Skiving Knife plus

[Denise]

We had a visitor last week who showed us a very unique knife made by Joe Breti of Coal Creek Custom Knives in Farmington, BC. It was made primarily as a skiving knife though it has many uses. It has a completely flat bottom and an offset handle. It and the others we saw were beautifully made and extremely sharp. Joe does custom work and enjoys experimenting with design. This one has been tried out by a few saddle makers who have been very pleased with how it works. Just thought we would show it off to you.

[Bob]

Thats an interesting design alright. Looks like it would well for skiving, for sure.

[gtwister09]

WOW! It is certainly a unique design. Denise...are you guys testing one out? If so give us the low-down on it.

Regards,

Ben

[Denise]

Joe Breti also does some leather work - mainly historic British cavalry saddles actually - so he knows what it is to use a knife like this. John, the guy who showed it to us, is a saddle maker who just loves it. They have given a few to other saddle makers just to get a response and they all have liked it. One wanted a larger handle just for the way it felt in his hand, and Joe could easily do that. It is made of a very good steel that John said held an edge better than all his other round knives. But no, we actually don't have a use for one in our business (though Rod would really like to build another saddle some day).

[JAM]

So, as a confirmed tool-a-holic, where/how can I get this?

[Denise]

I managed to contact Joe tonight and have his permission to post his contact information:

Joe Breti

Coal Creek Custom Knives

Box 4

Farmington, B.C.

Canada

V0C 1N0

1-250-843-7361

He has also come up with some other unique tools for a saddle maker. JAM, if you get one can you give us a full report?

[WVTriker]

Very cool design and a beautiful tool to boot!

[JAM]

He has also come up with some other unique tools for a saddle maker. JAM, if you get one can you give us a full report?

Yes, I will post a full report as soon as I get one and give it a whirl.

[JAM]

Okay, it's been a while since I posted that I'd get this tool and report on it. Well, I ordered it back in October, and it arrived last week (end of February) - good things are worth waiting for. It is SWEET! I like it a lot - much more practical than a regular round knife for skiving anything because it is lapped flat on the bottom and the handle is raised - see pictures. Denise posted Joe Breti's contact info earlier in the forum. Joe is an amazing knifemaker and toolmaker and inventor.

It's a pricey tool ($240 Canadian), but it is unique and rare, and as a confirmed toolaholic I gotta say it's worth it.

[esantoro]

Okay, it's been a while since I posted that I'd get this tool and report on it. Well, I ordered it back in October, and it arrived last week (end of February) - good things are worth waiting for. It is SWEET! I like it a lot - much more practical than a regular round knife for skiving anything because it is lapped flat on the bottom and the handle is raised - see pictures. Denise posted Joe Breti's contact info earlier in the forum. Joe is an amazing knifemaker and toolmaker and inventor.

It's a pricey tool ($240 Canadian), but it is unique and rare, and as a confirmed toolaholic I gotta say it's worth it.

That is pricey, but it seems to be very well designed for skiving. Currently I'm using English and French paring knives to do my skiving but would like to get a round knife.

ed

[JAM]

That is pricey, but it seems to be very well designed for skiving. Currently I'm using English and French paring knives to do my skiving but would like to get a round knife.

ed

$240 Canadian was $187 US when I paid for it - that certainly made it more affordable. It would be $195 US at this morning's exchange rate - I guess it's a gamble because you don't know what the rate will be when he finishes the knife and sends the bill.

Julia

[Go2Tex]

$240 Canadian was $187 US when I paid for it - that certainly made it more affordable. It would be $195 US at this morning's exchange rate - I guess it's a gamble because you don't know what the rate will be when he finishes the knife and sends the bill.

Julia

You could always gamble on the futures market and pay up front or an agreed upon rate in advance.

[JAM]

You could always gamble on the futures market and pay up front or an agreed upon rate in advance.

Could. Maybe the best way to do that is go buy a draft for $240 CD and hold it until he finishes the knife - that would be the gamble, wouldn't it?

