Macca

for the Blanchard site, probably google translate is your best bet, lot of the names of the tools will be wrong, but you will get the idea http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vergez-blanchard.fr%2Fboutique%2Fliste_rayons.cfm&act=url

Very nice Walter It must be very interesting to work on such projects

German tool makers are not so well known outside of Germany, main European tool makers are Blanchard in France & Dixons in the UK http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/liste_rayons.cfm http://www.josephdixon.co.uk/products.asp What kind of German tools are you looking for ? There are still some making knifes, not so much for anything else.

great attention to detail, really enjoy seeing such a simple idea executed so well Well done !

I just use PVA glue, no smell and plenty strong enough to hold pieces together for stitching

http://www.goodsjapan.jp/item/leather-craft-items-other-tool/kyoshin-elle-leathercraft-pro-/lid=29748459

sounds like the cutter needs sharpening, wont be surprised if its from Tandy I gave up and bought a goods Japan one

Bruce, I had a look at my gauges, I would say the French ones are meant to have straight fences, some don't but I assume these were "modified" by the user ! The dixons definitely flares at the front Pictures below, I tried to align the fences with the grid on the mat to show any flare, only the blanchard in the 2nd pic has any, so I think that was done by the user. Finally, the dixons

http://www.laederiet.dk stock Blanchard tools, you could ask them to get some awls for you (they can order anything from Blanchard) http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/liste_produits.cfm?type=17&code_lg=lg_fr&num=2 Alene aux pinces are the diamond awls, you can order direct but I think the minimum order is 100 Euro, so a bit more than a few awls

Nice stuff Walter Very interesting shape you made on some of those, as you say, it must return to the same position when you pick it up ! I use the flat Blanchard ones, the smallest ones they make fit very well for me, I do small stitching so small handle & blade works well. It is lucky you still have a stock of old blades, I find new ones are very soft in comparison

Oh and Walter I could use some replacement screws ( both the round head and screw with holes) Some of mine could do with replacements Let me know if you are ordering some more to be made Thanks !

Thanks Walter I'm back home this evening, currently away on yet another business trip I will try the very flat grind you suggested, I was concerned this would significantly reduce the life of the cutting edge, but that doesn't seem to be the case so I can grind flat with no worries, thanks for the help Bruce, the nearest thing you will find off the shelf is a thumb screw, some are similar to the shape of the Blanchards but made very cheaply, they are not much good, machine shop is your best bet. With regards the fences, there were many different designs over the years, some so close that you can swap them between brands, some with very different sizes, shapes, fixings. Yet to find a good reason for the changes, even with the same brand the design changed over time but I don't see much difference in operation, must simply have been cost I have a range of Blanchards, the old ones changed a little over time, the newer ones changed completely although they look similar ( hollow cast to cut cost no doubt and lever adjustments rather than screws) Also the modern blades, while the shape is the same the steel is very different (is it possible the new ones are punched from steel plate ? certainly look it) Will stick up some pictures when I get back home

That would be a help, Many thanks

I think its just the angle I took the picture, its a 12 degree grind (I have a digital gauge to set the angle), should I go lower than this ? It feels very smooth cutting just now

ok, so its not French. Heres a German leather tools catalogue from 1930, fantastic condition tried a quick sharpening on one of the old blunt knifes, screaming sharp

dont think so, its a chemical reaction with the tannins in the leather that gives the colour rather than a pigment dye Also, diluted usually means you get different shades of blue rather than grey

Thanks guys Lots more on the way Bruce, if you ever need more Euro tools give me a shout, I'm sure we could set up a new US/EU trade agreement :-) you have lots of nice stuff !

nice find !

Hey Tor, Another one has just gone up on Ebay.fr http://www.ebay.fr/itm/OUTIL-ANCIEN-MACHINE-a-PARER-de-BOURRELIER-CORDONNIER-CUIR-LEATHER-SHAVE-/290984308870?pt=FR_JG_Art_Objets_XIX&hash=item43c0043086

Hi Walter The plough blades are just the spares... If I start selling plough gauges it would be good to sell with a spare blade I think Picked up a few of them recently... The rust on the knifes is mostly just surface, I used a nylon brush to remove some and check, the cutting edges are not rusted, that will save having to regrind the edges, purely cosmetic work needed. The very large knife has a little rust on the cutting edge, I can reprofile this one a little to remove, shouldn't do to much damage. Thanks for the advice on the polishing paste, I really like the satin finish you put on your tools so will get some Lea compounds also picked up a German splitter, very typical Euro one this one.

posted some pictures of some French stuff that was waiting on me when I got back http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=50618entry322187 will keep me busy over winter refurbishing this lot more to come, I seriously need to stop buying stuff !

This should keep me busy over winter couple of boxes of old French tools needing some TLC first up, a splitter http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=49437&st=90#entry318088 Walter has one in great condition so at least I know what it should look like ! Next an eyelet setter, bit unusual this one, has an auto feed hopper, when you set one, another one gets fed down now knifes ! a few spare plough gauge knifes and some more French sharpies to finish for now (that large one is 22cm across !), lots more stuff on the way

great vid thanks for sharing !

How novice are you ? Theres a lot of skill in a bag like that

Hi Sona Not sure on the age, would say 50 years + looking at the construction & material, pretty sure its home made. I got it from an old leather workers family, they were selling off all his stuff, was rather cheap, 16 Euro The spring leaf is a very clever idea, allows adjustment of the tension for different thicknesses etc, nothing worse than a loose clamp !