Nifty Findings Show and Tell

[kemitchell]

I’ve started a handful of topics on non-shoe tools and other what’s-its that I’ve come to really appreciate at my bench. I’ve got another one, but rather than just have yet another one-off post, I’m hoping this new topic could also be fun place for other folks to share tools and supplies that spark moments of appreciation.

Nothing’s off-limits, but I’ll be especially glad to read about cheap, widely accessible tools folks have found ways to reuse in their shoe and boot work, as well as things folks make themselves. Of course, I’m sure some folks will want to share photos of the nifty old vintage finds and new, pro-produced pieces, too. And I’ll be drooling along to those like everyone else.

[kemitchell]

Here’s one I’m really appreciating today: a Kemper double-end mini stylus tool, catalog number DBSS. It’s the smallest of the three they offer:

Here’s a listing for almost eight bucks on Amazon Prime:

Amazon.com: Kemper Tools Stylus Pen for Transfer Iron Brush Fine NS1354 : Office...

I’ve certainly got $8 out of mine, but I’m pretty sure I paid half that or less at my local art store.

These are sold for clay sculpting, but I’ve used mine as a scratch awl, embossing tool, thread laying tool, stitch pick, and even as a scraper to remove adhesive from uppers where it shouldn’t have been.

It’s a really humble tool. The wood isn’t heavy, and the points are only little metal bits that stick into the handle partway. But the light weight is probably for the best, and I haven’t had any concerns about breaking mine.

As with the Excel tool I mentioned elsewhere, I do find it handy to have two different tools on two ends. Sometimes with the Excel, which I keep with one sharp point on it, I have to be careful about twirling it around, to avoid scratching something I don’t want to. Not so much with the Kempber ball stylus, since both tips are round.

[kemitchell]

Japanese Dollar Store Needle Storage

I found some containers at Daiso, my local chain Japanese dollar store, that have worked remarkably well for storing harness and other needles of various sizes:

I believe these are meant for packing small quantities of condiments in lunch kits. But they’re just the right length for the largest Osborne 517 harness needles and have narrow-mouthed flip tops that make them ideal for shaking out a few needles at a time in the hand:

Daiso also stocks about a gazillion different small zipper pouches. This one, marked "LIGHTS " and “I will cherish those moments we shared together.” fits seven “seasoning pots” in a row, eight with a tight fit:

By the way, please don’t run out and replicate my Osborne harness needle collection just for shoemaking. I have the big sizes from doing heavier leathercraft projects. For finer upper binding, I really only use the smaller sizes, 517-4 through 517-7. Reference chart on the wiki:

C.S. Osborne No. 517

[citizen]

I recently got and appreciate these little finger socks that help me grip needles soooo much easier Kokuyo Finger Protector – Made on Jupiter

[kemitchell]

Nice!

By the way, if you put links in their own paragraphs, the forum will often be able to show a nice “media” box with a preview picture, if the page has one:

Kokuyo Finger Protector

I definitely have some of those in my toolbox! I think I got mine from Daiso, the local chain of Japanese dollar stores. I’ve found I need them less for closing since stocking up on all the sizes of Osborne harness needles. But they can still save the pads on my fingers when pulling stitches intentionally tight, like when using bent harness needles for an inseam. When I remember to use them, that is!

[kemitchell]

Cheap Thumb Planes from China

I’ve really been enjoying a couple no-name thumb planes for edge work:

I got one with a flat sole and one with a convex sole.

I bought mine from a Japanese company, but there are a bunch of listings online for the same products.

The only adjustment mechanism is a thumbscrew to hold the blade in place, but it’s easy enough to adjust like an old-school wood plane. Tap the top of the blade to advance it. Tap the back of the plane body to retract. Since they’re so small, I find myself tapping the plane on the bench, rather than grabbing another tool to strike with.

I don’t know what kind of steel the blades are, but mine are magnetic and have sharpened and honed well. I can get very fine shavings or chunkier ones.

There’s no mechanism for breaking or clearing shavings, so they do get clogged every once in a while. But it’s easy to tap or blow them out.

I’ve really enjoyed having these for edge work. By far my least favorites things to do making shoes are rasping and sanding. These little planes have given me an alternative for jobs where I really just need to bring an edge back to a line, such as after welting or when stacking heels. Shavings steel make a mess, but they don’t linger in the air like dust and are far easier to sweep up and toss away.

The curved sole of the concave plane does help me get into more likes, like around welts through shanks, but not all the way into the deepest parts of those concaves. I will probably try sanding the sole to an even sharper curve, to reach further in there.

