Rawhide

I have a couple of granite stones from a mortuary that are not polished. They are flat though. I want to know if this will harm (or help) the leather or tooling process. Should I try to polish it? Thanks, Marlon

I have an Osborne Round knife, an Al Stohlman Brand head knife, and a Danny Marlin head knife. I use the Marlin all the time. It's definitely my favorite. I haven't tried any of the others mentioned earlier. Marlon

Jeff, I would suggest a TRI-HONE for starters. This will give you the course medium and fine grits to successfully sharpen a swivel knife. Once you get them sharp, you can keep them sharp by stropping it on 2000 grit sand paper, then on a strip of manilla folder rubbed with jeweler's rouge. You can't get the tri-hone from Tandy anymore, Hidecrafters may have some. I have also seen them at Woodcraft Stores. The sandpaper you can get at any auto supply, or walmart in the automotive repair section. I just use the sandpaper now to sharpen my swivel knives. I use 800, 1200, and 2000 grit progressively and it gives me what I want. For my head knife, I use diamond stones to put the edge on then go to the same sandpaper as a strop, and finish off with a leather strop rubbed with jeweler's rouge. I get the diamond stones from Woodcraft. Marlon

thanks Bruce, that's just what I needed to hear. I'm going to polish mine and use it as is. If I don't like it I'll round it and try again. Marlon

I just bought a C.S. Osborne #2 tickler/creaser and just wondering if it should be sharpened like a swivel knife, a head knife, or at all for that matter. Thanks in advance. Marlon

rwc, I forgot to post what sharpeners i use. I use DMT Diamond hones 1 course (this is what I use if my blade gets damaged or it's a new blade), then I use an extra fine diamond hone, made by the same manufacturer. the grit sandpaper you can get at any auto parts stores, the diamond sharpeners i get from Woodcraft. I'm sure you can find them elsewhere, but this is where I get them. Here is a link to the ones I use. Click Here. I use the 6 inch versions. Marlon

Tracy, I couldn't have said it better. What happens is the rubber matt actually grabs the blade, and makes it hard to push through, because most times, we try to cut in one pass. My suggestion is to get a poly cutting board. I bought mine from tandy, but you can get them anywhere. I bought the 12 x 12 inch version. Then I rubber cemented my rubber mat to the back of the board, this way I can cut with my head knife on the poly side, and use the rubber mat side to punch holes, etc... Marlon

In a word, yes. I sharpened mine on a course diamond water stone. then on an extra fine diamond stone. then stropped it on 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper, 1200 grit wet/dry, 2000 grit, and then a leather strop with jeweler's rouge. What are you cutting on? I would suggest a poly cutting board. The knife will sort of glide across it and make cuts easier. If you're skiving, use a glass cutting board. this will offer no resistance to the knife and make skiving a breeze. I have an Al Stohlman Brand knife and it comes with an edge on it, but it's not sharpened very well. That's probably your biggest issue. Do you have any sharpening documentation? If not, I can probably explain it. I had once before the crash, but I may need to redo it. Marlon

I would tell you to get Al Stohlman's book Leathercraft Tools. He has the definitive answer to sharpening and using a head knife and round knife. Did you buy and osborne? If you bought an osborne, it will need to be sharpened before you use it. A dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp one. 1st make sure the knife is the right size for your hand. place the end of the handle in the heel of your hand and hold it there with your thumb. stretch your index and middle fingers out and they should be able to touch the blade past the ferrule. If not, you'll have to cut off some of the handle. 2nd. make sure the knife is sharp. 3rd. to maintain the sharpness, I strop my knife everytime I pick it up. I strop it on 800 grit, 1200 grit, (sometimes 2000 grit), then a leather rouge board. I don't like to use a grinder with strop wheel because I don't feel I can control it well enough. (maybe with some more practice). Use of the knife should be effortless. you should be able to skive by just guiding the knife, not pushing it. If you have to put any effort into pushing the knife, it's not sharp. Marlon

