bruce johnson

Greg, Usually the magazines have the dates for events. ShopTalk is one and Leather Crafters Journal too. Here's a page from Leather Crafters Journal website - http://www.leathercraftersjournal.com/events.html

Chuck, Some of the newer Osborne tools bear little resemblance to even their own older tools. Creasers and bisonette edgers are shining examples.

Campbell Randall has poly too.

After a few hundred I think I have cracked the code or at least have some pretty good averages. On the regular single line creasers, the size number is +/- 1/32 of an inch. ie. a #2 is 2/32" and #5 is 5/32". This applies to Gomph, CS Osborne, and HF Osborne. The next size range up for Gomph is called "round edge creasers" and for the Osborne bros - "layer creasers". These start with a #1 being +/- 6/32" and each number up from there is approximately 1/32" additional. Double line creasers pretty much follow the size for the single line creasers. The distance between the edge guide and center line is that number in 32nds of an inch. The center line to the inside line usually follows that rule pretty closely, although some maybe be a bit narrower. There is a bit of variation between some individual tools due to manufacturing or wear, but these are pretty good rules of thumb I have found.

That would be easy enough to make up from a creaser. I repurpose creasers into push beaders, bevelers, thread countersinks, etc. This fall right in there. I have several sizes of creasers and the tools to do it with.

Here is how I do them - http://brucejohnsonleather.com/tutorials/ . Today that page is displaying a bit wonky, but if you click the download link it will given you the complete instructional.

I just checked and the Douglas bisonettes are no longer listed in Sheridan Leather Outfitters site. You might call them and see if they have any left that aren't listed. A lot of the information in this thread is a couple years old. To update my portion - I have since put together a pretty complete set of Rosecrans and sold my Douglas set. Nothing wrong with the Douglas ones, I just didn't need two sets. The Douglas ones are closer to the Rosecrans patterns than others.

Good job. I'd agree with the perceived hardness on the Rose knives. An old guy told me that "A Rose knife is harder than a whore's heart and stays sharper than a mother-in-law's tongue". He was colorful and very accurate.

Once you get out to that foil edge you may need to raise your angle a bit to strop that off and leave the sharp edge.

My apologies for the confusion as well. I had seen a video of a gang type that cut three or four strips at once. I assumed this was the same one - similar but not the same.

What is in the link I believe has roller type blades and spacers between them. It is like a gang set up rotary knife. Since the original thread came up I have heard from two people who use(d) similar setups. One had fixed arced blades that cut like a round knife. They had a slot to adjust blade height and account for wear. The other was a shop-made gang rotary knife. I'd be interested if Simon can take a few pictures of his. As of yet, nobody has any.

Joseph English started making tools in about 1826. There are English tools marked only in his name and some marked in partnerships with other tool makers. He sold to Wm Dodd in 1856. Some say sold, and at least one respected source says that English died in 1856 and Dodd took over. CS Osborne was either brother-in-law or son-in-law to Wm Dodd depending on source. Sometime after 1858 Dodd sold to CS Osborne. Even though the lineage of tool making goes back to 1826, CS Osborne was no part of it until at least 30+ years and two owners later. As far as I can tell from most people who have tried to research this, there is no definite lineage of markings either. They may have been variously reused at times to keep things fresh. They added the star mark at one point for a while, usually attributed to the later 1880s-1890 something. The Osborne company was good at marketing. The corporate address changed from Newark to Harrison NJ in about 1906. The knife was part of their trademark and logo, on all their stationary,etc. - "corporate branding" if you will. They may have continued to mark the knives with the Newark stamp up until as late as the World War One.

Here you go - (828) 505-8474

Bob, We were there last month. Hall of Fame was nearly a full day for us. We visited a couple shops while we there in the Stockyard area. I worked in Edmond 30 some years ago and things have changed a bunch. A lot of my landmarks were gone which I expected. Tener's is just kind of another store now, I remembered as being a little more upscale. I found more stuff that appealed to me at Langston's. Had a nice talk with a lady in the old National Saddlery store site. We are about the same age and she filled me on what's still going and what's gone. One of the best meals we had on the whole trip was at Gage's Steakhouse in Guthrie. Didn't make it to Cattleman's at the stockyards for brains and eggs but will do that next trip.

Looks really good!

