Blade advice/Identification

[riy]

I've been using No.11 Xacto blades and retractable, snap-off blades to do the majority of my cutting. They certainly get the job done but I don't like how quickly the tips of the blades dull. I find myself having to tilt the utility knives at uncomfortable angles to get clean cuts.

I saw Don Gonzales using some kind of squared off blade on an Xacto handle. It seems like a nice blade that might even have some flex to it - does anyone know what blade this is? (Photos attached) I can't seem to find them online.

I have also looked at some nice pattern knives/round knives/Japanese skiving knives, but the good ones are pricey. Not sure if that's a worthwhile investment for me yet, but open to hearing what y'all like best for your work.

[MikeRock]

It looks like a single edge razor blade.......but what do I know.  Haven't shaved since the 1970's.

God bless

[sbrownn]

I don't think the quality of the cuts has anything to do with the blade.  Those are blades from an injector razor and my experience has been that they are plenty sharp enough to make a nice cut in leather.

[fredk]

That is the standard blade for the 'super skiver', Identifiable by that long slot

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by fredk

[zuludog]

I use a Japanese Leather Knife for skiving, and you mention that you would  also consider one. As with most tools, including leather tools, you can spend more or less as much or as little as you want, but have a look at this video. As far as I can tell he uses Craft Sha knives from Weaver Leather Supply, (although they're not named) and they are reasonably priced

 

https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/65-2864/flat-leather-knife/pr_60362/cp_/shop-now/hand-tools/knives-scissors/knives

Search YouTube, there are several videos on Japanese Leather Knives, for both skiving and cutting

Rocky Mountain Leather Supply have JLKs, mostly expensive, but there is one at $59-99 

Besides the JLK I use a Stanley/utility/box cutter knife. Although the blades are disposable I resharpen them on a fine stone & strop, and they seem to work better, probably because that reduces the shoulder of the bevel and polishes it. And even new blades are better after a strop.

I think Exacto knives are bit too light for leatherwork, that's why I use a Stanley. Have a look at videos by Ian Atkinson, aka Leodis Leather, he uses a Stanley knife for most of his work.

Edited June 27, 2022 by zuludog

[battlemunky]

I use Exacto, Olfa snap off, and Lenox blades in my utility knife handle. I rarely replace blades. You gotta stop 'em is all. They'll get ridiculously sharp with diligent stropping. I also have one of those cheap ass red handled Japanese skiving knives from Amazon and it is light saber sharp and works like a charm.

Most of my blade problems go away when I strop them to stupid sharp.

[TomE]

I have better luck skiving with a rounded blade, using a round knife or Osborne #67 knife. I am left handed and work from left to right along the edge of a strap, using right-to-left strokes and tilting the handle in the direction of the stroke.  I've tried using a square skiving knife and tilting it the other way, but I can't get the hang of it.  

[zuludog]

This might be interesting/useful. At the end there is a link for sharpening a JLK

 

[Chipster99]

https://www.amazon.com/Taconic-Shave-Injector-Razor-Blades/dp/B07VQPFK68/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=84YVGN10MFHB&keywords=ejector+blades&qid=1656368609&sprefix=ejector+blades%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-4

[sbrownn]

1 hour ago, battlemunky said:

I use Exacto, Olfa snap off, and Lenox blades in my utility knife handle. I rarely replace blades. You gotta stop 'em is all. They'll get ridiculously sharp with diligent stropping. I also have one of those cheap ass red handled Japanese skiving knives from Amazon and it is light saber sharp and works like a charm.

Most of my blade problems go away when I strop them to stupid sharp.

I think part of the attraction of disposable blades is the avoidance of sharpening.  I use both disposable and knives I sharpen myself but I never found the need to sharpen a new disposable blade. 

[TomE]

1 hour ago, zuludog said:

This might be interesting/useful. At the end there is a link for sharpening a JLK

 

Thanks for the video.  Good tips there that I will try with the square skiving knife.  Not sure if this grip and angle of work is possible on a 1 inch wide strap, but I'll try it.  I've found it easier to skive the narrow straps placed on the flesh side of a leather scrap instead of glass.  The small strap slides all over the glass, especially true for bridle leather.  I'm thinning both edges of 9 oz leather straps to about 3 oz then wet molding 2 skived straps together in a rounding block to create a swell.   

[zuludog]

TOME - Another possibility is a razor plane. Lay the strap along the edge of your bench or along a strip of wood to give clearance to tilt the plane. Rig up some sort of jig or clamp to hold the strap in position

Have a look at videos by JH Leather. She makes raised and padded dog collars using similar methods

Also, she uses a head knife for most of her work; it's like a round knife but it only has one point, which makes it cheaper and easier to use.

[TomE]

7 hours ago, zuludog said:

TOME - Another possibility is a razor plane. Lay the strap along the edge of your bench or along a strip of wood to give clearance to tilt the plane. Rig up some sort of jig or clamp to hold the strap in position

Have a look at videos by JH Leather. She makes raised and padded dog collars using similar methods

Also, she uses a head knife for most of her work; it's like a round knife but it only has one point, which makes it cheaper and easier to use.

