stef73433 Report post Posted June 10, 2013 Can someone please educate me on dies for this? How are they made? How do they work, what other tools do you need to make them work, how much $$? I know nothing on them, but am interested Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAM Report post Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) Dies are like shaped knife blades. I don't know how they are made, but I just had one made by Texas Die for a large knife sheath that I make in quantity for a knifemaker. It really helps for quickly cutting repeatable shapes that are perfect every time (and no cutting mistakes). Most folks use a clicker, which would be best, but I don't have a clicker so I use my 6T bottle jack press (for which I paid too much money to Weaver - you can get the same thing at Harbor Freight for a lot less). The bottle jack press is slower and smaller (although quite a lot cheaper) than a clicker - I have to press-click the piece in three presses - but it works. Essentially you need a machine that will push the die straight down through the leather onto a cutting surface that won't dull the die edge. Hammering the die through the leather doesn't work - at least not for me - the die just bounced around - but the press works really well. The die I had made is about 12" by 6", fairly simple outline, and cost me $90. Texas Die is 817-832-3897. Edited June 11, 2013 by JAM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
