The Secret to Cutting Leather

[AA3JW]

Other than just a lot of practice what is the easiest way to get good clean cuts on leather? Mine always seems to get "Wavey". 

 

[AlZilla]

In my limited experience, practice and very, very sharp blades. I try to use the same blade too long and even try stropping it.

Also, I use a guide where ever I can.  Multiple passes with minimal pressure seem to give me better control.

[battlemunky]

Even pressure from a straight edge along the cut line.

[Grumpymann]

Sharp blade. Was having a hell of a time till I started using a strop.

[Leescustomleather]

7 minutes ago, AA3JW said:

Other than just a lot of practice what is the easiest way to get good clean cuts on leather? Mine always seems to get "Wavey". 

 

There is a youtube channel called Hank strange and a video called "Carjacker holster" The man that does the leatherwork is named Andrews and he has a unique method to cut thick leather easily, making tight corners cleanly and accurately. I have never seen this done elsewhere and this is the method I use all the time now

[Gezzer]

27 minutes ago, Leescustomleather said:

There is a youtube channel called Hank strange and a video called "Carjacker holster" The man that does the leatherwork is named Andrews and he has a unique method to cut thick leather easily, making tight corners cleanly and accurately. I have never seen this done elsewhere and this is the method I use all the time now

+ 1  best way for myself

[Dwight]

First rule, second rule, and third rule are sharp knife, sharp knife, and sharp knife.  

I use mostly a drywall utility type knife . . . and when I put a new blade in it . . . first thing I do is strop it.  Factory razor blades are fairly dull.

Learn to hold your cutting tool 100% straight up . . . NEVER lean it over to one side or the other.  You will  be tempted to do so in a curve . . . especially a tight one . . . DON"T do it.

Also start out by making shallow cuts . . . knowing that the first cut will be your production cut . . . and the others can follow it fairly easily if you take your time. 

Last thing . . . don't try to cut your leather for belts, purses, holsters, knife sheaths, and things like that for a "final" cut that is pretty . . . fancy . . . etc.  That is why you have a disc sander over in the corner.  Your "nicky" cuts you made need to be sanded . . . they will look better . . . edge better . . . and finish better.

Until it becomes second nature . . . practice these three things with all your scrap leather.  It won't take long until you will be cutting like a pro.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 25, 2022 by Dwight

[Handstitched]

22 minutes ago, Dwight said:

First rule, second rule, and third rule are sharp knife, sharp knife, and sharp knife.  

Forth rule: keep your fingers away from the edge of the ruler 

Words of experience.

HS

[fredk]

On thin leather, up to about 2.5 mm thick use a rotary knife.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, Handstitched said:

Forth rule: keep your fingers away from the edge of the ruler 

Words of experience.

HS

Just had to ask . . . is your name because you like stitching stuff by hand . . . or you got the stitched hand . . . having the hand too close??

Sitting here looking at my left thumb . . . got it too close to a fairly sharp Kershaw the other day.  Barely missed the stitched hand moniker.  Any deeper and it would have been a sewing job.

May God bless,

Dwight

[MikeRock]

Dwight,

My first thought, and a laugh, too.  I've 'hand stitched' myself a few times.  Dental floss, a needle and needle nosed pliers... 

[Handstitched]

5 hours ago, Dwight said:

is your name because you like stitching stuff by hand

Yes, I enjoy hand stitching very much. Don't wish to off topic here  , but my Mother did  put a machine needle through her finger once on the machine that I now own, Pfaff 60, very mindful of that every time I sew.. I also  cut the top of my left thumb with a newly sharpened tenon saw in school. I could see the bone move...I then  went a funny colour and nearly passed out. 

Back on topic.

 

11 hours ago, AA3JW said:

what is the easiest way to get good clean cuts on leather?

Apart from a nice sharp knife, just take your time, don't rush . Once the piece is cut out, any 'wavy' lines  can be cleaned up either by sanding or bevelling. 

Have fun...and stay safe .

HS

[jcuk]

This may be of some use to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUgZjMPw0AA

Hope this helps

JCUK

[toxo]

it also depends on the type of line you're cutting. Straight lines - almost any knife will do as long as it's sharp and used with a strait-edge. If doing a curve I use a knife with a point and raise the butt so I'm just using the point. If you lower the butt the forward edge of the blade will try to straiten out the curve if that makes sense.

