Edge bevelers

[Hilly]

Does someone make an edge beveler that cuts the edges round instead of flat bevels?

[bruce johnson]

Hilly,

In no particular order - Ron Edmonds (Rons Tools - www.ronstools.com) Round bottom edgers. Barry King - bisonette edgers. Jeremiah Watt(www.ranch2arena.com) round bottom edgers, bisonette edgers, Vizzard pattern edgers. Bob Douglas may still have some left, but is out and wasn't planning to make any more of some sizes. You won't go wrong with any of these guys' tools. Be aware that size numbers are not interchangable between makers.

[Hilly]

Hilly,

In no particular order - Ron Edmonds (Rons Tools - www.ronstools.com) Round bottom edgers. Barry King - bisonette edgers. Jeremiah Watt(www.ranch2arena.com) round bottom edgers, bisonette edgers, Vizzard pattern edgers. Bob Douglas may still have some left, but is out and wasn't planning to make any more of some sizes. You won't go wrong with any of these guys' tools. Be aware that size numbers are not interchangable between makers.

Thanks, Bruce. These make nice convex edges, right?

[bruce johnson]

Yep, nice convex edges. and I find them much easier to sharpen/strop than the other slotted style edgers. On the bisonette you need to be careful to use the right radius or you will enlarge the hole and make the cuts progressively wider. Also need to be carefull on the bisonettes so you are not running into the opposite edge if you are using power equipment. My wife prefers the bisonettes, the forward edge is like training wheels. Other than that, I'll go back to the slotted ones when they pry my cold dead hands off any of these I have. (Not an original phrase).

[Hilly]

Ooooh, MAN! I think I need to work a little overtime.... Sticker shock, ya know? Still, I'd rather have round edges than flat ones .

[Leather Bum]

Yep, nice convex edges. and I find them much easier to sharpen/strop than the other slotted style edgers. On the bisonette you need to be careful to use the right radius or you will enlarge the hole and make the cuts progressively wider. Also need to be carefull on the bisonettes so you are not running into the opposite edge if you are using power equipment. My wife prefers the bisonettes, the forward edge is like training wheels. Other than that, I'll go back to the slotted ones when they pry my cold dead hands off any of these I have. (Not an original phrase).

Bruce,

When you said, "slotted style edgers," were you referring to the CS Osborne-style curved-bottom edgers? If so, I think I can agree: I can hardly get the one I have as sharp as I want. . .

L'Bum

[bruce johnson]

LBum,

Those are the style I was referring to. I just have trouble getting down in that slot to strop and get a decent thin edge. I used the rouge on a string deal, rouge on the edge of hard cardboard, and on the wider ones I used rouge on the edges of firm thin leather. Those Osbornes seemed to be the best in that style edger too. Some of them are sharpened at a pretty steep bevel. Looks like some makers cut that slot with a wheel. If they lose the "hollow" and go on through, or you sharpen them up a few times and get past it, you have a steeper draggy edge. In my hands that led to chatter marks on softer leather. For the time I spent tuning them up, I am time = money ahead to use the more open end style of edger.

[Go2Tex]

Ditto all the above but for someone starting out or on a budget, you can get decent round edges from the cheaper bissonnetts from Osborn. They just don't come as sharp or stay that way. But, heck, like you say, time is money and if I spend an hour trying, unsuccessfully to sharpen a dang edger, I could have just gone and bought a new one! ...or, several.

Those open edgers are great for long straight edges but really suck on the curves, especially the tighties. That's when I grab for that el cheapo bisssonnnettte that I broke trying to sharpen it. It's now a great little tight curve, open front, round edger. Of course I had to buff it smooth but it edges my skirt wool and even gets into those tight spots triming the cheyenne roll binding. I keep it REEEALLY sharp, though.

As for sharpening these buggers, try a wood dowl of the right diameter wrapped with very fine sandpaper or emery cloth and then strop on the edge of your strop board.

[gtwister09]

Suggestion - Quick and Dirty Method

One of the suggestions that I can make for newly purchased bisonettes is to first measure them. A quick method is to take drill bits and use these to measure the hole by placing the shank portion (not the fluted/twist end)across the bisonette hole.

Record the diameter of the drill bit.

Now you need to know the thickness of the sandpaper (wet/dry, emory cloth). Record this thickness.

Subtract the thickness of the sandpaper from the diameter of the drill bit.

This will be the size of drill bit to use with the sandpaper so that you DON'T enlarge the bisonette hole size. In purchasing older bisonettes this is one of the issues with them is that they have been ENLARGED - sometimes greatly.

Now you can use the smaller drill bit and sandpaper combination to clean up knicks and such with your bisonette edgers. As always use your rogue and final dress them up.

Regards,

Ben

[Go2Tex]

hmmm...... sounds like a great idea using drill bits. Only problem is, I never have the right sized bit and it's my luck that the thickness of that sandpaper wouldn't make a wit of difference. I'd still end up with a bigger hole. But, alas, at least the drill bits are good and round and hard, so.... what the heck.

My question is, why doesn't Jerimiah Watt make a number 6? His 5 is just a bit too small for my skirts and I ain't takin' no chances on those babies with an open end edger! Probably how folks end up with those fancy scalloped skirts. heh heh

Edited June 11, 2008 by Go2Tex

[bruce johnson]

Tex,

Seems like Jeremiah's size numbers for the edgers run about 1-2 size numbers up from some of the other makers. If Jeremiah's #5 Bisonette is too small for the skirts, then it looks like you got an option. Some of those Bisonettes from Osborne are pretty wide. Carefully enlarging the hole should work, and leave enough blade to keep some strength. I saw a Bisonette a guy modified (unintentionally) and ended up doing horn covers with it. I've been kicking around adding one to my next order to try it.

[Go2Tex]

The osborn #6 is what I've been using on the skirts and horn but it's getting loose and I need another one. I was going to upgrade this time and ended up with the 2 #5's. Oh well, it still works. I could enlarge the one Watt tool but it's like heracy to mess with such nice tools.

[Rancher]

Dangit, you guys are going to make me spend money!

I bought some McMillen edgers, just the common, ordinary open end edgers, and they came to me sharp and stay that way. I don't know if they are still in business or not, thats been over 10 years ago. Osbourne tools are good to start out with, but I've put almost all of them away over the years.

[rivergnome]

Im pretty sure Joseph Dixon do . They are in Walsall, England.

[Elton Joorisity]

I too use McMillen common edgers and LOVE them. They are easy to sharpen and if you wreck them you can replace them for $6...yep that's right folks. $6 for commons and $13 or so for bisonettes. I'm pretty sure they are still in business. I orderred mine a couple years ago and they were still operating.

[Tannin]

Im pretty sure Joseph Dixon do . They are in Walsall, England.

They did (they went out of business this year, after ~150 years in business) and they called them Hollow Edge Shaves - the #2 is generally reckoned to be a good one to start with & that's the one I use most. There are other places which sell similar tools though: e.g. ebay member leatherandstuff-shop : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131599487883 (although I'm not convinced from the images that they have the hollow back required to produce a convex edge - so ask before buying).

I have a new one & several vintage ones - the vintage ones tend to be well worn, a bit ropy & often in need some edge repair beyond simple sharpening & most are flat rather than hollow and so do not produce a concave edge, so beware. I would recommend getting new ones rather than wasting time & money on vintage, as the price difference is typically too small to justify not getting new - the old ones are typically not as good as the new ones in my experience, they are inferior. Even new ones typically need honing or stropping tho'.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Tannin