Best knife(s) for cutting leather

[Pappys Leather]

What have others found works best for cutting out leather projects as far as simplest and fastest? I have tried the round knife but not a fan. I mostly use a knife I purchased from Tandy that holds utility knife blades.

[DJole]

I recently bought an Olfa rotary cutter, and I have been amazed at how easily it cuts. And since the blades are replaceable, it's easy to keep it super sharp.
For straight cuts on thicker leather, the utility knife and a metal straight edge are still very good. 
 

[TomE]

I enjoy using all types of knives for different tasks.  My latest addition is this baby round knife (68 mm) that is handy for cutting and skiving in tight spots.

[chuck123wapati]

How thick of leather? i use different blades for different thicknesses. on real thin stuff just scissors.

[jcuk]

My go to is a Round Knife for nearly everything, on a lighter weight i may use a clicker knife sometimes i will use a single head knife just because it was cheap and nearer to hand, my advice would be persevere with the Round Knife i know nothing else comes close to it as a all rounder i skive most weights of leather with it find better than the said skiving knives. 

Hope this helps

JCUK

38 minutes ago, TomE said:

I enjoy using all types of knives for different tasks.  My latest addition is this baby round knife (68 mm) that is handy for cutting and skiving in tight spots.

Is that the Abbey Round and if so how is it.

[TomE]

6 minutes ago, jcuk said:

Is that the Abbey Round and if so how is it.

Just got this Abbey round knife today and already showing it off.    It is very sharp so I only stropped it.  Fits my hand and I think will be handy for cutting tapers/waists on straps and other small curves, as well as skiving small parts that are hard to hold onto.  I don't yet know how well the blade holds an edge but so far so good.

[Gezzer]

4 hours ago, Pappys Leather said:

What have others found works best for cutting out leather projects as far as simplest and fastest? I have tried the round knife but not a fan. I mostly use a knife I purchased from Tandy that holds utility knife blades.

Check out Sam Andrews on youtube .  Andrews leather I think . You will think he is nuts the first time you see him cutting , at least I did . Now that is the only way I cut  but I use something like an exacto knife with # 11 blade .......... works real well for me !!

 

 9/10 oz is the thickest I cut though 

[billybopp]

6 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

How thick of leather? i use different blades for different thicknesses. on real thin stuff just scissors.

Same for me.  How thick, and what type of leather, and for that matter small and curvy cut versus long and straight.  It's not a one-size-fits-all for me!

- Bill

[zuludog]

I started out with a Stanley/utility/box cutter knife. I've since  acquired and used various clicker knives, a Japanese Leather Knife, and a George Barnsley head knife. They're all sharp and work OK but I find I keep coming back to the Stanley knife

It's a model 199A, which I don't think they make any more. It's a fixed blade and the handle is slightly slimmer than most Stanley type knives. I got it from  a second hand market stall, cleaned it up & painted it. I've picked up  2 or 3 blades that fit well without any wobbling, and I just keep sharpening & stropping them; they seem to cut better when they've been resharpened than when new.

[chiefjason]

2 different shaped round knives- one for straight or more sweeping outside cuts and one for tighter inside cuts

1 small antique head knife for really tight inside cuts

Montana Knife Company Speedgoat for small trim work and anything too tight for the head knife.  I bought it for hunting, hiking, and fishing but it's so dang sharp it stays on my leather bench when I'm not carrying it.  

Gingher scissors for my 5 oz straps and loops.  

Utility knife for cutting patterns.  

Edited September 24, 2022 by chiefjason

[Cumberland Highpower]

I use a box cutter and/or a square knife most of the time.   But then most anything with a curve I cut with a die.

[Jaxx1024]

My utility knife-box cutter has served me well for a year and a half. 

[DocJrzz]

Sam Andrews has a great method for sure. I use scalpels with #11, 23, 25 blades. Far superior to exacto blades.

Cheap, super sharp and made for cutting flesh. Can be stropped for even better results. 

[Samalan]

For the fine stuff, I use a pattern maker's head knife from gomph for just about everything else I use a 5" head knife. I didn't like head knives at first but once I got used to them it was hard to use anything else the pattern head knives are the best for tight close twists and turns.

[SUP]

The knives I use most often are small decorated ones I got on Amazon - 8 items for about $15.00, in a container! Good reviews and I bought them before I learnt anything about good knives. They are very sharp, cut the 4-5 oz leather I use, easily and not gone dull yet. Easy to cut around corners, angles and curves and perfect for cutting leather for smaller items. 

Not sharpened or stropped them yet. No idea how long before I will need to sharpen them but good for a beginner stepping into the leatherworking world. Also the price is right! I plan to buy another set before the good reviews push up the price, if it has not gone up already. I think someone buys these and sells them on ebay for $20.00.

Getting more comfortable with  round knives so I suspect that will become my favorite soon.

Of course, I am a noob, so not much experience yet but I had to mention these surprising knives.

Edited May 2, 2023 by SUP

[doubleh]

I have a full size round knife that just remains in a box  because I cannot make myself like it. My wife, the quilter, gave me an extra rotary knife she had and it is excellent on straight cuts. I have accumulated a variety of knives but the one most used is one I made from a heavy duty Exacto knife handle that I broke the original handle off the blade holder and replaced with a piece of wooden dowel that I shaped into a man sized handle. You can use a variety of different shaped blades if needed and the blades sharpen and strop just like a regular knife. Scaples are reasonably cheap and I am thinking of trying some of those just to see how well they will do.

[Frodo]

I use a vintage 199a Stanley and a pair of garden shears

I skive with a home made skive knife made from a wood plane blade

 

[Handstitched]

I just use a Kingchrome folding knife and a pair of kitchen shears, and few other pairs of scissors.

The folding knife fits in my hand just nicely , my hands are small .  Its strong , sturdy.   Blades are easy to change*. I also sharpen them on a stone to extend their life. 

HS 

* I also use it ( with a new blade) to score the skin on a piece of Pork, true  

 

 

[Littlef]

I recently picked up a Flexcut  Mini-Pelican Style Carving Knife.  It works real good making tight turns.  Its similar to a clicker knife in blade shape, but the fixed blade isn't replaceable, so you have to sharpen it regularly.

[Outfitr]

I've tried quite a few knives and a lot of them don't get much use. Most used is a snap off blade box cutter. Then the 2 sizes of xacto knives.