Worked over my square Japanese style skiving knife according to HAKU video, and it is now skiving like a champ.  Needed to flatten the bevel and do a better job of following the bevel when skiving.  Thanks for the tips.  This is the cheap Chinese skiving knife on Amazon that Harry Potter has given a favorable review.  Not sure if it will hold an edge but for now it's great.  JH Leather's videos have been an excellent resource as well.  She's the real deal.  I am on a waiting list for a small head knife from a local maker.  

[zuludog]

I made my own Japanese Leather Knife from an old plane blade and it works well. 

Also more out of curiosity than need I tried one of those very cheap JLKs that crop up all over the Net, Amazon, etc.; it's quite well made for the money.

I scraped & sanded off the red paint and the handle is more comfortable, and you can see the grain, which is actually quite attractive

I ground back the cutting edge to remove the tiny secondary bevel and make one about 5mm long, on progressively finer grades of oilstone then a strop. As you, and others, have mentioned you can get a very sharp edge on it, and it's quite neat & handy to use

Hmmm ..... I really must learn how to post photographs.

Harry Potter? I think you've had a slip of the keyboard and meant Harry Rogers!

 

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by zuludog

[riy]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice and resources. Gives me a lot to consider.

@fredkI don't own a skiver yet, but now I'm wondering if the replacement blades are just repackaged (and upcharged) injector razor blades.

@TomE I always forget to mention that I'm a southpaw when asking about edged tools. You just saved me from dropping $25 on a JLK I might have poor luck with. The Osborne 67 seems like a good option - surprisingly well-priced too.

[chuck123wapati]

i just got this great brain fart, cut the end off of an exacto knife and install it on a custom handle that actually fits your hand.

[Frodo]

20 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

i just got this great brain fart, cut the end off of an exacto knife and install it on a custom handle that actually fits your hand.

 

[zuludog]

RIY, and anyone else - 

JLKs are held so that when it's held vertically in your fist the bevel faces away from your palm and the trailing edge faces away from your wrist. You might think this is odd as then the angle of the bevel would result in a sloping edge to the cut; surely the flat vertical side should do the cutting? ..... not so, read on

Try holding something like a ruler or a screwdriver vertically in your clenched fist and extending your arm - you will find that it needs an effort and concentration to hold the tool perfectly vertically, if you relax your arm & wrist there is a tendency for your hand to turn such that the top of the tool moves outwards and the tool becomes slanted, not vertical

If you hold a JLK with the bevel facing away from your palm, this twisting action will bring the bevel to the vertical

Shop around, most JLKs are right handed  but you can also find left handed ones. 

Have a look at this video, also I think he is left handed

Leatherworking tools are usually sold with a basic finish, to keep the cost down, It is only the expensive custom made tools that you can use straight out of the box. So if you get a moderately priced round knife you will probably have to sharpen it - there are loads of YT videos. 

Edited June 28, 2022 by zuludog

[riy]

3 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

i just got this great brain fart, cut the end off of an exacto knife and install it on a custom handle that actually fits your hand.

You might be on to something there. Someone else recommended this pattern knife. I like the square handle of the design, but as a knife nut I can't bring myself to pay $65 for a little sliver of D2 tool steel.

Makes me wonder: (a) if there are any square Xacto/Excel style blade holders out there and (b) if any of these super steels (Magnacut, Cruwear, Maxamet, M390, S90V, etc) are going to make their way into the leather tool market any time soon. They're a real bear to sharpen compared to carbon steel, but the edge retention is excellent and leatherwork is not really an abusive task, maybe they'd never have to go on the stone.

 

[TomE]

2 hours ago, zuludog said:

Harry Potter? I think you've had a slip of the keyboard and meant Harry Rogers.

Indeed!  Thanks again. 

[chuck123wapati]

18 minutes ago, Frodo said:

 

shoulda guessed you would have one lol.

[zuludog]

I got a basic, fairly cheap, leather knife similar to this (though not this particular model ) and packed out the handle with scrap wood & car body filler then reshaped it to give it  a pear shaped handle.

https://www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk/product-page/heel-parer

[sbrownn]

47 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

i just got this great brain fart, cut the end off of an exacto knife and install it on a custom handle that actually fits your hand.

[chuck123wapati]

15 minutes ago, riy said:

You might be on to something there. Someone else recommended this pattern knife. I like the square handle of the design, but as a knife nut I can't bring myself to pay $65 for a little sliver of D2 tool steel.

Makes me wonder: (a) if there are any square Xacto/Excel style blade holders out there and (b) if any of these super steels (Magnacut, Cruwear, Maxamet, M390, S90V, etc) are going to make their way into the leather tool market any time soon. They're a real bear to sharpen compared to carbon steel, but the edge retention is excellent and leatherwork is not really an abusive task, maybe they'd never have to go on the stone.

 

your paying for more bling than function there IMO, Frodo  sent me a really awesome little Japanese blade that only cost a few bucks. i think expensive steel has its place for sure but i doubt it would be cost effective to sell with so much cheaper competition. Most folks start on the cheap as a hobby and by the time they decide to make it permanent already have the cheaper tools bought.

[zuludog]

12 minutes ago, sbrownn said:

Huh! Yes, it's a clicker knife, reasonably priced, and most leather craft suppliers have them, such as Weaver Leather Supply.

Edited June 28, 2022 by zuludog