I bought a Boss when they were $1600 and the next powered machine that sewed close to them was about $4000. Simple to use, will sew whatever you can cram under the foot, and mine was from backj in the iron days. I stepped up to an Adler 205 when I could afford it, but still kept the Boss for heavy work. Swapped up to a Ferdco 2000 later on and that is when I sold the Boss. When Artisan brought out the short arm Juki clone for under $2000 a couple years later, that was the game changer for the hobby and small shop market for everyone. I've had three servos and two clutch motors on powered machines, I'd never go back to a clutch. Mine adjust the top speed by a dial. I have speed reducers to increase torque and rarely reach up to hand wheel a tight area. Last year I turned a 12 year girl loose on my 1245. I had it dialed down and she sewed her projects straight as a string. Zero learning curve for her with a servo.

Thanks for letting me know!

It depends, and on this model - it REALLY depends. Without more pictures it is hard to say much. They need to have a good "grip" when you release the handles to hold the position. Besides a strong spring if the corners of the slots in the pliers are rounded over or not fitted up, it can wander some. The two eccentric wheels that raise and lower the blade are joined by a square shaft, That shaft can twist if a lot of torque has been put on one side or the other. Then you get to the blade condition. A good full blade is a plus. When you have a good tight one they really are fun to use and make a nice splitter. I have joked with people about them. I say that I bought all I could for $100 each so I can take parts from three of them to make one up and sell it for $200. Sometimes that is pretty damn true. Once in a while I do get a nice one that is good and tight. Currently I sell that kind for $300 - gone through, refurbished, and ready to use. At the worst, as long as one is square, even with a poor grip, they are no different than a lower cost splitter/skiver currently sold. They are a one handed unit at that point - one hand pushes the handle forward to keep the roller against the depth stop while the other hand pulls the leather. You can raise the stop and they make a dandy skiver and especially a lap skiver. Ones in that condition go for $150 - 200 right now depending on blade. I sell those mainly as a companions for a someone who has a Krebs, Chase, or Osborne #86 splitter but still has the need to do some lap skives too.

The number is how far the ridges are apart. The crease line would be further in for each larger size. The outslde ridge is longer to ride down the edge of the leather.

Dean, I got your phone message and came at a good time. I needed a new blade for one I have and had ordered an Osborne replacement yesterday. Hopefully this will go directly onto the old frames but nothing Osborne does surprises me. I will give a feedback on the new Osborne blades once I get it, sharpen, and test it. They are supposed to have a bimetal blade but shorter section of the hardened steel than the old ones. We'll see.

The bigger the number, the larger the size. The approximates are each number is +/- 1/32". A #2 is 2/32 between the ridges, a #5 wiuld be 5/32", etc. Then it gets fun. Gomph makes another size range up from there also in a #1-#5 size range they call a large round creaser. The older Osbornes made a larger size range #1-#5 and they called them layer creasers. The larger size range starts at 6/32 and goes up 1/32 with each number. There can be some variation between one tool to the next due to small manufacturing differences and wear. Then you find the occasional #0 or #6 too. All bets are off on the new Osborne ones and they bear little resemblance to the old ones. Apparently they lost the patterns and quality control specs at some point.

I have added several new tools to my website today. There are knives including a stellar Wm Rose head knife, splitters, rein rounders, and saddler and cantle pliers. Here is the link to the recent addition page - http://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/recently-added-tools/ Thank you, - Bruce

With any groover round corners can be a little tricky and take some practice. What I do is to sometimes use my left thumb to make a "brake" for the blade and really concentrate on swinging the guide around the edge on the corners with the cutting tip mostly pivoting until the guide leg clears the corner. It is the same action I use with a border guide on my swivel knife if I am cutting borders, using creasers, or any similar guided tool going around tight outside corners. Practice on some scrap to get the motion down.

Once the blade is in, the most common reason the leather goes over or under the blade is not being positioned correctly. I have had this happen a few times. Sharpen a blade and get feedback that leather is going over or under the blade. There are stops that catch the corners of the blade. The blade needs to be pushed up against them and somewhat tightened. Relax just enough to let the blade marginally come back off the stop so it is not tight.

String bleeders need to have an absolute fine point on the tip to start the cut. They need to start like an awl blade and the blade edge has to be really sharp. If they are dull or burred over anywhere then you are pushing too hard and they go crooked or make too large a slit. With a good edge I like them the best. I have had them from Bob Douglas, McMillen and Jeremiah Watt with equal results. One of those things I don't get real often and they go fast when I do. Another tool that works is a large thonging awl, like a diamond awl only bigger. That was my first bleed slit cutter and they do a good job but again kind of uncommon. The problem I had with them was that the bottom edge might be cutting into the other leg of the string if I didn't pay attention.