Problem with leather splitter/skiving machines

[Coloradoguy]

I had major problems with two different skiver/splitter machines.  The first one I purchased from Tandy (their High Tech Leather Splitter) as a discontinued closeout.  I ruined several leather belts with it while trying to skive the buckle end.  I practiced on scrap leather so I thought I had the technique down, but on some belts when I pulled the leather through it skived all the way through the to the face of the belt and ruined the belt.  This happened several times.  So I sold it on eEbay and purchased a different one on Amazon that looked the same machine as the TandyPro Deluxe Leather Splitter but is being sold for much less.  I had the same problem with that unit and returned it.  With both units I had to pull very hard to get the leather through. 

Has anyone else had this happen, or is my problem all user error?  I'm thinking about trying either the unit from BuckleGuy or the TandyPro Deluxe Leather Splitter.  The BuckleGuy sells what looks like the same unit as what Tandy and Amazon are selling, but in a demo video it appears the leather pulls through his machine very easily.  His website says the blade is really sharp.  

[Dwight]

I use my Tandy splitter almost exclusively for belts . . . generally I leave a little extra on each end . . . I grab it with a pair of vise grips . . .  and pull it thru.  

I actually start about 10 or 12 inches in from one end . . . then turn it around and do that section  last so the whole blank is the same thickness.

You are probably having two problems . . . 

The first is your blade is not sharp.  Coming from the factory . . . none of those blades are SHARP . . . they are kind of a dull sharp . . . but not sharp type sharp.

Your blade should be able to be held in one hand and shave 1/2 inch slices of a piece of copy paper . . . just like you might do with a straight razor or a pocket knife.

If it is not that sharp . . . you need to work on it.  I sharpen mine with several stones . . . ending up with a 3000 grit . . . and then I strop it . . . and I strop each side.  When I get done . . . you do not want to touch that blade for any reason except to cut leather.

Your second problem is in the picture . . . my hand it on the bail.  Your leather needs to be under that bail . . . and as you pull the leather thru with your right hand . . . hold the bail down with the left hand . . . or lay a 2 x 4 edge on it to keep it down.  If you don't . . . your leather will ride up and you will cut completely thru your blank.

If you take a good look at the picture . . . my blade will appear to be rusty . . . it is not . . . believe me.  It is greasy . . . that is just plain old axle grease on it . . .  and it is on both sides . . . it keeps the sharpness from going away between uses.  I wipe the grease off the blade . . . then run a piece of scrap thru it to check for sharpness . . . before I use it.

When I get done for the day . . . unless I know for certain I will use it the next day . . . I grease it up and set it off my work bench.

Hope this helps . . . may God bless,

Dwight

 

[Coloradoguy]

Thanks for the tips Dwight.  I don't recall reading anything in the instructions about holding the bail down.

It's been over a year since I tried those machines and there are two more things I could have been doing wrong.  What am I supposed to do regarding locking the knob on the side, and whether I should put pressure on the lever, or not?

Edited 16 hours ago by Coloradoguy

[Dwight]

Well . . . to start from the beginning . . . first determine how thick you want this piece of leather to be.

Then loosen the large allen screws on each side of the blade . . . then by turning the black plactic knobs . . . you can raise or lower the blade . . . and when you have it where you want it . . . tighten the large allen screws.

Now you are ready to go.

Loosen the knob on the right side of the skiver . . . and you can then use the lever to lift or drop the roller . . . drop it and insert the leather piece you want to skive.  Pull thru about an inch or two while holding the lever down.  You will notice it drop as you begin your cut . . . as it pulls the roller up to the proper position.

Once you have that inch or two skived . . . tighten the knob on the right hand side of the machine . . . while holding the lever down . . . that will keep the thickness even.

You can then lay a board or something on the bail . . . to keep it from allowing the leather to jump up . . . jumping up gives you the bad skiving experience.

Pull the whole piece thru . . . loosen the knob . . . insert the stub end . . . about an inch or two from where you need to start . . . again under the bail . . . and tighten the knob . . . pull the stub end thru and you are done.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

 

Edited 12 hours ago by Dwight

[Coloradoguy]

Thank you Dwight, I appreciate the detailed explanation