best way to cut exact round discs?

[olandrea]

What is the best way to cut exact round discs from 4mm thick leather?

Thanks Olaf

[Beaverslayer]

Olaf, this is what I use to cut circles from leather.

Rotary circle knife

I bought mine at Michaels Craft Store.

Ken

[olandrea]

Looks good, but will this cut 4mm leather?

[Don101]

i also have one the problem with it being plastik is that it gives way if you press to hard, so you have to lightly make your cuts and gradually work round a couple of times, i normally do a couple of cuts and once ive got my cut line i then finish the rest by hand, Don

[whinewine]

i also have one the problem with it being plastik is that it gives way if you press to hard, so you have to lightly make your cuts and gradually work round a couple of times, i normally do a couple of cuts and once ive got my cut line i then finish the rest by hand, Don

It does spread out from the middle if you do press too hard. It's a nice concept, but just doesn't work all that well. It works well with thin materials, like paper & thin cardboard, and maybe (?) cloth (although I haven't tried to cut cloth circles). Part of the problem (other than the flexing of the plastic & the spreading out from the center) is that the leather itself, being flexible and on the thick side, also wants to spread out as it is being cut ( especially if one is making a number of cuts). Perhaps if the olfa device were made of metal, with a much more secure method of gripping the bar (serrations??), it might work. My best suggestion is to buy the circles already cut (they are done with clicker presses). If anyone has found a truly successful method of getting perfect circles, I'd like to know also, as would, I'm sure, many other leathercrafters.

[bruce johnson]

Clicker dies, either with a shop press or clicker, or made with a handle for small circles. My wife makes coasters, and handcutting could reliably get about 75% to be round looking. With a $35 die she gets them all round in less time. For my big circles like a rope can or rope bag, I got the biggest divider that Osborne lists (12"?) and use that to mark, I then cut with a round knife.

[olandrea]

I need 2" discs! The Osborne 2" punch is expensive 145,45$.

Olaf

[MikeG]

Have you thought about making your own from a piece of metal pipe ground to an edge? If you need to make a bunch of them, it would be worthwhile. A plumbing shop might even put a file to the pipe while spinning it in a cutting machine to get the main shape for you very inexpensively. They could thread the other end for a cap to hammer on. Then you could do the final sharpening. I, too, cringe at the price of the leather punches.

Good luck!

Edited October 26, 2007 by MikeG

[SmokinP]

Talk to a small machine shop to have some pipe or tubing cut to exactly the size you want. It's a simple lathe operation. Give some thought on the bevel edge. If you plan it right (bevel angle, beveled on inside or outside of tube), you can cut and also have a somewhat rounded edge on the piece.

I suggest stainless tube or pipe. Once the edge is on it lasts seemingly forever if you take reasonable care of it.

I'd check some small machine shops on a Saturday morning. Show up with a few samples of your leatherwork, maybe a few little tooled pieces to trade with. A box of fresh donuts can usually get a machinist to do all sorts of things. A fella once told me you can alot of times buy more with a cup of coffee and a firm handshake than you can with a million dollars. I'm still working on that million dollars to see if it's true.

Keep a cutting board and some leather in your vehicle when you go. If things work out right you can maybe get them to put the new die in a press for you and cut the pieces right there for you.

[Randy Cornelius]

Can they have a small nail hole in the center? If so mark your circle nail it down to your cutting bench with a small nail. Take a point knife and push throught the leather at your mark 1" from center for a 2" circle until it just sticks in you cutting table and then simply rotate your leather cutting the circle out.

[The Major]

I picked one of these up a while back. Works very well. And if you cut from the obverse side of the leather the pin won't penetrate.

http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?pagenum=2256