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Cutting In A Straight Line

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Hello all. So as I stated in my introduction, I am new to leather work. I have read most of the sight, books, watched videos and have gotten my mind around the steps needed to create an item.

My actual hands on learning are: Gluing two pieces of leather together to stitch. I have trained my hands to not put down the awl and pull at an even tension to produce evenly spaced, attractive stitches. I can glue town pieces together neatly. So I have some progression.

EXCEPT, I can't cut a straight line! I have a good cutting knife, a round knife and a disposable craft knifes. I keep my knifes sharp; my round knife will shave hairs. I have a good work surface, cutting mats, straight edges, t-squares, yet every time I go to cut something it seems like the guide moves just a bit and my line is off, just enough, the edges don't match up. Should I buy a bench sander cut larger and sand my way in, or just keep practicing?

I am open to any sage advice.

Best,

Michael

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I had the same problem really bad when I started. I was shown that I should lightly score the line once or twice before tryin g to completely cut thru the piece. It has worked for me. I cut most of my lines with a small round knife made by J Cook. Rarely use anything else.

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Thank-you, that makes sense, as I am pushing down so hard I inevitably push agains my straight edge just enough to move it a bit.

I will give it a try latter.

Best,

Michael

I had the same problem really bad when I started. I was shown that I should lightly score the line once or twice before tryin g to completely cut thru the piece. It has worked for me. I cut most of my lines with a small round knife made by J Cook. Rarely use anything else.

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That was my solution as well. Scoring the line just enough to see using the straight edge gets you set. Then remove the guide and just let your blade follow the started line. Best advice I can give is don't rush. If you try to rush through the cut, the blade might slip, but if you take your time it will follow the shallow cut easily.

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I have a steel straight edge. I use 3-4 small C-clamps and clamp over the leather to the table this way it does not move when I cut the leather. Works for me. After about 7 months I am able to cut a line straight or curved. I use a roller knife for straight and a utility for curves. It just takes a lot of practice.

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Thank-you, that makes sense, as I am pushing down so hard I inevitably push agains my straight edge just enough to move it a bit.

I will give it a try latter.

Best,

Michael

Do make sure your blade is really really sharp. The phrase "pushing down so hard" makes me cringe and also makes me think your blade isn't sharp enough.

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I use a clamp as well on longer cuts, doesn't hurt to have a third hand.

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Thank you all. The scratch awl to make a line, then carefully cutting with one of my knives worked like a dream. I still need practice and patience is a learned behavior for me. I just spent the better part of the night practicing cutting, grooving, marking and stitching. Is there a right of passage badge for piercing a thread? I pierced my first one today; thanks to the knowledge on this forum I just slowly put things right and kept on going. One day I am going to use these skills to make something useable. In the mean time I am still studying.

Best,

Michael

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I've been doing this for about a year and I still have trouble spearing the thread. Even though I know I should because most shortcuts in this work really do hurt the final product, I tend to not bother.

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Me too has one of them metal rulers, more than a yard long.

I have glued rubber (around 1/16 - 1/8 inch thick) on the backside and with not to much pressure the ruler stays in place when cutting, easy as apple pie :-)

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Me too has one of them metal rulers, more than a yard long.

I have glued rubber (around 1/16 - 1/8 inch thick) on the backside and with not to much pressure the ruler stays in place when cutting, easy as apple pie :-)

Good tip there Tina. I may try that! I clamp down my straight edge to but find I still press hard on it to keep it from moving. Rubber sounds like a good idea!

Andy

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I use a piece of pexiglass 3/16 of a inch thick in a variety lengths to fit the size of my leather . The width is 4 inches ,when pressure is applied its just wide enough to keep it from moving the thickness keeps a blade from riding up and over . leaving the paper on also helps with the not moving . I use a 60 mm round cutting tool from olfa about 30.00 . Works on all leathers and thickness . With this pexiglass straight edge I can cut fringe in deer skin 11 strings to a inch straight from end to end no movement at all . Hope this helps . Bluesman1951

Hello all. So as I stated in my introduction, I am new to leather work. I have read most of the sight, books, watched videos and have gotten my mind around the steps needed to create an item.

