bruce johnson

Here’s the quick tutorials I did several ago for angled basket stamping. Still pinned at the top of that forum section but the pictures seem out of order. May have been because of the meltdown the forum had sometime back then.

It all looks great. The only critique I’d have is the orientation of the basket stamping. Running slightly downhill to the left. Early on one of the best stampers I know gave me advice to make my basket stamping rows come out parallel with the edge top and bottom. There is a tutorial somewhere on the forum here I did several years ago how to set and maintain that angle.

Here’s my experience with it. I had one sent to try. I’d let my wife use it on daily use knives but I wouldn’t use it personally on my good ones. It’s pretty simple to use and fairly fast. My biggest complaint is the single grit and the side to get the burr corrected straightens the bur like butchers steel, doesn’t really remove the bur. Ok for kitchen use, not for finer durable edges. Worth the cost? Not for me and my needs. If I didnt have machines to do it and I sucked at any sharpening on stones then yes it works better than most “one size fits all” sharpeners.

These splitters were designed for dense stiff shoe sole leather. They will do vegtan and stiffer latigo well. Much softer and the leather can wad up against the blade and not split evenly

To adjust the bottom roller, here is how I do it. I loosen the jam nuts first (like yours already are). I tighten the square head bolts to push the roller up almost to the blade if not kissing it. Then I tighten the jam nuts up against the frame to pull the blade down and set the gap. Tighten the two jam nuts against each other to hold that position. Then a test and if I need more pressure I tighten the square heads to compress the springs more. for thinner leather you will probably need to drop the top roller some also.

1). The blade edge needs to be about 1/16” or so from the bottom roller when it is centered over the roller. Any more than that and the leather slides right under. 2). if changing the along tension moves the bottom roller, it is not assembled correctly. there should be two jam nuts on the threaded studs and they should be up against the bottom of the frame. The springs allow for expansion and the roller to drop if you are taking off more than the 1/16” gap. Those nuts are what allows the gap and side-to-side leveling the bottom roller 3). there should be vertical tabs on the blocks and cover the bottom roller shaft goes through. The blade needs to be up against those stops to set the position. Then back off very slightly so the blade corners aren’t rubbing on them. That blade appears to either be short, the stops are gone, or something funky. The blade rest on Americans is longer than a Landis and the blades don’t hang over as far, but ideally should hang over some. That is the purpose of the two screws on the back is to keep the blade in position and not slide back with pressure. The bevel up or down on the blade? 4). Too much gap between the top and bottom roller to push thin leather. Dial in the bottom roller setting first. Then drop the top roller. There are two threaded slotted studs on the top with a jam nut. Loosen the nut, screw the studs down on each side and tighten the jam nut when you like the roller position. try this first and let me know

I use a stirrup plate on my machine. Goes around that corner much easier

I could write a book on adjusting these but it's Sunday and I'm not feeling the greatest. Lets see if we can narrow this down and make life easier - I am sure it is just adjustments. You are trying to put something through this machine it was never intended for but can be adjusted to do. What kind of leather are you trying to split? How big is the gap from the blade edge to the bottom roller? If you move the top adjustment to thinnest setting, how far apart are the top and bottom rollers? Is the blade all the way forward to the stops inside? Loosen the hold down clamps and center screw and slide it forward. It should hit the stops at both corners of the blade. Back off the back-up screws about 1/4 to 1/2 turn. You mentioned "off-kilter". Which roller or both? Let's get you splitting here

For straight straight knives they work better than nothing but barely. No real way to use them on a round knife. If you are doing a kitchen knife that gets beat to hell by a spouse that has no concept of a cutting board or slicing action, probably OK. A good knife you hide from that person - use a few finer grits on progression and a strop, or just a strop.

I sharpen the inside edges with a round diamond file. Once i have a bit of a bur all the way around I buff the out edges on a sisal wheel with black compound to take that bur off. I go back and do the inside with a hard felt or small leather wheel on a Foredom (Dremel works on lower speed) to take out grit marks near the edge, and buff the outside again to clean up any straggler burring.

If nobody pops up with a used set you might try calling and seeing if they still have any.

I never used sheep skin for lining but used a bunch of vegtan and chrome tan goat. Just used Barge originally and later Renia when the Barge formula changed. That printed sheep looks kind of iffy maybe for bleed through - I'd test a section first. For finishing edges - vegtan - as normal. For chrome tans I used Feibings leather sheen to give it some stiffness first, then a light sanding. Burnished with my wax of choice but usually beeswax followed by paraffin.

