Leather Skiving Machine "nick-O-Sew 801-St"

[philippe]

I have a Nick-o-sew 801-st skiving machine with top and bottom feed, I have read the instruction book and it is about as helpful as ____________ fill in the blank. I watched the shoe school video on you tube but that doesn't help a whole lot either other than just a main coverage on skiving machines. The machine I have is pretty much identical to the other skiving machines with top and bottom feed. But what I can't seem to figure out is adjusting the depth of cut. I know what all the knobs do but which one actually increases and decreases the depth of cut, i.e. the feed wheel knob (angle or height) , the presser foot adjuster, or perhaps the knife adjustment(the one that moves it in and out or rather closer to the feed wheel or farther away). I was very happy to get the machine now I am very frustrated on how to use it. I will be posting a video on a comprehensive use of the machine once I have it down to show others. So any help is greatly appreciated, if anyone has a number I can call for someone to talk to let me know. I would call one of the main dealers but I didn't buy the machine from them and don't want to disrespect anyone. Nick at nick-o-sew doesn't have alot of experience with the machine so he can't help me with my questions. Thanks in advance.

[bruce johnson]

If I am understanding your question right, you need to control how far into the leather to make the cut? There should be an adjustable edge guide to set that. The height adjustment on the presser foot is a knob at the top. That will control the width of the cut somewhat and allow for different thicknesses of leather. There are a lot of adjustments on these, and once you figure them all out it is fairly easy to change things.

[CowboyBob]

Turn the knob on the top down for more.

Bob

[philippe]

Sorry I should have been more clear, I am trying to adjust the actual thickness of the leather, say skiving 4 oz down to 1 oz. I do understand the edge guide although that gives a little trouble sometimes also, finding the initial reference point. And I do get that this isn't rocket science once I figure it out but its getting the point of figuring out that I am sure we all struggle once in a while with. But I really appreciate the quick replies and I am hoping for a few more if you all continue to be patient with me. Thanks again.

[CowboyBob]

To get good at running one you need to get some scrap & play with it @ turn the knob on top & the ones behind the foot (they change the angles)

But there is no set adjustment like turn the knob x# of times to take 4oz to 1 oz as different leather will cut alittle different.

I'm sure after you run it a while you'll know what to do alot easier.

Bob

[philippe]

Thanks for the advice trial and error usually the fix for most things, I will be messing with alot more just got a little frustrated. But thanks.

[Art]

As everyone has said, the knob on the top is the place to start:

If you need to go further, the knob pointed to by the leather strip in the picture below can be used to raise or lower the feed roller which will lessen or increase the cut.

The big black hook will increase or decrease the tension on the spring resistance to the roller being depressed when cranking down on the knob on top of the machine in the first picture.

Please do as little adjusting as necessary. Do not go further than the top knob until you understand just what effect it has. For adjusting a 3oz skive, little should have to be done if the machine was set up correctly in the first place.

Is there a reason you bought from a dealer who doesn't know a lot about the machine? Was it set up or prepped in any way?

The best way to start is to run a piece of leather through the machine and see what it produces, then make adjustments till it does what you want. With a properly set up machine, you put the machine on the table, screw it down, put the belt on, and skive something, make a few adjustments and you are cooking. The machine you purchased is more difficult than the bottom feed ones, because there is only one top roller with one profile. The bottom feed only ones have feet with different configurations. The one you have however will do veg tan all day and night, not always so with the bottom feeders.

If you need more help, take a couple of pictures so we can try to help.

Art

I have a Nick-o-sew 801-st skiving machine with top and bottom feed, I have read the instruction book and it is about as helpful as ____________ fill in the blank. I watched the shoe school video on you tube but that doesn't help a whole lot either other than just a main coverage on skiving machines. The machine I have is pretty much identical to the other skiving machines with top and bottom feed. But what I can't seem to figure out is adjusting the depth of cut. I know what all the knobs do but which one actually increases and decreases the depth of cut, i.e. the feed wheel knob (angle or height) , the presser foot adjuster, or perhaps the knife adjustment(the one that moves it in and out or rather closer to the feed wheel or farther away). I was very happy to get the machine now I am very frustrated on how to use it. I will be posting a video on a comprehensive use of the machine once I have it down to show others. So any help is greatly appreciated, if anyone has a number I can call for someone to talk to let me know. I would call one of the main dealers but I didn't buy the machine from them and don't want to disrespect anyone. Nick at nick-o-sew doesn't have alot of experience with the machine so he can't help me with my questions. Thanks in advance.

[Wizcrafts]

Here is another adjustment that really matters.

The distance of the blade to the presser foot matters a lot. When skiving thin leather the blade must be much closer to the foot than when skiving veg-tan or sole leather.

If the blade is moved too close to the foot, the leather may get forced under the blade, or completely cut off. If it is too far away, there will be a lump of full thickness before the skiving begins.

So, for 4 ounce chap or shoe upper leather, keep the blade within about 1/16" of the business end of the foot.

When skiving thick, dense leathers, move it way accordingly, to avoid bogging down the feed, or motor. You need as much a 1/4" distance to skive soles properly.

The foot can be angled to cause a lap skive to occur. Here's how...

Set the foot's angle screw upwards, so that the rear portion of the foot is level with the top of the blade, but the front is raised the thickness of the leather being skived. Set the depth guide backwards to the place where the foot is about level with the blade. Run a test strip. Adjust the foot height up or down to control the feathering and the depth guide for the length of the lap skive. Using this method you can create a perfect lap skive to blend two layers together, or to install new soles onto shoes.

Finally, learn to use the grinding stone and polishing wheel to keep the blade razor sharp, without any nicks on the top or bottom. A badly sharpened blade causes bad cuts.