My actual hands on learning are: Gluing two pieces of leather together to stitch. I have trained my hands to not put down the awl and pull at an even tension to produce evenly spaced, attractive stitches. I can glue town pieces together neatly. So I have some progression.

EXCEPT, I can't cut a straight line! I have a good cutting knife, a round knife and a disposable craft knifes. I keep my knifes sharp; my round knife will shave hairs. I have a good work surface, cutting mats, straight edges, t-squares, yet every time I go to cut something it seems like the guide moves just a bit and my line is off, just enough, the edges don't match up. Should I buy a bench sander cut larger and sand my way in, or just keep practicing?

I am open to any sage advice.

Best,

Michael

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Omg Cant imagine not losing ones fingers with this technique . Not near enough shoulder to keep a sharp knife on track . 3/16 pexi glass in lengths from 14 " 24 '36" 60" 4" wide with the paper on one side . 600 grit wet dry paper on a sanding block to take the square off the edges . I have used this for 20 years with no mishaps or complaints ,cuts straight and true each time never moves . Using the leading edge as the indexer it cuts uniform strings every time . This allows making perfect fringe or braiding strings in any length . For a cutting tool I use a 60mm round razor from Olfa costs about 30.00 dollars . Each to their own and if works for you change nothing . Sounds scary to me a metal ruler . Bluesman1951

Me too has one of them metal rulers, more than a yard long.

I have glued rubber (around 1/16 - 1/8 inch thick) on the backside and with not to much pressure the ruler stays in place when cutting, easy as apple pie :-)

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Omg Cant imagine not losing ones fingers with this technique . Not near enough shoulder to keep a sharp knife on track . 3/16 pexi glass in lengths from 14 " 24 '36" 60" 4" wide with the paper on one side . 600 grit wet dry paper on a sanding block to take the square off the edges . I have used this for 20 years with no mishaps or complaints ,cuts straight and true each time never moves . Using the leading edge as the indexer it cuts uniform strings every time . This allows making perfect fringe or braiding strings in any length . For a cutting tool I use a 60mm round razor from Olfa costs about 30.00 dollars . Each to their own and if works for you change nothing . Sounds scary to me a metal ruler . Bluesman1951

:rofl::-)

I've used it on leather for more than 10 years and still have all my fingers intact and uncratched. For straight edges I use an ordinary utillity knife (of the more better kind) and leather thicknes upp to 14oz...Works like a charm every time :banana:

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The key to everything is the sharpness of our tools . My work is primarily with deer skins and not the heavy tooling leathers . What works well for one is not necessarily going to work well with the other . When using the 60mm rotary cutter a straight edge with no shoulder is simply dangerous . With the rotary cutter you are pushing on the cutting stroke with a knife you pull on the cutting stroke . Different as night and day . Our tools should be our friends and perform for us with out hurting us . We are talking about two very different tools here as well as two different techniques interchanging them would cause serious injury . If you are pleased with the way you are doing things then you have my very best wishes for happy leather working and continued safety .If you were to use this rotary cutter one time with a sharp blade I can assure you there would be some serious respect for this tool . After seeing it ride up and over a thin straight edge you would be forever wary and respectful of this tool and using a thin straight edge or rule would never be a option .I may have jumped the gun with my opinion here ,but if you will give me the benefit of the doubt here and realise we are talking about two very different things here . Your technique with my tool would result in serious injury very shortly . Thank you for the laughter ,funny little icon things ,neat . I have spent 25 years with this tool in my hands making a living with leather solely that whole time . 100% of the work with soft skins and not tooling leather . I invite you to try your technique with some soft skins and see if it works . Respectfully bluesman 1951

:rofl::-)

I've used it on leather for more than 10 years and still have all my fingers intact and uncratched. For straight edges I use an ordinary utillity knife (of the more better kind) and leather thicknes upp to 14oz...Works like a charm every time :banana:

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Go get some repositional spray glue 3M . Spray that on your metal ruler or your patterns ; When the ruler gets dirty clean off the old glue with solvent (acetone) .

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