niakulah

Just got my Taobao 11.11 haul at the office. I've wanted a set of Crimson Hides irons for some time, but in Nigel Armitage's review, he mentioned the angle of the teeth could be better, so I decided against it. But I still wanted something that had the same pointed teeth, so that you could lay them inside a stitch line, either from a creaser or dividers, something I picked up from another of Nigel's (paid) videos. I took a leap of faith on these unknown irons, very similar design to Crimson Hides'. They're made from either DC53 or 440C tool steel, I'm not too sure which. After unboxing them, I'm very happy with the quality. On par or better than my Wuta and Amy Roke irons. Can't wait to get home to try them!

Giardini has an "up to 30%" Black Friday sale going on. Prices are apparently already discounted, I have no idea what they were before. https://shop.leatheredgepaint.com/

I did slick the flesh side of a particularly fuzzy piece once and did notice it was stiffer. Didn't think to do it to make cutting easier, thanks!

I have Vol 20 in Chinese. The pictures are good to get an idea of how it's done, but using Google Translate camera/live, I can't for the life of me decipher the written instructions...

It rolls. Very smoothly I might add. I believe it has a ball bearing inside.

I have the Giardini pen which I got in their kit. Don't like it. It doesn't always roll very well. This is my favorite: https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32816492408.html?trace=wwwdetail2mobilesitedetail&productId=32816492408&productSubject=32816492408&shortkey=6VbYJbmu&addresstype=600

I just use hot water.

I've never made a sheath, but if I did, I'd try to make something like this. http://sagewoodgear.com/leather-sheaths/esee/esee4/esee-4-prs-scout-sheath/

https://gdhleathercourses.co.uk/product/waxing-thread-issue-1/ Relatively new.

Sorry, I meant for the the rest of your tools. I don't do stamping or carving so can't comment on that. Well as long as you are aware they are thonging and not stitching chisels, since you called them "pronged chisels" (stitching chisels also have prongs).

Do you read Chinese? If yes, then I would recommend Taobao. You can find both the cheap and the high quality stuff there. By LCT I assume you mean leathercrafttools.com? You are planning to buy the 2mm thonging chisels? Just FYI, that is not for stitching.

This is my favourite: https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/tools/products/edge-paint-roller I have this as well, not as easy to do thick edges like a wallet I did recently, but a lot easier to prep and cleanup after. https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/tools/products/precision-bottles

I have a 2+5 Amy Roke and a 2+8 Wuta. I'll tell you that I wish I had bought the Amy Roke in 2+8 or even 2+12. Just my RM 0.02

Agreed. I'd buy that!

Yes I have that as well. It is a push/slide/diagonal movement to skive with it. As far as I know, only the safety skiver and English paring knife can be pulled for skiving. Note that I am not even remotely qualified to advise about skiving so don't take my word for it...

I've bought both the flat and the curved Japanese leather plane (cheaper on Aliexpress). Not great for skiving. OK for beveling edges and maybe cleaning up edges if you don't want to sand your edges.

Thanks Mutt, I'll give that a try. I don't have a strap cutter but from photos online, I think the skife blade is only about half the size of the strap cutter blade. I've been toying around (in my head) with the idea of using a binder clip to hold the blade (if it will clear the strop, I think not...). I might just buy the Ryobi bench grinder in the video above and hope the wife doesn't notice. It is cheaper than some knives I have bought for this hobby, but a lot harder to hide a bench grinder in a drawer

Thanks for the links. Very helpful. I got a clone from Wuta Leather. Skived like a dream for about 5 strokes, then rapidly got blunt. I have a lot of unused razor blades from a sample pack that I bought a few years back. I might try cutting them to size first, like what some people have done here: https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/injecting-a-de-blade-instead-of-an-injector-blade.50874/

Good to know. I've only gotten the knife, haven't bought any replacement blades yet.

Anyone here actually sharpen or strop the safety skiver blades? If yes, how do you do it? They're pretty tiny to hold on to. Like others I have found they are only sharp for 5 minutes or so.... I'll also try to look for the schick injector blades.

Hi Phil, Thanks for taking the time to sign up and reply! Yes I have subscribed! Soon after you launched the Corner Stitching video. That is a pet peeve of mine and I really wanted to see what your solution might be. I did independently get to your Option 2-B. Here is a piece I did a few months back. It's an employee card holder and I'm wearing it right now (yes I need to work on my inside corner cuts ). But the way you explained it is excellent. I tried to replicate the stitch I did above and have not always been successful. I think your approach should help me to be more consistent. No offense but I find your "solution" to look a bit too "busy", I prefer 2-B above. And your backstitching video! I think Ian Atkinson explained a similar thing in his YouTube video, but I didn't get it when I watched it about 2 years ago. Now I do! And my backstitches have never been neater.

I use binder clips and popsicle sticks to spread the pressure so that it doesn't mark the leather. Also reduces the number of clips you need.

Thank you very much for the feedback! I didn't realise he had a subscription as well! Cheaper (initially) than buying the videos outright, especially if I'm not sure of the quality of the content. Yes I also realized he does a few things in ways I've never seen before. His awl pinky strap for example.

If you're talking about the stitching lines, I reckon those 20 tooth irons he makes plays a part. Less likely to meander when your tool is so long.

I assume you're talking about this particular picture? The orange is definitely turned. The blue looks painted to me. And in this picture you can see the turned orange shows the tumbled grain of the orange but the blue does not.