Leather Splitter Adjustable?

[DavidL]

Whats a good place or brand of a 6 inch leather manual splitter?

Is there a way to adjust the splitter to exactly skive 3.5 ounces with a numbered guide?

Can a splitter skive 6-10 ounces in one pass?

[silverwingit]

I like my 6" Heritage splitter/skiver from Weaver, though there are other similar options. The key in the effectiveness of any splitter/skiver is in getting the blade sharpened to a super keen edge and polished to a mirror finish. I've posted previously on how I do this.

Since I don't understand your terminology it is difficult for me to answer your adjustment question. Splitting means dividing an input section of thicker leather down to a specific lesser thickness evenly across the input piece. Skiving essentially means splitting at a slant or uneven thickness. The terms are not interchangeable. Some machines can split as well as skive where others can only split, so terminology is very important in this discussion.

Now, I'll interpret your "skive 3.5 ounces" question to ask whether you can you adjust a splitter to split that thicker piece into two thicknesses, one exactly 3.5 ounces and the other whatever is left of the original thickness, based on a scale of thickness settings. The answer is yes, sort of.

Hand splitters do have a scale of markings along the arc of metal onto which the handle clamps to achieve a steady, even thickness. But the markings aren't calibrated in thicknesses because that is wholly dependent on the precise position at which the blade is bolted to the rest of the tool's frame. The operator removes and reinstalls the blade each time it is sharpened. Precisely where it is bolted onto the frame is operator-dependent.

So the real world result is that it is easiest to test-split sample(s) of the leather, readjusting the locking handle's position until you get the desired thickness. Once that is achieved you can mark the spot on the adjustment arc so that you can return to it in the future. One could calibrate the tic marks on the adjustment arc in this way if you are really meticulous, but it doesn't come pre-calibrated for the reasons I've explained.

As to the maximum thickness of leather that can be split in once pass, like many things in the world of leatherwork, that depends. It largely depends on the specific sample of leather. Since the physical properties of leather varies not only upon the tanning method (and hence "hardness/stiffness") but also the location on the hide where the sample to be split comes from, there is no pat answer for you. Also because you manually grab onto the length of leather to pull it through the splitter, the more resistance to the splitting the more deformation of the sample as you pull on it. (Quick tip -- use a wide vise-grip clamp or other several inch wide-jawed pliers to grasp the leather you want to split to ensure that you pull evenly across the leather strip to be split. This will help minimize deforming the leather just because of the way you grasp it.)

Splitters basically shave the top thickness off a strip of leather. If you're splitting a 1 1/2" - 2" belt blank made of high-quality veg-tan cut from the back and not the belly, and your blade is razor-sharp, properly polished and set in place, yes you can easily split 6-10 oz. of leather. OTOH, if you want to split a full 6" wide strip, even of relatively stable veg-tan, you've entered a completely different world and the only answer is you'll have to try it with your particular leather.

I hope this helps some. Manual leather splitters allow a leatherworker to completer lots of projects that would otherwise be impossible or prohibitively expensive in a small shop. But like many other aspects of leatherwork, because of the very nature of leather itself, they require hands-on experience as there are no fast, easy fixed answers.

Michelle

Edited July 27, 2014 by silverwingit

[Hi Im Joe]

I like my 6" Heritage splitter/skiver from Weaver, though there are other similar options. The key in the effectiveness of any splitter/skiver is in getting the blade sharpened to a super keen edge and polished to a mirror finish. I've posted previously on how I do this.

Since I don't understand your terminology it is difficult for me to answer your adjustment question. Splitting means dividing an input section of thicker leather down to a specific lesser thickness evenly across the input piece. Skiving essentially means splitting at a slant or uneven thickness. The terms are not interchangeable. Some machines can split as well as skive where others can only split, so terminology is very important in this discussion.

Now, I'll interpret your "skive 3.5 ounces" question to ask whether you can you adjust a splitter to split that thicker piece into two thicknesses, one exactly 3.5 ounces and the other whatever is left of the original thickness, based on a scale of thickness settings. The answer is yes, sort of.

Hand splitters do have a scale of markings along the arc of metal onto which the handle clamps to achieve a steady, even thickness. But the markings aren't calibrated in thicknesses because that is wholly dependent on the precise position at which the blade is bolted to the rest of the tool's frame. The operator removes and reinstalls the blade each time it is sharpened. Precisely where it is bolted onto the frame is operator-dependent.

So the real world result is that it is easiest to test-split sample(s) of the leather, readjusting the locking handle's position until you get the desired thickness. Once that is achieved you can mark the spot on the adjustment arc so that you can return to it in the future. One could calibrate the tic marks on the adjustment arc in this way if you are really meticulous, but it doesn't come pre-calibrated for the reasons I've explained.

As to the maximum thickness of leather that can be split in once pass, like many things in the world of leatherwork, that depends. It largely depends on the specific sample of leather. Since the physical properties of leather varies not only upon the tanning method (and hence "hardness/stiffness") but also the location on the hide where the sample to be split comes from, there is no pat answer for you. Also because you manually grab onto the length of leather to pull it through the splitter, the more resistance to the splitting the more deformation of the sample as you pull on it. (Quick tip -- use a wide vise-grip clamp or other several inch wide-jawed pliers to grasp the leather you want to split to ensure that you pull evenly across the leather strip to be split. This will help minimize deforming the leather just because of the way you grasp it.)

Splitters basically shave the top thickness off a strip of leather. If you're splitting a 1 1/2" - 2" belt blank made of high-quality veg-tan cut from the back and not the belly, and your blade is razor-sharp, properly polished and set in place, yes you can easily split 6-10 oz. of leather. OTOH, if you want to split a full 6" wide strip, even of relatively stable veg-tan, you've entered a completely different world and the only answer is you'll have to try it with your particular leather.

I hope this helps some. Manual leather splitters allow a leatherworker to completer lots of projects that would otherwise be impossible or prohibitively expensive in a small shop. But like many other aspects of leatherwork, because of the very nature of leather itself, they require hands-on experience as there are no fast, easy fixed answers.

Michelle

Really great answer. And very informative. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[DavidL]

Thanks for the reply, it does help me out.

Im planning to split leather first then cut out the pattern from the leather so the stretch may not be an issue. Thanks again.

[dirtclod]

Why don't you just buy the thickness you want and be done with it ?

[DavidL]

thats what I was planning to do but I buy in bulk so I don't have to pay for multiple shipping fees. Buying 200-300 sq feet costs 400-500 to get it split so its cheaper for me to buy a crank splitter at the end of the day.