Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Getting yourself under the nail with one is a truly heinous experience

Sorrel wrote: ↑Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:20 am Getting yourself under the nail with one is a truly heinous experience

True......
But I once tried to do a little leatherwork in the field without one (or an awl of any kind) and ended up pushing the eye of a needle through the (slightly knackered) leather thimble and into my thumb....... I learnt three lessons that day, sometimes you can't improvise around a basic lack (four needles aren't much heavier then three after all), I don't know my own strength and I need to learn more swearwords as I had to repeat myself a couple of times.

That does sound quite painful! I've seen leather with regular needles before (and still sew beaver furs and the like with them), so if you end up having to do that again for whatever reason, the trick (as with all heavier materials unless they're v loosely woven) is to use a very thin needle - I use #10 sharps for most of my needlework and they will - if done with care - go through moosehide (my sewing kit has several of them, as they bend easily, a couple hooks, a blunt large needle for sewing leather, a sail needle, and a leather/glover's needle)

ForgeCorvus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 5:22 pm
Sewing suede is easier with a Glover's needle (otherwise known as a Bayonet needle), it has a short triangular section at the pointed end that cuts its way through the leather (try really hard not to stab yourself, I think they're worse then a regular point.... And they bleed like b-gg--s ).

I have a few, and I have definitely bled while using them. Got myself a few times with my awl as well... not a fun time for sure