[philippe]

Thanks Art. I got the machine from him because it was 1450.00 versus the others at about 2000. I did intend to do alot of thinner chrome tan and soft leathers maybe I should have got the bottom feed only. It was delivered fully set up and assembled with a sample. But call it what you may I have turned lots of knobs pretty much as soon as I got it. I am getting slightly better results but maybe I need some different attachments to do the type of leathers I want to skive. As for veg-tan I will be skiving that alot, but at the moment I have projects this would be perfect for If I could use it properly, any idea where to get different attachments for this if there are any? Thanks

As everyone has said, the knob on the top is the place to start:

If you need to go further, the knob pointed to by the leather strip in the picture below can be used to raise or lower the feed roller which will lessen or increase the cut.

The big black hook will increase or decrease the tension on the spring resistance to the roller being depressed when cranking down on the knob on top of the machine in the first picture.

Please do as little adjusting as necessary. Do not go further than the top knob until you understand just what effect it has. For adjusting a 3oz skive, little should have to be done if the machine was set up correctly in the first place.

Is there a reason you bought from a dealer who doesn't know a lot about the machine? Was it set up or prepped in any way?

The best way to start is to run a piece of leather through the machine and see what it produces, then make adjustments till it does what you want. With a properly set up machine, you put the machine on the table, screw it down, put the belt on, and skive something, make a few adjustments and you are cooking. The machine you purchased is more difficult than the bottom feed ones, because there is only one top roller with one profile. The bottom feed only ones have feet with different configurations. The one you have however will do veg tan all day and night, not always so with the bottom feeders.

If you need more help, take a couple of pictures so we can try to help.

Art

[Art]

Wiz,

It doesn't have a foot.

The top and bottom feed machines are production machines that pretty much do one thing, hence the top roller is the foot. The only accessory I have seen is different rollers, and you cut them on a lathe as needed, the machine then uses that one forevermore. I've never used any but the roller that comes with it. I have seen a clutch that allows the blade to run constantly and the feed intermittently. I do remember seeing guards before, but they seem to get lost, even in factories.

Art

Here is another adjustment that really matters.

The distance of the blade to the presser foot matters a lot. When skiving thin leather the blade must be much closer to the foot than when skiving veg-tan or sole leather.

If the blade is moved too close to the foot, the leather may get forced under the blade, or completely cut off. If it is too far away, there will be a lump of full thickness before the skiving begins.

So, for 4 ounce chap or shoe upper leather, keep the blade within about 1/16" of the business end of the foot.

When skiving thick, dense leathers, move it way accordingly, to avoid bogging down the feed, or motor. You need as much a 1/4" distance to skive soles properly.

The foot can be angled to cause a lap skive to occur. Here's how...

Set the foot's angle screw upwards, so that the rear portion of the foot is level with the top of the blade, but the front is raised the thickness of the leather being skived. Set the depth guide backwards to the place where the foot is about level with the blade. Run a test strip. Adjust the foot height up or down to control the feathering and the depth guide for the length of the lap skive. Using this method you can create a perfect lap skive to blend two layers together, or to install new soles onto shoes.

Finally, learn to use the grinding stone and polishing wheel to keep the blade razor sharp, without any nicks on the top or bottom. A badly sharpened blade causes bad cuts.

[philippe]

Should I send this unit back and get a bottom only skiver?

[CowboyBob]

Should I send this unit back and get a bottom only skiver?

No,the top feed one is the best,but there is a few different manufactures of them.

Does it look like a quality built machine?That is a real low price.

Bob

[philippe]

Its Identical to Artisan and the others, very high quality if you like I can post some pics a little later. Nick at nick-o-sew says he gets his machines from the same place as Artisan, highly inspected quality control factories. It does look to be top notch but I honestly haven't seen any others in person to be able to tell the difference I am just comparing overall quality to my cowboy sewing machines from Ryan Neel.

[philippe]

Its a little dirty from shipping and playing but its a nice machine nonetheless.

[Art]

No, I don't have a bottom feed and don't want one. The top/bottom feed will skive anything veg/chrome/latigo/deertan without changing to a steel bottom roller or any other modifications. You have the right machine, now you just have to learn to use it. Get a bunch of crap leather, cut it into strips, and practice and adjust until you can skive perfect edges. Buy a bag of scraps from Tandy and go to work.

Art

Should I send this unit back and get a bottom only skiver?

[philippe]

Thank you to all of those that helped me. I have since figured out quite a bit in the last few days of turning scrap leather into "skived scrap leather". The main thing I was trying to understand was how to change the thickness of the cut, the instruction book and the shoe school video both say that the stone feed wheel on the bottom need to stay as close to the blade as possible with out it hitting the blade, and to move the actual knife left and right to adjust the thickness of the cut. I have found this is not what works for me. I move the stone wheel up and down to control ho thick my cut will be and I can also change the angle of the stone to adjust the bevel of the cut. The top feed roller will move up and down to adjust for the pressure depending on what type of leather I am using so it will send it through the cut evenly with out catching. I did learn that the sharpening stone does not move with the knife so I have to put it exactly where I want the sharpening stone to touch the knife edge, after I move the blade left and right. moving the blade left and right will compensate for thicker leathers to go through the cut evenly it is directly related to the adjustments used for the top feed roller. Now these processes may not be the "right" way but they are the way that I have found works for me. This machine is somewhat complicated to set up and use but once an initial calibration is made then setting it up for different leathers and such is fairly easy. I will be posting a video on this once I am fully aware of everything on the machine and have a much better understanding of the skiver. I am still trying to figure out how exactly to set it up to use as a splitter for smaller pieces of chrome tan and very soft leathers, as my Landis 30 will not do that unless I glue it to some scrap veg tan first. Again thank you all for helping me.