I have an embroidered patch I would like to sew onto my Hill backquiver. What's the best way to do that? It's really thick leather and I already bent one needle trying to do it. I would like to do it myself rather than taking it to someone. Thanks.
You can do it two different ways, one way is to use a strait owl, to punch the hole for the needle to go true(you could use a nail, the you file to a long point). The other way is to use a sewing owl, you can buy them in most hardware store, crafts store, they come with some thread and realy sturdy needles. I guess you could also glue it to the leather.
Good luck!
maybe drill it with tiny bit then sew it on
might be easier than poking through the thick leather
Trace around the patch LIGHTLY with a carbon pencil. Not the school type, but the artist type.
Once you have the outline traced in take a sturdy needle, awl, or a toothpick-like ground long finishing nail and vise grips and pre-punch holes around the inner parts of the traced outline. Sew with whatever thread you like but be mindful of broadheads going in and out of the quiver. The craft/sewing section at wallyworld has crafter's needles that'll do the trick.
Barge cement along the back of the patch might not be a bad idea while sewing.
I'll second the drilling with a small bit. May not be traditional but it works well.
I use an awl to punch my holes through 3-4 layers of 9-10 oz leather for hand sewing. The point is diamond shaped and I keep the point needle sharp (pun intended). If I have to go through 5 or more layers, then it's drill press time with a new, sharp drill. The awls are available at any leather craft store.
I would just sew it at 4 spots,12,3 6 and 9 O'clock, tack those 4 spots and use contact cement on the rest, it won't go any where!
Use shoe goo. I used shoe goo to apply netting to my leather bow quiver, I then tied material where I trimmed my shaggy suit. Worked great.
Like Bladepeek said grind(or file) the point of your awl(nail, ice pick, etc) into a diamond shape and sharpen the edges like a blade. This will cut through the leather easier than a round needle or awl will push through.
You can get an inexpensive stitching awl(with thread included) from most hardware stores that will work just fine for what you want to do. I would also glue it down. I would use contact cement(Barge, Weldwood, etc)for this.
Use a leather awl after tracing the patch. Remember to slip in a thin piece of wood or thick piece of leather on the inside of your quiver so that the awl doesn't poke through the other side of your quiver. Good idea to use barge cement (or other glue)on the patch, but I wouldn't glue all of the way to the edges, so you can see the holes that you have punched in the leather while you are sewing. Consider using synthetic sinew for thread and purchase a leather sewing needle with a longer shaft and bigger head to thread the synthetic sinew through. When finished you could glue a thin piece of leather on the inside of the quiver to cover your sewing and prevent broadhead damage. If the patch is not to far from the opening of your quiver a clamp with (2) pieces of wood could be used to firmly set the inside thin leather piece over your sewing. Tandy leather or craft store should have the materials you need (awl needle and sinew) or shoot me an e-mail and I'll loan you some. Best of luck, Bob
Thanks for all of the great advice everyone. I had one of those sewing awls around here somewhere. If I can find it I'll try that first. I have some twisted nylon serving thread that I'll use. As for the gluing it down when sewing, will barge cement of shoe goo come off if the patch is ever removed? I have heard that barge cement will peel off the leather once the patch is removed. I have heard that folks use it on bows under leather grips.
Barge would be better than shoe goo. I use kid's school type Elmer's Rubber Cement. It rolls off easily.
Good ol' Elmer's. I can get that easily. Thanks, Bud.
Here's one with Loctite all purpose adhesive, which like Barge cement or rubber cement. You want it to be a little less viscous than Shoe Goo. But even so, I colored outside the lines a little.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a229/polepick/QUIVER.jpg)
I sewed one on a piece of leather and left a tab on that leather. Then I put only one hole in my quiver and bolted that tab on
I glued an old Bowhunting Spoken Here patch from the 70's on one of my back quivers a couple months ago. I used loctite super glue. It worked real well. Not ever planning to take it off anyway.