Rayguns: Stitching on the Leather Grip

The leather grip covering the raygun handle is stitched on by hand. First the leather is cut out and the stitching holes are made using a pronged stitching chisel. The grip is dyed black, then soaked in warm water. This makes the leather plastic and able to conform to the shape of the handle.

Then the seam is sewn together using two needles and waxed thread. The wax keeps the stitches from coming loose. The needles go through the same hole in opposite directions, and the thread is pulled tight after each stitch. I started at the butt end, and worked up to the top where I tied the thread off.