Long before buying these, I’d tried to use a small hobby or paring plane made by Stanley, model number 12-101. I think a wider, one-inch blade could be handy, especially stacking heels. But the Stanley that I have mounts the blade bevel up, rather than bevel down, and also has a much wider mouth than these finer wood-bodied planes. The Stanley’s not bad for taking rough shavings off the end of a narrow board in the wood shop, but I haven’t got it to take any good shavings off sole leather edges. Older-model Stanley “thumb” or “modelers” planes might do better.

[lexar4h1]

Shinwa 15cm ruler

I prefer to use the metric system with any measurements used in making shoes. Before, I was just using a standard 6 inch plastic ruler and that works fine but I decided I wanted a ruler that was only in the metric system. I picked up this Shinwa ruler from Amazon for about 7 dollars and it has become my favorite ruler.

https://www.amazon.com/Shinwa-Stainless-Machinist-Engineer-Graduations/dp/B00449491O

It has 1mm and 0.5mm spacing and a conversion table on the back which is really handy. The most useful aspect of this ruler is that the measurement begins on the edge. This makes it really easy to select the right spacing on a wing divider and all sorts of other things.

Wing Divider with Pen

The Shinwa ruler pairs really well with wing dividers even more so if they have a pen attachment. I was really struggling with my sewing and someone on reddit recommended getting a divider with a pen attachment. I much prefer using these vs a traditional divider. The pen marking is really easy to see and doesn’t get lost like the traditional divider mark does. I use this to mark every stitch line on uppers, holdfast, outsole/welt. I have a Chinese and Japanese one. both are kinda pricey but worth it in my opinion. The only thing I would change is having a smaller pen. The one I am using is from Starko tools and Germany and has a width of 0.5mm. I haven’t found any ink cartridges with a smaller tip that fit.

[kemitchell]

@lexar4h1

The most useful aspect of this ruler is that the measurement begins on the edge. This makes it really easy to select the right spacing on a wing divider and all sorts of other things.

Some tradesmen I’ve met call these “rules”, as distinct from “rulers”. The zero edge is particularly important to machinists, who often check measurements off a face, base plate, or block.

@lexar4h1

The only thing I would change is having a smaller pen.

I don’t think I’ve seen Parker-style ballpoint with a ball narrower than 0.5. I have seen plastic ballpoint refills for Uni JetStream pens at 0.38 or 0.35. JetPens here in NorCal would have them.

[Mllcb42]

I kept seeing this pop up as an alternative option to a 5 in 1 for cutting soles. Someone on Reddit mentioned really liking theirs, so figured I would keep an eye out for a good price on one. Came across it on Temu with a 30% off coupon, rakuten doing 15% cash back, and a few other discounts. All in, cost about $90 and works remarkably well.

[lexar4h1]

I’ve also been interested in this sole cutter. It’s from the same manufacturer as some of the Chinese tools I’ve posted about. Does it feel particularly heavy? Have you been able to use it on rubber? I haven’t had too much trouble cutting sole leather but I have a pair of boots I resoled 2 weeks ago that I haven’t been able to get a good cut on the christy wedge sole. I’ve been debating getting one of these or just sending it to a cobbler. No 5 in 1s have appeared near me for months.

[Mllcb42]

It’s quite heavy. Not 5-in-1 heavy, but definitely has some hefty. Still probably eants to be bolted down, but you can get away with cutting without it. So far, I have only cut some horse strips on it, so haven’t put it through its paces yet, but it cuts really well from what I have seen.

[thenewreligion]

I see them come up now and then. What region are you in?

[lexar4h1]

I am in central Illinois. I’ve just been checking facebook marketplace randomly. There was one in Wisconsin a few months back but I think they wanted like $800 for it. Not sure what some of these old tools are worth but it seemed steep. When I was looking for a sewing machine I saw a few ancient post-beds and people wanted 1k+ for them. I managed to get one for $300 off the ssia classifieds, no such luck with a 5 in 1 though.

[KBayCustomLeather]

So you’re the one that got the 300$ classified machine! Congrats!

Keep an eye on ebay for a 5in1 too, even a locked up one isn’t too terrible to repair if you can get a reasonable deal on one.

[thenewreligion]

Yeah somebody posted a refurb guide!

[KBayCustomLeather]

Yeah they did. Anybody is also always welcome to ask for my cell # for rebuild and machine diag advice too.