Knives

[JamesR]

I have used every sort of cutter and knife to cut leather except the knives specifically designed for leatherworking. I simply do not know what these knives do and why I should use them.

For starters what would be the two basic knives I should get for cutting leather after I lay out my pattern? Also when you make straight cuts what do you use for a straight edge to guide the knife?

Jim

PS- I am new here and all of my posts have been questions. I wish I could help others but I am out of my depth around here. I hope I am not asking too many questions. Thanks to all.

[Butch]

Unfortunately I forgot who said it, but box cutters are for just that, cutting open a box. I exclusively use a round knife and on very few occasions a rotary cutter. You have to keep the round knife sharp at all times; and some people don't like to do that.

I have a metal ruler and a metal square I use when cutting straight lines.

Below are a few links to Tandy. I've heard there are better, but you can use these links as a starting point. You can pick up a Rotary Cutter at a local Walmart for a lot cheaper.

Round Knife

Rotary Cutter

Hope it helps.

Butch

[rdb]

There is nothing better than a round knife, or head knife for leatherwork.

Rotary cutters, razor blades all can have a use, but are limited, too. The traditional knife can do it all. The new user will have nothing but trouble with a round knife off the retail shelves. They AIN'T sharp enough!! That's where the cuts, and slips come from! A properly sharpened one can't be beat. It will cut light and heavy leathers. It will cut true straight edges, and slice complicated curves like a snake through brush. I am never more comfortable than when using one. There's no gritting of teeth, or hanging tongues. You can sharpen a $40 dollar one just as well as a $200 one, you'll just have to do it more often. I still use the one I bought in 1972 from Tandy, it's a tad smaller now, though! I keep putting off buying one of the nicer ones until I'm rich and famous...could be a while...lol

Edited April 3, 2009 by rdb

[TrooperChuck]

I used sheetrock knives and Xacto knives for a long time before I finally bought an Osborne round knife. Boy, was I excited to get that knife! The day it arrived I took it to my shop and tried it on a piece of saddle skirting, and..

I was horribly disappointed!

I thought the knife would come from the factory already sharpened. I was wrong. I've got little pen knives that are sharper than that round knife was. But, being the cheap miser I am, I decided "I spent $50 on this danged thing, it's damn well gonna do some work!" So, I got out my Stohlman leather tools book, opened it up to the section on sharpening round knives, and went to work.

I've had that knife for about a year now and I've learned how to keep it razor sharp. Now, I love it! But there was definately a learning curve that had to be overcome before I felt good about it.

If you want a versatile tool that will do lots of different jobs get a round knife. Just recognize that sharpening and using one requires some patience and experience.

[harnessman]

Hi All

Ok, I am the odd man out here 'cause I am not all that fond of the traditional leather cutter half round knife. Yes, like any other tool it has it's uses, but it is definitely not a do everything leather cutter that some would have you believe, at least that is my opinion. Yes, I have one, and yes it is razor sharp and yes for some things it is very handy, like edge skiving or truing long mating surface on a trace. Unfortunately the learning curve on using one of those unwieldy blades is huge. Yes, a pro who uses one every day can do some pretty nifty cutting with one, but for the average amature leather worker there are better and more user friendly tools.

Personally I have found that a plain old box cutter is the tool that I turn to the most for cutting leather. Now before you all hang me hear me out. They are thin, but stiff enough to follow a straight line. I do not mind buggering up the edge on a cutting board, something I would never do with my head knife. You can get the pointy edge into places you would never get a round knife into without a lot of fussing around! I like the big heavy cast aluminum handles that grip the blade firmly so it does not wobble around. Also, it doesn't hurt near as much when you drop it and chip the edge of a box cutter! First time I did that with my round knife the air in the shop was blue for quite a while! Just pull out the old blade and put a bright shiny new sharp one in its place for about 25c! Oh, and just like a good head knife Ya gots ta sharpen them! They are sharp out of the box but no where near sharp enough for real cutting, other than maybe on cardboard. By the way those cheep blades are made out of some pretty good steel and take an amazingly sharp edge. About 5 seconds on a hard paper wheel loaded with white rouge and it will slide thorugh the toughest skirting like it was warm butter!

I also use a good old 2 inch wide wood chisel for lap skiving. Beats a head knife every time for truly level flat skives. I can shave a whisker of leather of a high spot real quick with that big wide sharp blade! Real hard to get a truly flat skive with a round knife, think about it. I also use a neat little luthiers plane for truing up edges on belts an traces. Faster than sanding and leaves a clean, not fuzzy edge, if your blade is sharp! That is the key with any cutting tool, it got to be sharp!

