Traditional French-style geometry, individually hand-finished for exceptionally smooth penetration, clean release and greater durability.
 
The Pro Atelier Plus GRAPHITE Premium French-Style Pricking Iron / Stitching Chisel is designed for leatherworkers who want the refined stitch appearance of a traditional French pricking iron, combined with the convenience of a modern stitching chisel that can pierce directly through leather.
 
GRAPHITE sits above our Hollow range as our more traditional, substantial and hand-finished pricking iron. Every GRAPHITE prong is individually hand-polished and sharpened. Its slightly wider, tapered teeth are closer in shape to classic French-style pricking irons, but are sharpened to pass cleanly through leather without requiring every hole to be opened separately with an awl. This geometry creates the characteristic angled slit associated with French-style saddle stitching while giving each tooth more material and strength.
 
Rather than focusing on making the teeth as thin as possible, GRAPHITE is designed to balance sharpness with strength, toughness and maintainability. This makes it particularly suitable for firmer vegetable-tanned leather, thicker leather constructions and workshop use where a more substantial pricking iron is preferred.
 
The result is a strong and elegant hand-stitching tool suitable for fine leathercraft, while offering greater robustness for heavier or firmer leathers.
 
GRAPHITE uses a 40° cutting angle, producing an approximately 50° stitch slant when saddle stitched.
 
GRAPHITE Pricking Irons are made from Swedish ASSAB S-136 stainless steel, selected for its combination of wear resistance, corrosion resistance and toughness.
The steel undergoes vacuum heat treatment followed by cryogenic cooling to achieve a consistent structure and reliable long-term performance.
With a finished hardness of 52–54 HRC, GRAPHITE is designed to provide a practical balance between edge performance, toughness and the ability to maintain or re-sharpen the teeth over time.
The body is finished with a distinctive graphite-black oxide coating, giving the range its understated premium appearance while adding surface protection against corrosion.
 
Available spacing for this range: 1.93 mm, 2.45 mm, 2.7 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.38 mm, 3.85 mm and 4.0 mm.
 
Like any precision leatherworking tool, the teeth can still chip or bend if subjected to excessive sideways force or struck against an unsuitable hard surface. However, the more substantial geometry also makes GRAPHITE better suited to repair and re-sharpening when necessary.
 
When you purchase a set of three GRAPHITE Pricking Irons / Stitching Chisels, they are supplied in a walnut wooden presentation box with complimentary personalisation.
You can choose to have your name or logo engraved in your preferred font, with an engraving area of approximately 11 × 15 cm.
If you would like engraving, please email us immediately after placing your order with your engraving details. If we do not receive your instructions before dispatch, the box will be sent without personalisation.
The Pro Atelier Plus logo will be engraved on the back of the box.
Please note that the leather logo panel shown in the product photographs is not included. It is shown only as an example of how you may further personalise your wooden box.
 
Care and maintenance
Always use your GRAPHITE Pricking Iron on a suitable leather punching board.
Avoid striking the teeth onto cutting mats, wood, stone, metal or other hard surfaces. When removing the iron from the leather, pull it vertically rather than applying sideways pressure.
Correct use will help preserve the alignment, polish and sharpness of the teeth and provide reliable performance over many years of leatherworking.