What do you use?

[rgerbitz]

Last night I was working on a project and was using my two favorite tools quite a bit, a bench chisel and a long handled short bladed knife that I bought at a woodworking shop for whittling. And I was wondering what tools you all might be using that may not be "traditional" leather working tools?

[wolvenstien]

Everythign I use is pretty much traditional except my rotary knife.... which is a modern leather tool....

[bcurrier]

Everythign I use is pretty much traditional except my rotary knife.... which is a modern leather tool....

Which one do you use, and how thick and thin will it cut?

Bill

[Kevin King]

tweasers

[Jordan]

Yup those leather slivers can be a son of a gun to remove! hehehe I have alot of stuff that would be considered non-traditional I just use what I think will work and if not I start over, have to admit I usually end up spending the $ eventually to get the right tool for the job.

[bruce johnson]

Bill,

I use a standard 45 mm rotary cutter. It will do everything from pig lining up to skirting for me. I use a 48" aluminum rule as a guide for it when I do straight lines. I also use the scalloping blades and pinking blades as well.

Rgrbitz,

1. bench chisels that I sharpened up. I use them to cut slits of a repeatable length. I also use them to cut out inlays. Also makes a good starting slit for my crown splitter. I hit them with a maul.

2. Bench top belt sander - to true up edges and sand off glue boogers on edges. To thin tips and folds on straps when needed. Minor shaping, won't scorch easily like a Dremel or small sanding drum.

3. Bench top drill press - two of them - one to chuck mini and maxi punches to punch holes. Turn it on and try it for yourself. The other has one of Norm Lynds' edge burnishers permanently chucked.

4. I have a "third hand" clamp mounted on my cutting table. It is a leather tool, and makes holding a piece while I strip it a breeze. However on my other bench I have a toggle clamp. Barry King showed me this. They have a rubber tip and will hold the end of a strap while I pull against it to slick edges. They don't leave marks on finished leather like the 3rd hand. I bought mine at Harbor Freight for about $6. Just do a google search for bench toggle clamp to see what they look like.

5. shop press for small clicking, embossing, press molding.

6. Dremel for shaping and modifying tools, smoothing and trueing tight inside curves on leather. Keep it moving or it will scorch.

7. Auto Body dolly (oval) with handle- I put the handle in the Hardy hole of my shoeing anvil. Makes a nice stake to flatten seams inside bags on.

8. Shoeing anvil - setting rivets, it doesn't move. The horn and heel are good to set rivets inside bags with too.

[bcurrier]

I realized I misunderstood your rotary cutter use, Bruce. I thought you might be using an electric rotary cutter and wondered how that might work on leather.

Bill

[YRsaddles]

Bill, As you see from the from all the replies, most of us will use ANYTHING that works. I've ground and cut blades on knives to make the work for certain purposes...really the only hand tools I haven't modified are my edgers and round knives.I find tools all the time that I can make leather tools out of. I know a few saddle makers that grind down one end of a flat head screwdriver to make a bleeding tool.

Dave

[wolvenstien]

Which one do you use, and how thick and thin will it cut?

Bill

the rotary cutter I use is the blue handle one that WalMart sells, I got the yellow one from tandy, but found the one at WalMart to feel better in my hand and the guard is always in the protected position. It is cheaper at walmart and the replacement blades are cheaper there too. As for the thickness it cuts... I believe I have cut 12 oz latigo with it....