Yes, I own a half round knife, a good one, and frankly I bought it because, like many people, I thought you had to have one and know how to use it if you were a "real" harness maker. It graces the same spot, front and center, on my tool board as my traditional draw knife, and gets used about as much, but it gives customers warm fuzzy feelings when you pull out 5 inches of shinny curved steel to lop of a hunk of leather like it was butter! Yep, worth every penny!

JMHO

Jim

Edited May 8, 2009 by harnessman

[Tkleather1]

Well I use an osborne round knife and on ocassion I do use a trim knife also an osborne. to me they are indispensible.

[kevinhopkins]

I'm kinda old fashioned, and a bit on the simple side, if you ask my wife... I use an Olfa snap off utility cutter, and a metal straight edge when I need it. When I need something different I normally switch to an exacto knife w/#11 blade. I don't do all that bad... the head knife, round knife... all are great. I've used them for years. For some reason I just gravitate to the others.

kevin hopkins.

[hidepounder]

Jim,

I use a head knife for cutting out my patterns and I don't use a straight edge when cutting straight lines...I can make a cut and easily stay within the bounds of a thin pencil line, when cutting straight. It's more difficult for me to that with a straight knife or box knife. I can cut any shape in leather with a head knife that can be cut with a straight knife. In addition, I can bevel and skive with the head knife...something that cannot be done effctively with a straight knife. I should point out, at this point, that there are all kinds of shapes and sizes of round/head knives, some more suited for some jobs than others. I've found that I can cut considerabley faster and more accurately with these knives than I can with a straight knife and for me, anytime I can cut away from myself, I consider it safer than when cutting toward my body!

This is a subject that has been discussed widely...if you conduct a search you'll probably find volumes of inflamitory discussion to read. The bottom line is, you should use whatever you feel comfortable and safe with! It doesn't matter if it's a straight knife, a box cutter or shears...all can be used to cut leather!

Bob

[hidepounder]

Hi All

Ok, I am the odd man out here 'cause I am not all that fond of the traditional leather cutter half round knife. Yes, like any other tool it has it's uses, but it is definitely not a do everything leather cutter that some would have you believe, at least that is my opinion. Yes, I have one, and yes it is razor sharp and yes for some things it is very handy, like edge skiving or truing long mating surface on a trace. Unfortunately the learning curve on using one of those unwieldy blades is huge. Yes, a pro who uses one every day can do some pretty nifty cutting with one, but for the average amature leather worker there are better and more user friendly tools.

Personally I have found that a plain old box cutter is the tool that I turn to the most for cutting leather. Now before you all hang me hear me out. They are thin, but stiff enough to follow a straight line. I do not mind buggering up the edge on a cutting board, something I would never do with my head knife. You can get the pointy edge into places you would never get a round knife into without a lot of fussing around! I like the big heavy cast aluminum handles that grip the blade firmly so it does not wobble around. Also, it doesn't hurt near as much when you drop it and chip the edge of a box cutter! First time I did that with my round knife the air in the shop was blue for quite a while! Just pull out the old blade and put a bright shiny new sharp one in its place for about 25c! Oh, and just like a good head knife Ya gots ta sharpen them! They are sharp out of the box but no where near sharp enough for real cutting, other than maybe on cardboard. By the way those cheep blades are made out of some pretty good steel and take an amazingly sharp edge. About 5 seconds on a hard paper wheel loaded with white rouge and it will slide thorugh the toughest skirting like it was warm butter!

I also use a good old 2 inch wide wood chisel for lap skiving. Beats a head knife every time for truly level flat skives. I can shave a whisker of leather of a high spot real quick with that big wide sharp blade! Real hard to get a truly flat skive with a round knife, think about it. I also use a neat little luthiers plane for truing up edges on belts an traces. Faster than sanding and leaves a clean, not fuzzy edge, if your blade is sharp! That is the key with any cutting tool, it got to be sharp!

Yes, I own a half round knife, a good one, and frankly I bought it because, like many people, I thought you had to have one and know how to use it if you were a "real" harness maker. It graces the same spot, front and center, on my tool board as my traditional draw knife, and gets used about as much, but it gives customers warm fuzzy feelings when you pull out 5 inches of shinny curved steel to lop of a hunk of leather like it was butter! Yep, worth every penny!

JMHO

Jim

Jim,

I just can't agree with you about the use of a head knife, but that's just my personal preference. I do think people should use what they are comfortable and safe with.

What really interests me is your comment about using a wide wood chisel to skive with...that is something I had never considered using. A quality wood chisel has good steel and can honed incredibly sharp! I can see how it would be really fast and easy to make a clean lap on narrow straps..but what about when you have to skive an area wider than the width of the blade...do you still use it? Do the corners of the chisel become an issue to deal with? I would like to know more about what you have learned about skiving with a chisel. sounds like good stuff!