[toxo]

12 hours ago, Leescustomleather said:

There is a youtube channel called Hank strange and a video called "Carjacker holster" The man that does the leatherwork is named Andrews and he has a unique method to cut thick leather easily, making tight corners cleanly and accurately. I have never seen this done elsewhere and this is the method I use all the time now

Interesting cutting style.

[Leescustomleather]

26 minutes ago, toxo said:

Interesting cutting style.

It takes a little practice like anything, but works very well, especially for tight corners and radii. Also no going back over the same cut and doesn't require as much hand strength.

[chuck123wapati]

I've found lifting the leather off the work surface makes it very easy to cut, i draw the lines pattern then as much as possible i hold the leather up off the table with one hand and cut.

[Leescustomleather]

2 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

I've found lifting the leather off the work surface makes it very easy to cut, i draw the lines pattern then as much as possible i hold the leather up off the table with one hand and cut.

Yeah, seems like that would have a similar effect, The only difference would be not having your hand near the cutting edge with Sam Andrews method, cutting leather is tough and anything that makes it easier or more accurate helps

[chuck123wapati]

11 minutes ago, Leescustomleather said:

Yeah, seems like that would have a similar effect, The only difference would be not having your hand near the cutting edge with Sam Andrews method, cutting leather is tough and anything that makes it easier or more accurate helps

Always have it behind the blade not in front lol. Leather laying on a flat surface compresses the fibers into the blade, my guess is because cows are round not flat, causing drag when one side is lifted or even let hang over a table edge for example abates the issue. 

[Leescustomleather]

12 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

Always have it behind the blade not in front lol. Leather laying on a flat surface compresses the fibers into the blade, my guess is because cows are round not flat, causing drag when one side is lifted or even let hang over a table edge for example abates the issue. 

I was only offering his video as a method that helped me and might help others. Perhaps posting a video of your method would help even more.

[chuck123wapati]

16 minutes ago, Leescustomleather said:

I was only offering his video as a method that helped me and might help others. Perhaps posting a video of your method would help even more.

 

your  video rocks!!! i finally found it. i think it works on the same logic, its adds some room for the leather to flex instead of compressing against the blade. I'm an old guy with flip phone so I don't do videos lol. maybe i can get my son to help me out. you know i was just thinking if a guy were o cut a piece of 4" pvc in half and slide it  under his leather so he was cutting on top of a convex surface it would work pretty good for long straight cuts, i'm gonna try it . 

[Leescustomleather]

On 8/25/2022 at 7:11 AM, chuck123wapati said:

 

your  video rocks!!! i finally found it. i think it works on the same logic, its adds some room for the leather to flex instead of compressing against the blade. I'm an old guy with flip phone so I don't do videos lol. maybe i can get my son to help me out. you know i was just thinking if a guy were o cut a piece of 4" pvc in half and slide it  under his leather so he was cutting on top of a convex surface it would work pretty good for long straight cuts, i'm gonna try it . 

 Good Idea! Please let me know how that works out!

[Bert03241]

On 8/24/2022 at 3:18 PM, Leescustomleather said:

There is a youtube channel called Hank strange and a video called "Carjacker holster" The man that does the leatherwork is named Andrews and he has a unique method to cut thick leather easily, making tight corners cleanly and accurately. I have never seen this done elsewhere and this is the method I use all the time now

Yes I've seen him cut thick leather and he makes it look so easy. years of practice I bet. I tried its still hard to do.

[Klara]

Direct answer to the original question: There is not one easiest way, it depends on what you want to cut in which shape.

Sam Andrew's method in the above-mentioned video is rather similar to Jo's from JH Leather. Except she uses a headknife, holds the point against the table and pulls the leather against the knife. The method needs a very sharp knife and a rather stiff, thick leather.

For thin leather I either work with a ruler, or I rock the head knife (for lack of a rotary cutter), or I might even use scissors. 

As for long(ish) straps, I love my strap cutter!

 

 

[Samalan]

I use a head knife for most cutting it's always what I call crazy sharp it's the height of the knife that shows vertical position the red cut boards for clickers work best for me and are worth the investment. Sharpening maintaining a "properly" sharpened blade should take seconds not even minutes a blade is not sharp until  stropped. 

Sharp Blades   VSB   very sharp blades! makes cutting easy.