Alisdair

Hi guys,I recently picked up a vintage Blanchard knife for really cheap (14 euros). The main reason it was cheap was that some barbarian who shouldn't even be allowed to touch a butter knife, even less a >100 year old beauty such as this, tried to redo the edge with a grinder of some sort. Anyhow,I spent many hours redoing the edge and it now cuts like a beauty. The handle is very heavy and the balance is quite different from my modern Vergez Blanchard.

Nice...I'd do the same myself, but getting decent beef here in Switzerland is difficult - most of the stuff you get is retired milk cows, no fat at all!

And on another note, I made a case for the tool...always an occasion to try out new materials, tools and techniques.

The tools definitely need to be finished...but the steel is of excellent quality. I like buffing up new tools and getting the edges to how I want them. After my first pass at polishing, sharpening, etc, it was a bit wonky. Then I tried decreasing the angle of the bevel and I had no problems..it glided through the leather beautifully. Here's a pic of my second sharpening, to show the kind of bevel I used. Don't know the exact angle, but it goes back 2.5 to 3mm from the edge.

I knew that would get a reaction! Actually, my local biltong supplier is South African who makes it right here in Switzerland. I left Zim 2nd half of the 90s to study here. There's quite a few of us around Geneva. Don't think I know the folks at oasistanning...

I've got a beautiful Ron's Montana Edger, which works like a charm, but I don't have one of his French Skivers. In terms of quality and finish I'd put the Palosanto and Ron's tools in the same bracket...but I've only seen one tool from each manufacturer...others might want to chip in with their 2 cents' worth.

Not a Saffer, but a Zimbo here. Totally different from our perspective (Zimbos make better biltong!), but pretty much same-same for the rest of the world!

...so, I finally went for Palosanto Factory 12 mm edger. It's hands down the best French skiver I've ever had. Razor sharp from the get-go, and it can with a nice stropping board and some rouge to go with it. I tried it on some frankly crap and fuzzy veg tan and it glided through everything beautifully. I quickly made a cover for the end to protect it, as I do for all my tools.

Nice! Do you own that bike? As a bicycle afficionado, I've only seen one once!

Typically, the first type is used for thinner and more flexible leathers. It has a less firm hold. The second type is used for thicker and stiffer leathers and has a very firm hold. If you use the second type with thinner leathers, you're probably going to distort the leather when opening whatever's being held together by the button, because it has such a firm hold. Conversely, if you use the first type with thicker and stiffer leathers, the two halves will often pop open by themselves when any movement or bending is involved.

I don't think so...I think that the seller was a bit over-zealous in cleaning the brass, and cleaned part of the steel in the process. I'll just wait another 20 years or so for the colour of the steel to go back to normal!

Hi guys, I received this new-old stock George Barnsley plough guage. It's a beauty. Like all Barnsley tools, these are no-frills, high quality workman's tools. The steel of the knife has a lovely ring to it and will sharpen wonderfully well. I will spend the weekend polishing this up, smoothing over rough edges, etc...

Just a photo from above, where you can see it's a bit bent - dunno in the previous owner used it to hammer a nail or to beat his goat, but it still works fine!

Yep the Ball is screwed on in the opposite direction to the Vergez Blanchard ones. The Flamery Mayer stamp is on the front end:

Hi Guys, I just scored this sweet Flammery Mayer pricking wheel. As I understand it, Flammery Mayer was a foreman at Blanchard, and took off one day with their designs and client list! Looking at this item, I can definitely see the Blanchard design in there.There are 5 nice wheels, and I'm looking to buy more- I reckon I'll buy a Vergez Blanchard size 6 and size 9 to complete this set (size 10, 12, 14, 16 + another).

Yep, your beeswax mix will work to create a barrier between the metal and the air.

Hi...the leathercare product I talk about here: ...works fine on tools, too. If I have a bit left on a rag after doing my leather treatment, I'll give any tools lying about a quick wipe with it.

Hi guys...I'm in the market for a good French skiver. Any thoughts on Barry King versus Horseshoe brand tools? Any other good candidates in that price range?

Yep, I'll probably have to have "fun" reducing their thickness, though...by hand, as I don't have a workshop with grinders, etc.

Yes, as old as it is, this is still very functional and the guide is a brilliantly simple, but useful addition. I definitely would like to get a set of wheels made. Does anyone have any suggestions for this?

Scotland: sporrans!

Yep, by varying the turp to linseed oil ratio, you get something more or less liquid. I used raw linseed/flax oil...I've been told that the boiled stuff sometimes contains nasty additives.

In addition to a beautiful Vergez Blanchard round knife, I have a Barnsley single head/quarter moon knife, which probably only cost me about 20 GBP: http://abbeyengland.com/Store/txtSearch/barnsley/productid/76762 Once sharpened, it's a beauty!

Hi Guys, So, having received a nice big block of beeswax, I spent a bit of time this weekend mixing up some leathercare product and saddler's wax/coad. The leathercare product can be used on leather, wood or shoes. It is a mix of 1/3 beeswax, 1/6 turpentine and 3/6 flax-seed oil. You melt the beeswax, then add the turpentine and flax-seed oil to the mix...be careful, it's highly flammable! But once you've done this, a pot of the stuff will last for years. With respect to the saddler's wax/coad, I use a 2/3 rosin to 1/3 beeswax mix. Crush up the rosin and melt it, then add in the beeswax...again this is highly flammable, so be careful! Once melted, pour the mix into a bucket of warm water. Gather into a ball and kneed it continuously. When it starts getting to the consistence of soft toffee, start "taffy-pulling" the stuff, over and over again. You have to do this, otherwise, the rosin and beeswax will separate again, as they have different setting temperatures. When it reaches room temperature, gather into a ball and keep it in a baggie or other container. I absolutely love passing any thread I use through this stuff: the thread holds its shape nicely, and the stickinesss helps to get a nice hold for your stiches. Any other uses for beeswax in leathercraft that I should know about?

.Hi Guys, I picked this one up a few days ago. I'm not sure how old it might be...my subjective appreciation is that it must be late 19th century. It comes in at 5 spi, and seems to do the job well. I like the guide, which allows a constant distance from the edge. I'm not certain about the handle, but it's fairly dense...perhaps pear? I see no markings, apart from a fairly faint "3" at the base of the metal stem. Anyone ever see one of these before?