No Splitter? No Problem!

[TwinOaks]

Howdy folks,

I've seen an increase in requests for belts, specifically 'gun belts' for IWB/concealed carry. As most of us know, a double layer belt generally looks better, which means we can get a little more money for them. I'm not at the point where I'm ordering whole sides (yet), so I'm reduced to ordering belt blanks. I'm fortunate that they are pretty uniform, but when doubled, they are a tad bit thick. So, I've been searching for an inexpensive splitter so I can run 7/8 and 4/5 for a doubled belt. The problem is that pretty much all splitters worth having are several hundred dollars....if not more. I toyed with the idea of making a splitter, as I'm sure many of us have done, and realized that by the time I build one, it would have been cheaper to buy one. But, I don't give up that easily. So, what's needed to split leather? A strong blade that won't flex...razors are a bit thin, and may flex under pressure....no good. Something that will cut a uniform depth....that's handled by the roller on a splitter. Needs to NOT mark the grain side....it'd be pointless to split the leather and have ugly grain left for the belt.

Introducing the Bench Plane. I got it at Lowe's today, and chose it over the Block plane due to the angle of the blade. The blade will just accommodate a 1.5 inch wide strip of leather, so I'm gonna have to make a jig of some sort. For 1.25, it's a snap. It's adjustable for depth of cut, so I can pick how much I'm splitting. I've found that a smaller amount is easier, so that's how I've got it set. I lay the belt blank grain down on the table, grab then end with some pliers, position the plane, and start pushing. The flesh side peels off in a wonderfully uniform ribbon, leaving a cut surface that's a little smoother than I expected. Of course, your leather will ultimately determine how smooth it is, but I'm sure this could EASILY be slicked up as it is.

The first time I tried it (on scrap of course) I got some chunky peelings and it left a surface like a rasp does- divots, stringy fibers, etc. So, I got to looking at the blade, and yes, it needed sharpening (I mean, really, we're leather workers. Is there ANY 'factory' blade that's sharp enough? I strop brand new razor blades for cryin' out loud.) So, 5 minutes on a diamond hone, followed by some stropping and I re-installed the blade to the plane. NOTE: If you do this, be sure to set the depth to zero before putting the blade back in. If you don't, and you've correctly sharpened the blade, you find that the thing the blade is dragging on while you're tightening the screws.....that's your newly cut finger.

So how much does this cost? I got mine for $21.99 + tax (List price was $31, but I wasn't going to argue with the scanner at the register), fifteen minutes of playing experimenting with it, five sharpening it, two to reassemble, and whatever a bandaid costs these days. Net result: I've got my belt splitter at about 5% of what a typical splitter costs. Time to start turning out some belts!!!!

I'll get a pic or two in here a little later.

[JoelR]

Good tip. I have thought of the same in the past but never got around to trying it. I have used a powered hand planer in the past and it worked. Dulled the blades quite quickly though and those blades are so thin (and double-sided to boot) I doubt I have the skill to resharpen them and attempting such would only result in bloodied finger-tips...

[Tree Reaper]

A 12 inch planer blade might work as well, next time I change one I'll try it.

It could be mounted on wood with a rabbet cut out below for the exact width of the blank and desired thickness.

Several different rabbets for different thickness over the length of the 12 inch blade.

Kevin.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Tree Reaper

[TwinOaks]

Yep, a planer blade should work well, just pay attention to the edge profile - it may need a bit of touch up for leather, like mine.

You might also consider having something to keep the leather pressed down, right in front of the blade. That's presuming, of course, that you'd be splitting grain side up. If you split grain down, you'll need to work out something to ensure that you don't mar the grain side as you pull it through.

[alb]

Thanks for posting this.

Looking forward to the pictures.

Ann

[azrider]

Looking forward to pictures. If this is the tool I am thinking of, I might have five or six in Grandad's old tool box. Hmmmm...

[TwinOaks]

EDIT...the pic didn't paste like it should....working on it.....My link

The Lowe's website lists this as a block plane, but I think the picture is a bench plane....which is what I got. The Block plane has a steeper angle to the blade, like close to 60 degrees. The bench plane has a much lower angle, as you can see in the pic.

I'll see if I can get a few pics of it in use.....

And, yes, probably more than a few people have some of these in Grand Dad's tool box. My dad is going to check out my grand dad's tool selection and see if he left us one of the big ones.

[TwinOaks]

Okay, a few pics:

#1 plane growing a leather ribbon out of its head....

#2 split leather and unsplit section of the same strip

#3 same, with the ribbon of leather I split off of it.

[amuckart]

That's a right cunning plan. Well done.

If you want the best way to get a plane blade terrifyingly sharp, have a look at Brent's Sharpening Pages they're some of the best freely available sharpening information out there, and his techniques are applicable to pretty much anything you can build a jig for.

[evandailey]

EDIT...the pic didn't paste like it should....working on it.....My link

The Lowe's website lists this as a block plane, but I think the picture is a bench plane....which is what I got. The Block plane has a steeper angle to the blade, like close to 60 degrees. The bench plane has a much lower angle, as you can see in the pic.

I'll see if I can get a few pics of it in use.....

And, yes, probably more than a few people have some of these in Grand Dad's tool box. My dad is going to check out my grand dad's tool selection and see if he left us one of the big ones.

Actually, what the picture shows and what you have is in fact a block plane. I've been a woodworker much longer than I've been a leather worker. Block planes are designated as such because the bevel is up on the blade. On a bench plane the bevel goes down. Therefore, block planes can have a much lower attack angle than bench planes. I am surprised you were able to get that Lowe's grade stanley to do that. I have some higher end planes that are SHARP and I have not had great success trying to do what you're showing, but I didn't give it much effort either. Now that I see your results I'll have to get it another shot. Did you start feeding the belt into the plane right at the end or did you start a little ways into the belt?

Edited July 13, 2011 by evandailey

[TwinOaks]

Actually, what the picture shows and what you have is in fact a block plane. I've been a woodworker much longer than I've been a leather worker. Block planes are designated as such because the bevel is up on the blade. On a bench plane the bevel goes down. Therefore, block planes can have a much lower attack angle than bench planes. I am surprised you were able to get that Lowe's grade stanley to do that. I have some higher end planes that are SHARP and I have not had great success trying to do what you're showing, but I didn't give it much effort either. Now that I see your results I'll have to get it another shot. Did you start feeding the belt into the plane right at the end or did you start a little ways into the belt?

Thanks for the clarification on the plane types. I learned a little today. I was going by the label on the package, one said block, one said bench.

As far as using a Lowe's grade stanley.....what can I say? I know how to sharpen steel.

I'm not starting right at the end, I'm leaving a little tag end and starting perhaps 1/2 an inch from the end.

[azrider]

If I start sharpening something at 10pm, the wife is going to kill me. Must wait until tomorrow....

How did overlaping the skives work for you for larger pieces?

[TwinOaks]

I'm not trying to split larger pieces. This was a purpose driven experiment, only for belts. I guess you could do larger pieces, but I think you'd end up with uneven areas. With a strap/belt, if you get a little uneven pressure, you have a barely discernible area that's thicker.....uneven pressure on a piece larger than the blade would look like it was cratered. Tree Reaper's idea of a 12 inch blade might work, but at some point, we're reinventing the splitter.