Ha ha! John, you don't know how right you are!!! I was teasing Kevin, because he was in the class with me. Kevin, I'm sure Peter's class helped you out a ton. I know it did for me. I now see things in my carvings that I hadn't seen before. Marlon

Not bad Kevin. Keep it up and pretty soon you'll be the next Peter Main. :angel_not:

This is very true. Osborne assumes that you want to define the blade angle yourself, so they don't come sharpened. However, it is very easy to sharpen a head knife. If you have Al Stohlman's book on Leathercraft Tools, you can sharpen them yourself. It doesn't take too long and is very rewarding when you get it right. Once I got it right, I began to sharpen all my tools, and boy what a difference. It makes everything effortless. Marlon

what head knife did you order? marlon

Romney, Thanks for identifying the difference in the wet dry. I went and bought the grey wet dry from the auto parts store. I still used the black 800 grit, but for the 1200 & 2000 I used the grey paper. Marlon

I bought on at the class he taught here in fort worth. I will post a picture of it when i get home. Great tool by the way. Peter doesn't even use a beveler, just the modeler. Marlon

Thanks Tina, I've been quite facinated by your coloring as well. You create some fine work. Marlon

That's funny!! What page is that in the Rule book? Nevermind, I don't have one!!

Actually Clay, Peter carved my name himself. It's amazing to watch him carve that. Thanks for the compliments. I still have a long way to go, but I'm going to keep at it.Marlon Thanks William.

Ok ClayB, Here's the picture you've been yammering about. It's not finished, but I will attempt to finish it. Marlon

I don't think I can help you with that, I think you're supposed to dissolve a teaspoon in a pint of warm water, but don't quote me on that. However, I would love to know where you got it from. As a matter of fact, does anyone know where I would be able to acquire crystallized oxalic acid? Marlon

THAT'S IT!!!!!!! Works great. Good pull skipj. Marlon

Ok. I would like a copy of the plans my email is in my previous post. Just click on the word "here". Thanks for the offer. Mucho gracias. Marlon

Clay, That is an amazing story. Now I envy you!! My story is I emailed him after finding some of his work, specifically the tool box he used to use to carry his tools in, and surprisingly he emailed back. I didn't really expect it I guess. Anyway when I heard he was giving a class, I immediately signed up. On the night before the class he was to arrive in Fort Worth. I waited at the Tandy store with the manager so she wouldn't be alone, until he arrived. Well the directions got screwed up and he got lost. The manager is really just getting to know the area, so she couldn't give him really great directions, so she asked if I would. ME? Talk to Peter Main on the phone? So, I get the phone, and he tells me where he is. I tell him to turn around and come back the way he came....THEN HIS PHONE DIES! Ahh! "PETER MAIN IS LOST AND I CAN'T TELL HIM HOW TO GET TO US!!" We spend the next half hour trying to call him back. Finally he pulls up in front of the store, and explains that his phone died. The store manager introduces us and he shakes my hand. Right away I asked "Can I call you Uncle Peter?" He laughs and hugs me. ME, PETER MAIN HUGS ME, an nobody from nowhere. Anyway we help him unload his class materials into the store, and we spend another hour talking and laughing. What a great gentleman he is. He told me that the best thing that happened to him that night was that I told him to turn around, and he did the rest. After the class, he signed my copy of his coloring technique book, gave my wife the carving he did in the class and signed it as well. I called him Uncle Peter through the whole class. I said that most people have an uncle that they would like to be more like and he fits the bill, so from now on he's Uncle to me. I'm sure he won't forget that. I also noticed, that just about every piece of work he created, had a story behind it. He is a master artisan and I feel ever so blessed to have even been in his presence. He is truly one of a kind. Marlon

I actually bought mine from WoodCraft. It is nearly black in color and made by Norton abrasives. Marlon

Jim, I'd be interested in trying to make one. Are you selling the plans? If so, how much? Let me know. You can email me as well here.