Digit

I've bought a cheap leather splitter from AliExpress which works surpisingly well. Splitting down 3.5mm veg tan is super easy and it even works on 1.5mm chrome tan. It's basically just a holder for cutter blades, so a dulled blade can be easily replaced (or sharpened if you like). The width of the leather that can be split is limited to the length of the blade, so +/- 9cm. This is the one I got: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005967041306.html There's plenty of similars and the price constantly varies, but I think it bottoms out at around 35-40 euros.

I've got a similar issue with an old piece of riveted leather. In the past I've tried to scrape off that sticky green stuff, but it keeps coming back. Since recently I have a spindle press for setting rivets, so I'd like to replace all the nickel-plated brass rivets with new ones (either nickel-plated brass again or nickle-plated iron, wdyt?). What's the best way to remove rivets? Drill through them? (I do have a press drill).