Using A Band Saw To Cut Leather

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

You can check with any industrial supply house like MSC, J&L, ENCO,etc for band saw blades like you want. You can get straight knife, or wavy edge. For metal I always prefer bi-metal blades. Those have a softer back, and a harder edge welded on. For leather a good all carbon steel blade should suffice. A knife edge will make less dust due to the slicing action, as opposed to the stock removal the toothed blades create.

Edited August 7, 2012 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[whiteeugene]

Band saw work setup

I can cut 3 or 4 like items out at once using the freezer and band saw.

Here I’m going to cut to cut out 3 bronc halters, all I do is cut 3 strips of leather just a little wider and longer than I need using a utility knife strait cuts don’t bather my wrist to bad. Wet them real good and stack them one on top of the other. I use a template on the top one to trace my design. Put them in a bag and place them on the freezer rack with something heavy to keep them flat a couple of roasts or chicken will work.

For the spur straps I cut two pieces of leather just a little bit larger than the outside strap, using a template I trace the outside strap pattern on one. I trace the inside strap pattern on any free space I usually make a few extra not wanting to waste material. I wet both pieces and place the flesh sides together that will give you the right and left sides. Put them in a bag and place them on the freezer rack with something heavy to keep them flat.

For multiple layered items I leave them in the freezer for an hour, single items a half an hour seems to work ok they don’t need to be rock hard just stiff if you are doing multiple layered items you can test them to see if they are ready by trying to pry them apart if they are frozen together good then they are ready if not leave them in a little longer.

I use a 1/8 inch scroll blade in my band saw and it seems to work well, the nice thing with it being frozen is it keeps the dust down.

[Iron Pounder]

Would just using a scroll saw work better? One of the boys has been wanting a scroll saw for awhile and maybe this would help justify picking one up.

[Ferg]

Blade on scroll saw has an up and down motion. It would lift your leather off the table unless it was held down plus you would get a rough edge on up stroke.

ferg

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Would just using a scroll saw work better? One of the boys has been wanting a scroll saw for awhile and maybe this would help justify picking one up.

[Iron Pounder]

Blade on scroll saw has an up and down motion. It would lift your leather off the table unless it was held down plus you would get a rough edge on up stroke.

ferg

Ha yep I didn't think that through.