Bob

[Doug C]

My 2 cents:

It's kinda like arguing about the best deer hunting rifle. You can kill a deer with just about any calibur but everyone has a opinion.

I started out with a box cutter, found they work pretty good for some things. I used a box cutter for a couple of years before I discovered the round knife/head knife.

What I can do with a round knife I can't do with a box cutter is:

1. cut curves of many different radius',

2. cut a straight line without a straight edge for a guide,

3. skive

4. I can see where I am going with the cut

I didn't think the learning curve was that great for me. The key is to get a good sharp one, buy one that comes sharp so you know what sharp really is. I know not everyone will agree with me and that's ok. Use the tool that works for you,

Happy cutting,

Doug

[David]

I think we went through this discussion a couple weeks ago.

I'm with Jim. Those round knives may be handy for some but for the work I do.... which is mostly 7 oz or 8 oz leather I rough out with a draw knife and cut to final shape with the Tandy scissors..... not your paper cutting things, the heavy duty leather cutting scissors. When I started leatherwork here in Cincinnati, there was no Tandy here, and no other leatherworkers around so I'm totally self taught. I formed many work habits that are not your standard way of doing things. But it seems to have worked out for me. You can see my work by clicking the banner at the bottom of this message. I make many other things not just bike seats, but that is what I sell so my site and posts are pretty much confined to the seats. For straight lines it is a metal straight edge and box cutter.

So try a few tools and teach yourself the right way for you to do things.... you'll be much more comfortable working and less likely to leave a finger on the cutting table.

Have fun with it.

David Theobald

[harnessman]

Jim,

I just can't agree with you about the use of a head knife, but that's just my personal preference. I do think people should use what they are comfortable and safe with.

What really interests me is your comment about using a wide wood chisel to skive with...that is something I had never considered using. A quality wood chisel has good steel and can honed incredibly sharp! I can see how it would be really fast and easy to make a clean lap on narrow straps..but what about when you have to skive an area wider than the width of the blade...do you still use it? Do the corners of the chisel become an issue to deal with? I would like to know more about what you have learned about skiving with a chisel. sounds like good stuff!

Bob

Hi Bob

I come to leather work from a woodworker background. A lot of the processes, at least for cutting and finishing are remarkably similar. Sharp tools are also a "MUST" for wood as well as leather. Some of the old carbon steel woodworking tools are amazing in their ability to take a edge. I use a old chisel that is about 2 inches wide and it is honed way past a shaving edge. I can shave a near transparent slice of white oak off a board with that puppy! It slices though the toughest skirting or sole leather like it was butter. It is sharpened to about a 20 degree primary angle with a micro bevel edge. The back side of the blade is polished to the point that you could use it as a mirror before I actually sharpen the edge. This is a step that is missed in most sharpening procedures. Most of the strap work I do is under 2 inches in width so it is not much problem with the edges. When I do skive wider pieces I have not encountered any problems as long as you do not try to take to much off at one time. I usually start at the edge and work my way back until I have the skive length and angle that I need. Because of the sharpness of the edge and the large working surface it is very easy to match angles on mating pieces.

Works for me anyway.

Jim

[hidepounder]

Hi Bob

I come to leather work from a woodworker background. A lot of the processes, at least for cutting and finishing are remarkably similar. Sharp tools are also a "MUST" for wood as well as leather. Some of the old carbon steel woodworking tools are amazing in their ability to take a edge. I use a old chisel that is about 2 inches wide and it is honed way past a shaving edge. I can shave a near transparent slice of white oak off a board with that puppy! It slices though the toughest skirting or sole leather like it was butter. It is sharpened to about a 20 degree primary angle with a micro bevel edge. The back side of the blade is polished to the point that you could use it as a mirror before I actually sharpen the edge. This is a step that is missed in most sharpening procedures. Most of the strap work I do is under 2 inches in width so it is not much problem with the edges. When I do skive wider pieces I have not encountered any problems as long as you do not try to take to much off at one time. I usually start at the edge and work my way back until I have the skive length and angle that I need. Because of the sharpness of the edge and the large working surface it is very easy to match angles on mating pieces.

Works for me anyway.

Jim

Thanks, Jim, I'm going to try one out. It sounds like a good idea....I would never have thought of using one.

Bob

[JAM]

My two-cents worth:

I rough out with a draw knife and cut to final shape with the Tandy scissors..... not your paper cutting things, the heavy duty leather cutting scissors.

For shears, I started out with the Tandy shears and thought they were fantastic - until I got a pair of Gingher shears. They are light-speed ahead of the Tandys. They cut everything like butter - they are expensive (I think they were $60 at the local fabric store) but if you like to cut leather with scissors, they are worth every penny.

Julia