Hi everyone,
I’m currently buying the last tools to get started with handstitching. What spring compass do you guys use to mark where the stitching should come?
Does it damage fine (exotic, glazed) leathers or does it leave no mark when stitched? Any difference between fancy, expensive ones and regular dividers?
Thanks!
These are probably the best value dividers overall (like many Wuta products):
https://tinyurl.com/y8l3qkul
The idea is that you leave as faint a line as possible so that it is not noticeable after stitching. This is mainly used for vegetable tanned and re-tanned leathers.
With some leathers the line will be more noticeable than others depending upon it's scratch resistance. It is very difficult to mark a line in chrome tanned leather for example, for this reason most people will make a hot crease along the edge then use that to mark your stitches (usually just off the crease line).
Philip