glove making needles. i have a bunch that fit that exact description and use them for all sorts of things. they push through heavy veg tanned leather like butter. get them from the saddle supply down here.
No Les, glovemakers needles are similar, but different species.
I was a saddlemaker for 15 or 20 years... same time I was doing Western silver - from '69 to about '89.
Sailmakers needles are 3.5" to 6" long. The shanks are about 2/3 of the total length. The rest is the triangular "blade". They come curved and straight.
i have used a sewing needle or a paper clip. i do not rivot it, i just taper it and tap it in with a hammer. it lasts forever or until the wheel wears out.
Brian,
Some county feed stores have about the came thing for sewing burlap feedsacks.
I have made burnisher, scrapers wax tools and even gravers out of them.
They usually come on a card of assorted shapes and sizes for $3-4.
Best regards.
John.
While most would find this too time consuming, I do milgraining with a beading tool...one bead at a time. This allows me to select the precise size I need, allows me to access any area, and with practice can yield a true grain with perfect roundness for each bead. I can even graduate the sizes as I do an edge, and feather the beads down to "0" size.
When I map out an eternity band for diamonds, I make a divider out of an old bur for the precise spacing I require since I keep tight tolerances. Grind the tip flat from both sides into a knife edge, then grind out the center to leave two sharp points. You will probably need to make several until you get the exact spacing you want. Then you can walk the new divider around the band. I have about twenty of these of all different sizes. For larger spacing, you can use a larger piece of flat bar stock.