Kenner, If you are interested in a little travel and seeing a bunch of stuff, the Southwest Leather Show is in Prescott, AZ next month. There are classes available during the week and weekend and a trade show Friday through Sunday morning Feb 23rd-25th. There will at least two used/vintage tool sellers and a few more new tool sellers there. Other than the Sheridan show in May, this is a really good chance to meet people and see tools and leather. There are some bargains at the shows that are not on the usual internet websites.

You are sure welcome!

Edelbrock & Son - eventually became Ryon's. I think they were a long time shop - 1800s through 1940s.

I got a big heavy resupply box from Wayne Jueschke today and a few are pictured below. I try to keep stocked with biweekly or even weekly orders at times but the earnest Christmas gift orders started in mid November and the "I didn't get Wayne Jueschke tools from Santa" orders started at 6:05 am on Christmas morning. We couldn't always anticipate the orders and stocked as we thought through experience would be enough. As of tonight, I am stocked up again on mauls from 12 oz to 2 pounds. Wayne is out of the larger than 2# sizes as well but should be back up and running soon. The individual stamps or set of stamps are stocked also with a very few exceptions that he is also out of for now. For mauls, string cutters, and rivet sets - https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/new-wayne-jueschke-mauls-string-cutters-and-riveters/ For stamping tools - https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/wayne-jueschke-mauls-and-tools/ Thanks! - Bruce

Do the outsides on something with some give. I use a slack belt section on my belt grinders for the very edge. You can duplicate this effect by hand with a piece of neoprene (mousepad) and wet dry paper going through the grits. As advised above you can take the burr off the inside with a round diamond pile or wet-dry on a round dowel.

Looks great! Are you back in AZ?

Im not sure how "drapy" it would be to use as a bedspread but might be pretty easy to use the whole hide as an overlay throw-on thing. I never made a full bed spread but did some other bed accents when I was doing some work for an interior decorator. I did "bed runner" strips 2x7 feet from hair-on cowhide and stamped vegtan borders. They laid across the bottom of the made up bed and used the matching hide remnants for the decorative pillows. (Think "Cowboys and Indians" magazine). Also a couple sets for a really high end guest ranch's top of the line lodge suite. I got a huge hair-on buffalo hide one time. My son claimed it and laid on top in the living room floor and used it as a bedspread in the winter.

The price of the latex has not come back down to the same extent as nitrile for me. I use latex at work (veterinarian) for a finer touch. I do NOT use latex at home and wouldn't if they were free. The nitrile stands up to chemicals much better and much more puncture and abrasion resistant. Longer shelf life too. I've had some dyes penetrate latex. Mostly I am working with metal and wood finishes, glues, and solvents now. Depending on what I use either the 5 mil or 9 mil. 9 mil for the nasty stuff. Gloves are pretty stocked up again here and prices are almost back to preCovid on nitrile on specials at Harbor Freight, latex is still about $8 a box higher than before from our medical suppliers. Not sure how the restocking and supplying is going in the UK. I get mine at Harbor Freight again. I use the weekly coupons or Inside Track discounts and if I don't need anything else, I can always apply it to another box of gloves.

Yes it will. Skive the flesh side even though it’s exposed.

I’d call Weaver directly and ask if they still resharpen their own punches. They have cut back on some things with the ownership changes. I don’t get catalogs from them anymore so have nothing recent .

I've got the Weaver 4 ton Mighty Wonder and still have the Weaver bench top modified shop press with the plates (previously swapped the jack for air/hydraulic). The Mighty Wonder needs to bolted down to a sturdy bench. The arm creates a lot of leverage on the base and it takes a good bench to hold it and keep from tipping. Setting it further back from the edge makes it more stable too. It works well for smaller and simple dies. I can do bigger complex dies on it, my wife not as easily. If she has many of those she goes to the benchtop air/hydraulic jacked shop press. Easier for her to put-put-put through them pressing a button. .

Super nice guy and he makes good knives. He's been at the last few leather shows and would be a good choice.

When I talked to him a couple months ago he wasn't. What ever is on the website is probably going to be it. I got one from him the first morning of the Sheridan show several years ago and It has been worth every penny and more.