LilRay Report post Posted April 18, 2011 How does one establish an accurate straight edge on leather? Or rather what's the easiest or preferred method? God Bless, Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted April 18, 2011 get a 36" aluminum ruler and a scalpel,box cutter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Hello Ray, What sort of edge are you trying to make? Are you trying to cut a straight edge or do something like make a straight border? Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LilRay Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Bob, I'm trying to straighten a crooked piece of leather so that I can cut straps with a strap cutter. Trouble is all four sides aren't straight. I simply don't know where to begin. Pete, I'm with ya. I have an Xacto and a 36" and 48"steel rules. God Bless, Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UKRay Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Lay your 48" steel ruler on the straightest of the sides - providing the leather is long enough for the work you have planned. Then, holding the edge down good and hard, cut a single clean line (you wish!) to give you a starting place for your strap cutting. Don't worry too much if you aren't able to cut the full length you need at the first pass - shorter straps are always useful. The important thing is to get the first line straight. The first cut with your strap cutter could be a bit scrappy (mine usually is! LOL) but the edge will level out as you cut successive straps. I usually cut a narrow strap first off so I don't get a rough edge on a wider (and more expensive) strap. Hope this helps - it is the only way I know... One trick: if you need a strap that is longer then the piece of leather you have in hand consider cutting a curved line to gain a few inches. Leather is resilient stuff and can be coaxed back into a straight line with a good soaking and a tiny bit of a stretch. Best wishes and good luck, Ray (from the UK!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Bob, I'm trying to straighten a crooked piece of leather so that I can cut straps with a strap cutter. Trouble is all four sides aren't straight. I simply don't know where to begin. Pete, I'm with ya. I have an Xacto and a 36" and 48"steel rules. God Bless, Ray Ray, I use a 6' aluminum straight edge and I mark a straight line down the "back" of the tooling side from one end to the other. I try to minimize the waist. Once you have cut the line you can strip out any belts or other "straps" you need. The straight edge I use is actually one used by tile setters. It is 3" x 1" piece of aluminum angle. It is fairly heavy weight for aluminum....it's probably 1/4" thick. I like it because it is wide and I can set a couple of shot bags on it to hold it in place while I'm marking my line. The 1" lip keeps the straight edge from flexing. I cut the line with a sharp head knife. Hope this helps..... Bobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LilRay Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Ray, I use a 6' aluminum straight edge and I mark a straight line down the "back" of the tooling side from one end to the other. I try to minimize the waist. Once you have cut the line you can strip out any belts or other "straps" you need. The straight edge I use is actually one used by tile setters. It is 3" x 1" piece of aluminum angle. It is fairly heavy weight for aluminum....it's probably 1/4" thick. I like it because it is wide and I can set a couple of shot bags on it to hold it in place while I'm marking my line. The 1" lip keeps the straight edge from flexing. I cut the line with a sharp head knife. Hope this helps..... Bobby Bobby, Thanks for yur response. I'd like to ask you how you determine where "straight" is to mark the line? In other words, if I take a regular straight edge and lay it on the leather how will I know when it's actually straight? Do I need a big square? Thanks, God Bless, Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Bobby, Thanks for yur response. I'd like to ask you how you determine where "straight" is to mark the line? In other words, if I take a regular straight edge and lay it on the leather how will I know when it's actually straight? Do I need a big square? Thanks, God Bless, Ray It sounds to me like you don't have a whole side of leather, but instead just a large piece. Without seeing the leather or knowing what part of the hide it came from it is pretty hard to advise you. The best thing I can say is to determine which edge of your piece of leather is the best leather and cut that edge straight (assuming it's long enough). All you need to have is one straight side in order to cut your straps. The other edges don't matter if I am understanding you correctly. Bobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LilRay Report post Posted April 18, 2011 It sounds to me like you don't have a whole side of leather, but instead just a large piece. Without seeing the leather or knowing what part of the hide it came from it is pretty hard to advise you. The best thing I can say is to determine which edge of your piece of leather is the best leather and cut that edge straight (assuming it's long enough). All you need to have is one straight side in order to cut your straps. The other edges don't matter if I am understanding you correctly. Bobby Your right, all I have is a big piece. I'll do my best to get an edge, and go from there. Thanks for your help. God Bless, Ray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
