Knives

[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