Dun

I finally got to watch the videos while I sand paper sharpened tonight. I'd actually already seen micro mesh beveler one before as well as other chisel sharpening vids. I didn't know all the names for skiving moves yet though. After re sharpening on sand paper and stropping it still wasn't sharp enough. I went back to the ceramic honing rod. Arm hair all over my work station now but still my actual skill in skiving is non existant.

The super skiver is great for veg tan straps and such but this pigskin haaaaates it. I've seen a lot of single edged too bit also many a double edged round head knives used for skiving, with amazing results. Please believe me, I love to understand "why" one thing is better than another in specific cases. I just haven't seen an explanation actually given? I've liked all the other stohlman books so far I'll have to see about that one. Unfortunately if it's just about tools I don't own yet it will only be for future knowledge uses.

Something like that would be the next purchase I should try. It's the whole getting the right angle by hand that has escaped me all these years

I'm skiving the grain side so that when I laminate it, the chrome tanned edge will be so thin and sandwiched between 2 layers of veg tan and hopefully hand burnish that way. I'll check out the video later thanks. I can sometimes get a sharp edge but not consistently down the edge of the blade. Or I think I change the angle in the wrong way. Or I've been at the wrong angle the whole time. I guess the one thing I haven't tried are those rod rigs that control the angle for me, but at that point I figured this sharpener I already own can do that. I have never seen anyone say why a single or double edged blade for skiving. Every person I have asked, or both styles, has just said personal preference. And yes I have been using this blade to cut out the leather as well.

I have spent an hour pulling away on a knife many a time. I've borrowed so many different stones and tested everything listed to be honest. Oh wow-I finally counted I have been carrying and trying to sharpen pocket knives for 18 years? You use micro mesh to finish your blades?

I should take a pic of how the the super skiver, before and after stroping, just mangles this chrome tan pigskin.

If you want video ideas may I suggest "what not to do"? It would use up a ton of leather and time but leather hobby people of the past couple years, myself included, are almost entirely Internet trained. I'm guilty of skipping around in videos and finally watched the above vid all the way through. He makes mention quickly of what not to do but I didn't pay attention to the audio I would have missed multiple things. What not to do can even be broken down into categories of safety, immediate results or effected quality over time. When I was originally suit shopping for my wedding, the "don't make these mistakes" images were more useful and better for immediate learning than advice that takes years of practice to even know what your looking for. Also learning by reading means I have no idea how to pronounce anything. Skiving? Skeeving? Skyving? Skeaving? Skehving?

Got to do a little more

Sure! But i warn you, i am pretty hopeless with regular sharpening. I have tried so much and was near quiting leather work without a way to move forward. Was going to try my safety razor for skiving next.

33 different spices and herbs? All I know is that making Rolling Rock beer commercials smell way better than budweiser commercials. Those shoes were ruined.

Buy something to do it for you! disclaimer: I have read so many instructions on how to sharpen and I just can't do it (yet). I have seen too many people ruin the edges/heat tempering on fancy blades that I am scared to spend a ton on a nice blade, that I know I will ruin, until I have properly learned how to sharpen. I realize this may be upsetting advice for experienced knife sharpeners, and I'm sorry, but this is the first thing that has finally worked within my budgets of blades/sharpening tools/stones. One day I'll figure it out but until that day comes I still have projects to finish. So I went to the kitchen and grabbed my asian angled blade sharpener and the ceramic honing rod. -The sharpener puts a new tip on the blade(in this case a junked wood planer from harbor freight) with the asian 15* edge (on each side with a total edge of 30*) -The ceramic honing rod is more aggressive than a steel rod, kinda in between true sharpening and honing, but is great for redoing the edge that chrome tan leather seems to take away quickly. Also important to note: this has not replaced the need for stropping. after reading a ton a reviews and liking the wirecutter's picks for kitchen knives I ended up with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JIMVS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YK1RAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . I have redone all the edges on the kitchen knives(like 10 extra strokes on the sharpener to go from dull or european 20* edge to asian) Luckily they worked great for leather too. I use the ceramic rod to touch up all my blades, even the exacto style ones, and then follow up with stropping. This is my first attempts at skiving so if anyone has advice I could use now that I finally have sharp blades!

and latigo requires machine burnishing right? halfmoonleather on instagram was just showing off some avancorp horse fronts that are beautiful and apparently hand burnish well, and may start selling it by the square foot! If I don't get a fileteuse for all this pigskin I have(that doesn't hand burnish) I may have to start ordering stuff like this.

I don't want to get into the this Versus that at the moment but did want to describe the process of someone I follow on instagram. I was pretty impressed with his process. He starts at least 3 holes in the leather with no thread in the machine. Just letting it's needle make evenly spaced holes. Then he threads up the needles and machine stitches the product, leaving the end of the project with some more threadless holes. By leaving enough head and tail length on the threads he goes back and handstitches (& hand back stitches) both ends. The best of both worlds and it looks great?

Was looking at niwa products and was wondering what leathers could burnish like this? Just dyed veg tan? buttero?

this project is looking really good. Really nice edges on those pockets! Did you try the barge in this particular keeper and it still became a gooey mess on you or in the original container?

agreed, very pretty and nice while the leather is still stiff, but when it breaks in from use and hand oil that bit of leather can curl in towards the trigger. I remember some pictures of a well aged holster that blew the back pocket(only luckily) off a pair pants when the owner went to sit in a car.

Oh I like the parallel back stitching

Another

Let’s see if this works https://lilpeepeedanceofdoom.tumblr.com/post/170099992375/stitching-the-french-binding-on-this-wallet so right side is the front of the piece, left side is the back -right side needle first, when it gets pulled through a couple inches my now empty right hand makes a pinching motion to keep the threads out of the way -left side needle goes through partially -right hand drops the "pinch" and "casts" the thread over the partially exposed needle(clockwise from the particular camera angle), then right hand pulls the partial needle all the out -when pulling the threads snug I pull them at opposite angles, the left rear thread gets pulled up and away to exaggerate the angle of the front facing stitch, the right front thread gets pulled down and towards you ill post up a close up of the stitches when I finish

I have to stitch something tonight. I wonder if I can put my process down into words. Yeah I have the 4mm tandy super thick ones. And a craftsman tiny set also. It's okay on tiny projects with non stress taking stitch points with thread that lies down flatter, but if I can't meet all those options I just go 4mm pricking and use varying amounts of awl stabbing.

Do you have nice chisels? I have the cheapo Tandy ones so I just use them for pricking and then the stropped awl for the actual holes. You’re getting the angled stitches you wanted?

Thanks. I don't like this thread but I need to use it up. I also should use more of these things to get better at using an awl in the stitching clam. I've gotten used to using it vertically on a small bed of cork but that won't be feasible on some of the bigger future projects I want to do.

1st zipper pull done. 4oz scrap veg tan? Cut and skive insert. Wet form a bit. Tandy thread. Black oil dye/olive oil/black oil dye and resoline. Rough sand edges/fine sand/wet fine sand/wood burnisher. Gum trag. Fussy little buggers but I good practice. Skiving the tiny insert wasn't fun but I need to learn. Needed to use up the black thread.

Like something from this?