Chapter XIV: Stitching Harness

In stitching harness two objects are to be attained—strength and ornamentation. The first is secured by the use of thread of the required size to suit the work to be done, making it up properly, employing an awl that is neither too large nor too small, and drawing the work well together. The second, by laying the stitches in an artistic manner so that, when the work is finished, the lines of the pattern are well maintained and the stitches of a uniform length and laid true.

The first point to be considered is the selection of the linen thread or silk, and the proper manner of making up the strand. Thread as now sold in the market is designated by numbers; the sizes used by harness makers are Nos. 0, 10, 3, 12, and 5, the latter being the finest used; Nos. 6 and 19 are of the same size, but of different colors, 5 being black, 6 white, and 19 yellow. These sizes should be used in such a manner as to secure the greatest strength. The rule adopted is to grade the thread according to the number of stitches to be employed. No. 0, which is the coarsest, should be made up with four strands, and be used where the stitches number eight or under to the inch; No. 10 is a little lighter than No. 0, and is used in the lightest work; where the stitching is not more than ten nor less than eight to the inch, three strands are used. No. 3 is also used where the stitching ranges from eight to ten to the inch, it being finer than either 10 or 0; four strands are required for all ordinary work; for ten to sixteen to the inch No. 12 is used, four strands being required. When the stitching is as fine as eighteen to the inch the same number is used, but only three strands; for all work finer than eighteen stitches No. 5 is the only thread used; this is made up with three or four strands, according to the character of the work to be done. These numbers represent the ball thread; skein thread, however, varies but little in size with corresponding numbers, but, owing to its being smoother, it appears finer. For all heavy work the ball thread answers equally as well as the skein; but in making up, the thread, while being twisted, should be well rubbed with the awl handle in order to remove the irregularities. Where the work to be done is fine and first-class in every respect, use the skein thread. White thread is preferred, by harness makers who have tested its merit, on heavy stitching, owing to its possessing greater strength than the colored.

Having selected the requisite number of thread, the next thing is to break off the strands, wax and twist them up; unless this is well done the work will prove a failure. In running off each strand, it should be examined to prevent any hard, irregular spot being twisted up in the thread; in most cases the little lumps which are found are loose and can be removed without injuring the thread; where this can not be done, break it off and start anew. For stitching all articles like traces or other long straps, long threads are desirable in order to avoid starting with a new thread in the body of the work. Ten to eleven feet, however, is as great a length as can be used to advantage, and even this is liable to become weakened by the constant wear before being used up. In making a thread, untwist and pull apart the strand at the end, throw the center over a hook, and untwist and pull apart for the first strand; repeat this operation until the required number of strands are obtained. Untwisting before breaking the thread is a matter of much more importance than is generally supposed. If carefully done, the fibres are separated but not broken, and a smooth, regular, tapered end can be obtained; but if broken off, the end will be irregular and cause annoyance in threading the needles or attaching the bristles.

There is much difference of opinion as to the manner of waxing; some claim that no wax should be used until the strands are well twisted together, then they should be rubbed until the thread is well filled, after which it should be rubbed with a cloth to remove all surplus wax. Others claim that the principal part of the waxing should be done before twisting, and that the only benefit derived from using wax on the surface is to preserve the thread from injury by the friction occasioned by drawing it through the holes in the leather. A careful examination of the thread after having been used in stitching, would seem to give support to the latter method of making up, as it is found, upon cutting apart, that the amount of wax left on the surface is so small as to preclude the idea of its being any advantage either as to strength or resistance to the action of water, while strands which had been well waxed before twisting retained all but the surface wax. Fine threads may be made up according to the first plan, but all heavy threads should be well waxed before twisting.

After the strands are all broken off, rub them well by giving one turn around the awl handle and rubbing it back and forth, then apply the wax, and twist up moderately firm. A thread may be injured by twisting too firmly as well as by leaving it loose. In the first instance it will not take the wax well and wears away rapidly; in the second, the strands are likely to open and show after the stitch is laid. The workman must therefore depend upon his own judgment as to the proper amount of twist to be given. The best is the ordinary shoemaker’s black wax, which is made of equal parts of pitch and tallow, and is a good wax for general use; but this is too hard for winter, when a larger percentage of tallow is required, making the proportions one pound of tallow to three quarters of a pound of pitch. Various degrees of hardness may be obtained by changing the proportions. This, however, will not answer for white or light-colored thread. A good wax for this purpose can be made of refined pitch and tallow, the proportions to be governed by the degree of hardness desired. Ordinary yellow and white wax are also used for light thread, but they are not as good as that made of pitch.

Stitching, to appear well, must be regular, each stitch being full, defined, and of equal length. The use of the prick wheel assists materially toward producing the last result, but unless the workman handles his awl correctly irregularities will occur. Tastes differ as to the best position for the stitches. There was a time when straight stitching was ignored by all leading manufacturers on account of its resemblance to machine work, but the improvements in the latter soon made it possible to imitate any hand stitch, and the straight stitch has once more become popular. The custom now practiced by leading manufacturers is to lay all heavy stitches ten or less to the inch at a moderate angle, using a diamond-shaped awl; to secure uniformity the awl is held in a position which brings a face of the angle on a line parallel with the top of the jaw of the stitching-horse; to render this result certain, a portion of the handle is flattened to correspond with the angle on the awl. If the stitching is sixteen or less to the inch, the angle is reduced, but the same precaution is taken to secure regularity. All stitches where there are more than sixteen to the inch, are laid straight.

The manner of drawing up the stitches has much to do with their uniformity: drawing harder on one thread than on the other will produce irregularity. A common fault with stitchers is to tighten the thread with one motion as soon as it becomes short enough for them to do so; this is a serious fault, as it is impossible to lay the stitches even. No matter what the length of the thread, the tightening up should always be a distinct motion. If the stitches are to be flat, the force applied to both threads should be equal; but if a full stitch is desired on the face side, the thread bearing against the under side should be drawn the tightest; care must be taken not to draw upon this thread enough to draw out the channeling. Stitchers are apt to draw the thread in the awl hand the tightest, and it requires some practice to overcome this difficulty.

When performing a piece of work where the stitches are equally exposed from both sides, it is necessary to change the position of the thread on the side opposite the awl hand, or the work will be irregular, and it will be an easy matter to determine which is the right side. To do this work properly, enter the needles, and when that on the left side is drawn nearly out, bring the loose thread forward, and throw it over the needle, and tighten up in the usual manner. If care is taken to throw the thread over, the work will appear nearly as well upon the reverse as upon the right side.

The points to be observed, therefore, are: to drive the awl through at right angles with the face of the leather, holding it so that it will always enter the leather in the same position; to draw the threads carefully, so that each stitch is set in at a uniform depth, and the fulness retained on the outside. When the work is well fitted up, it will not require much power to set the stitches correctly. Around buckles, when the laps have not been previously worked together, it will require more force to draw the straps together; but under no circumstance should the stitches be buried into the leather, as this has a tendency to weaken rather than strengthen the work.