[esantoro]

$32 for an Osborne #70 or #71 or $195 for a very a unique custom knife. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

[JAM]

$32 for an Osborne #70 or #71 or $195 for a very a unique custom knife. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Apples to oranges - this is a different tool. The Osbornes are standard round knives - yeah, they work - round knives are what I used to use for large-area skives until I found this one. The flat back and raised handle make it more useful for very controlled skiving (and not at all usable for standard cutting).

Do you need one? No. It's a specialized tool that leatherworkers have gotten by without forever because it was only recently "invented" - but I have a lot of specialized tools (like a long-necked cantle-binding trimmer and a turnback edger for tight inner corners) that are fairly new inventions, well-made, expensive, that I don't really need, but make the jobs for which they were designed easier, with better results. Being a toolaholic I don't mind the high price - collecting cool tools is a hobby in its own right and as a hobby it doesn't have to pay for itself.

And - I've got an Osborne #70, and two Jeff Cooks (~$200 each), and Bill Buchman ($200), and a Weaver and a couple of antiques. I use them all - go from one to another as they dull - and they expensive ones are worth it - they sharpen up better and stay sharp longer than the $45 Osborne.

I probably sound irritated here, but I'm not - I'm just defending my way-too-expensive hobby.

Julia

[esantoro]

Apologies for my unintended levity. I was just trying to justify my inability to afford what would be very nice to have.

Aside: I'm actually growing quite fond of these $14.95 English paring knives from Talas, which recently moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/pro...ProductID=18112

ed

Apples to oranges - this is a different tool. The Osbornes are standard round knives - yeah, they work - round knives are what I used to use for large-area skives until I found this one. The flat back and raised handle make it more useful for very controlled skiving (and not at all usable for standard cutting).

Do you need one? No. It's a specialized tool that leatherworkers have gotten by without forever because it was only recently "invented" - but I have a lot of specialized tools (like a long-necked cantle-binding trimmer and a turnback edger for tight inner corners) that are fairly new inventions, well-made, expensive, that I don't really need, but make the jobs for which they were designed easier, with better results. Being a toolaholic I don't mind the high price - collecting cool tools is a hobby in its own right and as a hobby it doesn't have to pay for itself.

And - I've got an Osborne #70, and two Jeff Cooks (~$200 each), and Bill Buchman ($200), and a Weaver and a couple of antiques. I use them all - go from one to another as they dull - and they expensive ones are worth it - they sharpen up better and stay sharp longer than the $45 Osborne.

I probably sound irritated here, but I'm not - I'm just defending my way-too-expensive hobby.

Julia

[JAM]

Apologies for my unintended levity. I was just trying to justify my inability to afford what would be very nice to have.

Aside: I'm actually growing quite fond of these $14.95 English paring knives from Talas, which recently moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/pro...ProductID=18112

ed

Well, Ed, now you've done it. I thought I was done buying tools for awhile - but I have been looking for these very knives for some time! Thank you for finding them at a reasonable price!

Edited April 11, 2009 by JAM

[DG Leather]

Denise,

where are you located?

I am actually close to Farmington.....I go there often...it was a shock to hear someone in my area has connection to this board

Daniel

[Denise]

I'm actually at Valleyview, Alberta. Joe and his friend John Miller came by our place a couple years ago and John came back with this knife to show us las year.

[Tannin]

Lovely looking tool. Perhaps they could persuade somebody (Joseph Dixons, Barnsley or C.S. Osbourne perhaps) to manufacture them? I could have done with just that tool last night, as my round knife was forced to too steep of an angle (over my other hand, which was holding the leather down) when finishing skiving the welt for a small sheath (for my English paring knife). So I finished up with the smallest, red handled Mora sloyd knife (2/0) - which has proven handy for skiving small areas, I usually use the curved tip.

http://www.moonrakerknives.co.uk/morawoodcarving.html (Unusually small - like a medium sized pen-knife).

[rawcustom]

Really wishing I hadn't seen this thread. I told myself that my leather knife collection was complete. I will have to study that design and come up with my own variant. I like the idea of the raised handle. Maybe make mine in a pull configuration.