BMH

Hello fellow crafters, The title is pretty self explanatory, but I will give some context. I will be working on some projects that will require me to have leather about 0.3 to 02mm thick. I am based in the US, I asked RMLS and they don't want to go below 0.4mm. I used to work with Europelle and they had no problem splitting leather at the requested 0.2mm but it seems they have gone bust.... and they weren't super reliable to start with. I took a look at some splitting services in the US like those offered by "heritageleather" but same thing as RMLS, they won't go below 0.4. I haven't found any other company that does, but if anyone knows of a reputable one, I'm interested. Ideally I'd like to not have to ship my leather to Europe, it'll cost me a fortune in shipping (and duties....) and I don't need to have huge quantities split, just a few panels. Does anyone know of a supplier that has both a good selection of leathers (preferably from reputable tanneries) AND that offers splitting below 0.4mm? I am pretty sure that somewhere in Asia some companies do that and I just don't know of them.

Thanks! That's good to know.

This knife does have a bevel and I noticed that I removed more material toward the right middle, it most likely occurred when I was trying to figure out the angle. The back side of the knife is indeed flat. As far as the stone, DMT doesn't give a grit for their diamond stones, it's just a "fine" one and the finest one they have is their "extra fine" IIRC.

Without a macro lens this is the best I can do: If I get the light just right I can see all the grooves left by the diamond plate which I hadn't noticed without the taking a picture with my camera:

I'll try and get a picture of the edge asap but to me after stropping the edge looks clean. And don't get me wrong, when pushing the blade from one corner to the other the blade gets sharp. But I was led to believe that it would extremely sharp by using this plate and nope, it's not extremely sharp. I can skive alright, but not with as much ease as I'd like and I am fairly sure this blade could get sharper. Your explanation does sound very interesting and I think you could be right I heard of the scary sharp method but decided against due to the recurring cost of having to buy refills. I was told that the DMT diamond plate would be really great, but it doesn't seem to be befitting for this type of knife and I think I'll switch back to my water stone. Thanks for the advice and the resources! Yep I've done that. When going up and down in a straight line like this I am hitting the right spot, but it just dulls the edge.

Well, I try to keep the angle as consistent as possible. Like I said, I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to sharpening so my movements aren't perfect yet, but I try to watch the angle as closely as I can.

Hi there, I have what will most likely seem like a silly question to many but I am still learning the craft and don't have much experience with sharpening. I have recently bought a DMT diamong stone to sharpen my knifes and it's been great, except for my Japanese skiving knife. I am not sure of how I should be sharpening it on the stone. In the past I just used a wet stone and would go up and down with my blade in a straight motion like this. However, all I have achieved doing this with this specific knife on the diamond stone is to make it dull. I have then switched to moving the blade from one corner of the stone to another in this kind of motion: This works fairly well, but I am not sure it's the best way of doing it as I have been told I should pass the blade on the stone in this way instead (the blade is parallel to the stone and goes up and down) What would you guys recommend? (By the way my stone is a fine one, I am just using this picture of a coarse one for the sake of illustrating my question).

Thanks, that's good to know, I think you answered most of my questions.

Yes I am. I also realized I have been using the word "clamp" for both European style stitching clam / stitching pony as I have seen the word being used interchangeably online so my bad for that. I think if a stitching pony is sufficient for smaller items I would tend toward getting one, but I am worried about the quality of the ones I have seen for sale so far (Amazon/Ebay) and I was wondering if there was better options out there. Wow, thanks for the very detailed answer! I'll take a look at those websites/suppliers immediately. I will be making smaller items, I am not intending on making anything bigger than a briefcase. At least that's my limit for now, and I am not planning on getting there soon. I'll work my way up starting with watch straps/belts/wallets. If a pony is enough for briefcases then I think I'll go this way. Do you have suggestions for a good quality one though? Also I am not exactly American. I am French, but I do live in the US so you weren't far off.

Thanks! I do have several pairs from Lobb, mostly older models though. A lot of people (including me) are complaining that Lobb has been taking a turn for the worse in term of styling. A little bit like JM Weston. At least both brands have kept more or less the same quality standards.

Over the years it just kind of started to get more and more out of control. Despite the fact that I wear all the shoes I own, I still haven't managed to kill a pair yet. I mean, with the proper care a good leather quality shoe will last pretty much forever. Which is great, but doesn't help with my storage problems. And I worked as a cobbler for a while and for "fun" I did make a couple of pairs myself with the help of a friend who was much more skilled than me. Nowadays I am more interested in making patinas. First because I don't have all the equipment I used to anymore and it's a more "relaxing" activity.

Thanks for the suggestions bikermutt07, I already have Al Stohlman's the Art of Sewing and his leather-work manual but somehow I missed Leather Tools, I'll get it asap. Hand stitching is definitely something I am interested into. I am unsure about the style of the clamp I would like to get though. I have noticed that the European kind tends to be a bit more pricey. For a beginner is it preferable to get a style over another?

Hi all, So as stated in the title I am beginner when it comes to creating items made of leather and I am starting to buy some tools and equipment. I have been reading a lot of information on the forum about it and honestly, there is just so much out there that it's a little confusing. I am getting lost between all the different brands, prices... Most of the books I am reading do not really mention brands either. I am looking for a good stitching clamp. I have seen many topics on the subject, and I don't really know what to get. Some people built their clamp from scratch but it's not really a route I want to take. Do you guys have any suggestion for a dependable and fairly priced clamp? I am willing to spend a little more if it means I am getting something good. I am also looking for suggestions for tools. Just brands, which ones to get, which ones to avoid (beside the obvious Chinese crap from Amazon) I will be mostly working on small items, belts, wallets/billfolds, watch straps. Nothing bigger than a purse or a briefcase for sure.

Hi all, I am completely new to leather working. I mean, kind of. I have a fair amount of knowledge when it comes to leather shoes. From construction to care, patina and so on. Btw, it's a shame to see that traditional cobblers are pretty much nonexistent in the US. It's a fine craft and it's really sad to see it disappear from a country that once was very active in the industry. at the same time the traditional shoe industry in the US is also pretty much dead, so I guess it's not really a surprise to see cobblers follow the same path. I attached a picture of my "small" collection. I always liked leather shoes and my interest for leather working comes from a frustration I've always had. I match my wrist watch strap and belt to the color of the shoes I wear. Just to give an example, no black shoes with a brown belt. In theory it's not too hard to do, but I have such a large variety of shoes that I struggle to find matching belts and accessories.That's how I got the idea of making those accessories myself. I purchased a few books regarding the topic, mostly from Al Stohlman, and I started lurking here and now that I have more time I am finally joining. I am mostly interested in small items, watch straps, wallets/billfolds, belts, maybe some purses/bags for my wife and briefcases for me but that's about as big as it will get. Beside that, I am French, been living in the US for something like 6 or 7 years now. Nothing much to add really.