Osborne No. 86 Splitter

[JeffGC]

I have recently acquired an old No. 86 Splitter and have a few on setup and usage. What is correct position of the roller to the cutting tip? Should it be over the 12:00 o'clock position? I will primarily be splitting rather narrow veg tanned leathers for belts, skiving down from 8-10 or 10-12 to 4-5 oz. can I do this in one pass through the splitter?

Thanks.

Jeff C

[bruce johnson]

Jeff,

I am attaching a PDF of an instructional I wrote up for customers who buy a #86. It is not all inclusive, but answers several common questions I was getting.

Osborne #86 splitter instructions.pdf

[JeffGC]

Bruce-Thank you.

Jeff C.

[JeffGC]

Bruce - I need a bit more help with my Osborne No. 86. Is the flat side of the blade supposed to be perfectly flat? I started to sharpen it, with the assumption that is was flat but it certainly does not seem to be. It seems to have a slight bow in it, with the center being high. Also, I might even detect a slight bevel.

Should I grind/stone the flat side until it is perfectly flat? Your guidance will be appreciated.

Jeff C.

[bruce johnson]

Jeff,

You can check on a perfectly flat surface ot at least as flat as you can find to check. If so you may need to take a bit off the bottom at the ends or have it taken off by a machinist. My blades do have a very slight bevel on the bottom. When I do my final stropping to take the finest foil/wire edge off, I use green compound on a firm wheel. I do tip it some to clean that edge off. I found when I did the top side and left the bottom perfectly flat on the wheel I was straightening the foil edge but necessarily removing all of it. By tipping it up a bit on the bottom side I get it cleanly removed. The slight bottom bevel is from the final stropping only and not a stome or hard abrasive.

[Rawhide]

Bruce, have you written anything on the chase style splitters? I haven't had any problems, but i think it would be nice to have some semi formal instructions of how to operate and maintain one.

Thanks,

Marlon

[bruce johnson]

Marlon,

Not finalized as of yet, but I am working on it. If life stops happening here or at least slows, I am going to have some videos on using and adjusting splitters. I also will have ones on comparing diffferent styles of draw gauges and plough gauges and using them, relatively obscure super handy tools like freehand stitch groovers and rein rounders, different edge beveler styles, different stitch groover comparisons and more.

[JeffGC]

Bruce - Thanks for your assistance.

Jeff C.