Need A Strap Cutter

[Dallas Cowboy]

Ok i want to cut my own belt blanks and need to know if i should just buy a cheapie from Tandy or should i spend the extra money on a more expensive one from Bruce? Or is using a razor knife with a straight edge just as good? Thanks DC

[Sylvia]

You'll find that a strap cutter from tandy will give you strap just fine Except... they will sometimes be slightly larger than the intended size. Nothing too big... but I find that when I set it for 1.5 inches.... I sometimes get 1 9/16" because of the cutter and the torque of pulling it.

Something to think about as you weigh your options.

Edited May 24, 2012 by Sylvia

[dirtclod]

I've used one of the wooden ones for close to 20 years and never had any problems with it. I have more costly ones but i use the wood one for most ever thing.

[pete]

I use the Tandy wood one- it's fine.

TIP: I have 5-6 strips cut to exact measurements and labeled. 1" all the way to 2" and many in between. I punched a hole and strung them onto a piece of string. I never guess anymore as to cutting widths as I put the strip into the tool and slide it up tight and lock in place.

I too had trouble when I first got it as the"ruler " on the side wasn't very accurate.

pete

[Jax]

Hi, Ive had a wooden strap cutter from Tandy for years and it's always served me well in fact I use it far more than my plough gauge apart from on very heavy leathers where I found the blades tended to break. Good luck with the belt making

[Art]

If you are going to buy a draw gauge or a strap cutter then the wooden one (they once were metal, I have two) from Tandy will work ok. A Dixon or Blanchard Plow Gauge will be a once bought investment, and they work better too, especially on anything over an inch. If you can go the distance, get Terry to make you a knife for it.

Art

Ok i want to cut my own belt blanks and need to know if i should just buy a cheapie from Tandy or should i spend the extra money on a more expensive one from Bruce? Or is using a razor knife with a straight edge just as good? Thanks DC

[SandSquid]

I used "The Original Strap Cutter" for almost two hours straight yesterday and was duly impressed.

My Mentor warned me that if I were to buy one, NOT to by the Tandy because thought it looks the same at first glance, it has been "cost optimized" down to a shadow of the original product.

A visit to Tandy readily confirmed this, no comparison in construction fit & finish and hardware/fittings

Edited May 25, 2012 by SandSquid

[Glendon]

Yep, there really is only one problem I've found with the wooden strap cutter. With smaller scraps, it can be tricky to keep a solid grip on the handle. I'm thinking the pistol grip on the metal draw gauges would make those jobs easier.

[Mike516]

I have the new and unimproved wooden Tandy one. It may be cheaper than the old one and cheaper than the other brands, but I'm new to this and still haven't had any problems with it. Matter of fact, I really like it.

One thing I would mention, as someone was having issues with this cutter some time ago, is that it will only cut as straight as your first edge. If you get an uneven hide, you have to cut a straight edge with a long ruler and a good knife or the strap cutter won't work.

[idlewilder]

So, what is the best way (or some supporting techniques) to getting that first edge to be straight? I've got plenty of 12" rulers, and even an 18" square, but even a yard stick isn't long enough to cut a 50" strap. Should I get some of those small 38 lb (2 in) clamps from home depot, and clamp 2 yard sticks to the leather and the table?

[bruce johnson]

It is helpful to have a nice sized layout table with a long enough cutting board to make a decent length cut. I have a 24x48 cutting board that was pretty inexpensive from Tap Plastics. That way you are not having to move the board all the time too. I have 3, 4, and 6 foot metal rules. Ace Hardware here has them pretty inexpensively. I line up my cut to take out the clip ,marks and give me the best yield. I make the cut with a knife down the edge of the rule. I overlap the rule on the cut line as I get about to the end and go on from there. With the six foot rule I only have to do one shift with the rule and one and a bit more for the cutting board.

To answer the original question, I use a wooden strap cutter, draw gauges, and plough gauges to cut strips. I use a razor blade in the wooden strap cutter for thinner or softer leathers. I can't secure the small blades they come with well enough to sharpen them cinsistantly and safely for me, and don't find they last all that long anyway. Razor blades slide in and throw away. I use a draw gauge up to an inch for shorter strips I can secure easy enough. I use a plough gauge for anything over an inch. These are my general guidelines, but sometimes I will overlap with the draw or plough gauge depending on which is handier.

[Mike516]

I basically do the same thing. I have a 4 foot t-square from when I was hanging drywall. I lay the leather on a piece of cardboard under where I'll be running the knife on my cement floor in my basement/workshop and cut along the long edge of the t-square with a very sharp utility knife. I don't buy huge pieces of leather so the most I've ever had to overlap the ruler is once.

I just use the replacement blades that Tandy sells for .50 cents each, but I use mostly 6/7 and 3/4 ounce leather only so I can't speak for anything thicker.