mike02130

I was afraid someone would ask me that question. I like playing with them all. The Japanese knives are new to me and I think I like them the most. I wanted a Japanese knife but it was difficult to find a good one from Japan that could be shipped to the USA. Covid closed down Japan airmail and DHL and FedEx was $100 bucks. So I decided to get the Palosanto from South Korea (6th one bottom row). It is Japanese "style", that is, it doesn't have the concave/hollow back. I don't like D2 but it is a comfortable knife with good weight. The more I couldn't get a real Japanese knife the more I wanted one. Finally Rocky Mountain leather--after being out for months--got some in stock. It is the fifth one bottom row. It is the standard 36mm wide blade and white steel. I began using that one for a project or two then I discovered Mr. Okada. He has a DHL account and it was only $20 to ship. I bought the first four, bottom row from him. The first two are 20 mm across. The third is 30 mm and the fourth 36 mm (sent to me by mistake). I think the first one is my favorite, maybe, I don't know yet. I'm right handed and I use it with the bevel on the left to cut out patterns and the like. I also use it bevel down for small skives and to trim leather handbag edges free hand in my lap after being sewn. The two skiving knives in the middle row are Doldoki made with D2 steel. I make handbags and use them on the bag body and gusset edges. They are 2" wide and are great for long skives. I use the one bevel down for skiving and thinning swaths of leather. They both have thin handles which allow for a low attack for the skive. The two round knives I picked up at a flea market. I reshaped them and put an edge on them. I use them primarily for belts and straps. Other than straps, I don't have much confidence using them. I will need to practice if I wanna be one of the cool cats. I am not impressed with the L'indispensible and D2 blade. It's a good knife and all, but I seem to pick up and use a retractable blade more often. The screws stick out and are rough and I don't like the brass smell left behind on my fingers. It is designed to be held like a pencil. The blade needed a bit of stropping. The E.A. Berg clicker knives are just plain cool. The curved ones are good for skiving large leather pieces. The others have their uses but I don't use them that often. If I were to only have three knives they would be #1 and 3 bottom row and the Doldoki #1 middle row. I'm not a fan of the D2 steel. I prefer carbon steel. I maintain the D2 with aluminum oxide (white) and the carbon with chromium oxide (green) compound on a piece of MDF. I then sometimes--for fun--take it to the bare smooth side of a horse butt strop.

Guy, walk it off? What are you arguing about? Why so defensive and in attack mode? I never said you needed it nor did I even mention you. If you haven't used it then you can not say anything about it. If you are satisfied with your results, so be it. Tokonole is a better product than gum trag. Try it them merci me.

Huh? You don't agree yet you do it that way with excellent results? Do you even know what Tokonole is?

Leave it alone and see what happens. May not be much you can do if it's sewn together. Burnish with Tokonole.

Just a few knives. Various shapes of Japanese knives. A few "Aogami" super blue steel Japanese knives made by Mr. Okada in Japan, an RML "Shirogami" white steel and a Palosanto D-2 steel knife. L'indispensible with Chartermade D-2 blade, a couple of Doldoki D-2 skiving knives, some Erick Anton Berg clicker knives from Sweden, a couple of unmarked head knives and a few other miscellaneous knives.

I use whatever is handy. 3in1 oil or anything that's similar. Just wipe on and wipe off. If you want to be fancy, use camilla oil. I've been a tool-user forty years and it has never failed me.

Strange. I would think the left and right would match.

Is it fish or a chemical or dye smell? Just wondering because i recently bought a dyed veg tan shoulder that stunk. I aired it out for two weeks but it still stunk and I sent it back. I bought it from a dealer in the southeast, how about you?

Yes, ease a bit. Try sandpaper on a block or a sharpening stone. Just enough to take the sharp edge off.

you may want to ease the edges a bit.

Tiger is flatish vs round. Meisi thread seems to be very popular these days. They have a good selection of colors.

I agree with you. This seems to be the norm lately. Maybe a milder boomer version of wokeness?

I've been storing various glues upside down for years. Seems to work. Paint cans, too.

Such an odd question. I'd be more worried of an STD.

I've noticed for the last four months everything takes longer. Covid/Postmaster double whammy.

The Scots didn’t want to pay extra for a hem.

where do your knees go? Mine are always under my table or bench.

One might get away calling it a fork stripped bare of any hardware like bearings, cups and fasteners. Once you add an item to it they are a set of forks. Just as a chess piece is not a chess set with missing pieces. Hmm, maybe elsewhere they call a pair of pants-- just pant?

Are you talking silverware? Is the oval punch question finished?

I don't quite understand your specific question. There's a lot going on there. A circle is 360 degrees. Figure the radius then divide by what ever number of holes and lay it out with dividers. The star points would be the same method for laying out the legs on a three legged stool.

For carbon steel I use Arkansas stones with a mix of oil and kerosene and strop on MDF or a horse butt strop charged with Dialux green compound. I find the diamond stones leave too deep a scratch pattern on my carbon knives. My D2 steel knives I use DMT diamond stones followed up with a Spyderco ultra fine ceramic stone and strop with Dialux white compound. I have Japanese water stones but only use them on my kitchen knives.

I put three creases in my belts. One a 1/4 - 3/8" on either side and one down the middle the length of the belt. I line up the sides of the punch with the crease and use a little hand pressure to make a mark. I then adjust as necessary. It's not perfect but I get good results. The creased lines look nice all connecting at the end of the English point.

Oval is the way to go. Good luck overlapping. On the second punch (the overlap) the punch is going to want to slide towards the previous hole. Weaver leather craft sells excellent ovals. Not cheap: around 40 bucks. I use a 1/4"

The clicker knife blades are replaceable.

There's the easy way and then the difficult way. One is better than the other. Best advice is to read and figure it out then ask questions with some knowledge so you will better understand what you are asking and what folks are recommending. That way you won't have to "risk" anything. Then you can answer the next persons' question about strops. If you really want some good schooling check out some blade or razor forums. They seem to know whats best. That's where I learned. The link "jcuk" posted above is an excellent one. Hell, send me ten bucks and I'll mail you a 2" x 6" compressed horse butt strop. But no more questions about strops for one week. Consider my snarkiness as a trade off for giving you the strop.