by your knee.
Forcefully, rapidly and firmly roll the ends back to your hip
Forcefully, rapidly and firmly roll the twisted end back to your knee TWICE
You ought have an end tapered like this;
The last step is to thread the needle;
When you tack or stitch try to grab the needle only as far enough through the hole before closing by grabbing the thread. The needle is locked in place on the thread, but it will come undone until you have done this enough times to make better tapers and tighter locks.
Tight Stitches,
Capgun
