Round Knife Vs Box Cutter?

[schwebel]

I am a relative noob to leatherworking. Maybe about 4 months expirience. I have been using a box cutter for making my holsters. It works, but the blades don't stay sharp for long and the cuts seem like they leave something to be desired. I have been wondering about a round knife. Are they worth the investment, or will they return the same results as a box knife? Also what size(s) are the best to use for holsters. Can I use one or do I need a couple different sized blades?

Edited December 1, 2012 by schwebel

[Shooter McGavin]

I gave up on round knives because the ability to sharpen them correctly eludes me. I still use an exacto knife to cut leather. I keep a sharpening stone nearby and give the blade a couple of swipes every few patterns.

[Chief31794]

I use both, I don't see any difference in the cuts. I use a very good quality knife and buy blades (serrated) in the 50 packs. One trick I learned over the years, when I turn the blade around I use a sharpie and mark an X on the used end, that way (with my memory) I don't have to try to remember whether I've already turned it or not. One other thing I do when I cut regardless of which knife I use is I dampen the leather with a sponge and let dry slightly (not wet, just damp). That makes the cuts seem to go smoother and yields a cleaner edge. Last trick is if you use a razor knife and you have curves to cut, I normally cut the curved lines with a swivel knife to provide a nice flowing "groove" to follow with the razor knife. Just me, but that's the way I do it. Round knife works well however, it does require maintenance.

Chief

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Simply put, I use my round knife so much, and so often, that after all these years, I still haven't made a holder for it! I just set it on my bench, cause I know that I will be picking it up in just another minute to use again. Once you have mastered it, the round knife becomes the most used tool you have. If you plan to do a lot of work with leather, by all means the round knife is a good investment.

If you are having troule sharpening it, get the Stohlman book on leatherworking tools and their use.

Bob

[JLSleather]

I always have a "box cutter" (utility knife) around. Great for long straight cuts - and no sharpening. It's worth 25 cents for a blade to NOT have to sharpen it. As Chief said, they aint great for curves. For that (just cutting out leather) I use x-acto blades (stil no sharpening).

With a round knife, you can cut, skive, bevel, stuff you wouldn't want to do with a utility knife. That said, I should say that I wouldn't want to do with a utitily knife, the next guy might be fine with it (I once saw a young boy with some line wrapped around a Pepsi can catching more fish than some fellas with all the latest tackle).

[robertmeco]

I always have a "box cutter" (utility knife) around. Great for long straight cuts - and no sharpening. It's worth 25 cents for a blade to NOT have to sharpen it. As Chief said, they aint great for curves. For that (just cutting out leather) I use x-acto blades (stil no sharpening).

With a round knife, you can cut, skive, bevel, stuff you wouldn't want to do with a utility knife. That said, I should say that I wouldn't want to do with a utitily knife, the next guy might be fine with it (I once saw a young boy with some line wrapped around a Pepsi can catching more fish than some fellas with all the latest tackle).

I always have a "box cutter" (utility knife) around. Great for long straight cuts - and no sharpening. It's worth 25 cents for a blade to NOT have to sharpen it. As Chief said, they aint great for curves. For that (just cutting out leather) I use x-acto blades (stil no sharpening).

With a round knife, you can cut, skive, bevel, stuff you wouldn't want to do with a utility knife. That said, I should say that I wouldn't want to do with a utitily knife, the next guy might be fine with it (I once saw a young boy with some line wrapped around a Pepsi can catching more fish than some fellas with all the latest tackle).

Here is a linc for round knives and sharpening them that might help you

http://www.leatherwranglers.com/index.html

[JLSleather]

Thanks for the link

Actually, I wasn't suggesting NOT using a round knife. Much more versatille than the disposable blades. I just meant that if all I need is a straight edge on a hide, or cut some simple shapes, then I use the disposable ones to avoid the wear (and additional sharpening) on the round knife.

[TwinOaks]

I've found that I'm better with an 'click' knife for detail work, but for long cuts, or cuts on thick leather the round knife wins out. Sharpening properly IS the key, as is stropping. I have a hard time using the round knife for long cuts while seated. I also use it for long bevels/skives. And while it's not as much as Bob, I keep finding myself reaching for it ...first.

[SooperJake]

I hone all blades, including utility and exacto blades. Many folks don't sharpen for enough..meaning they never get the two planes of a cutting edge to meet. Magnification of the edge at various stages of sharpening is a great way to explain what is going on during the sharpening process. One of those lit magnifiers may be worth getting. A USB digital microsope

is a really cool teaching aid.

Ideally when you initially sharpen a cutting tool, a wire burr will form. This looks like a little flap of tin foil stuck to the edge and can be moved . When you get to this point you have "sharpened" the metal down to a very thin place along the edge, and it is critical that this foil or wire edge be stropped away, not broken off. Hand stropping takes time ( I use power on some things), and the closer you get to completion, the more apt the wire edge is to break. Once you get to the "magic point" where the two planes of the cutting edge meet, and the wire burr has been worn away by the stropping compound, you are getting a tool that is truly sharp.

A cutting edge is really a kind of saw. The quality of the steel (grain structure) will determine how small you can make the "teeth" at the edge. If you could make an edge achieve a thickness of one molecule, why you'd have a really sharp tool. Edge holding ability comes from hardness and bevel angle. You sharpen the angle based on the use. Typically, a scalpel has a lower included cutting angle than an chisel. Microbeveling is a technique that tricks the tool into a higher degree of sharpenness with more resistence to folding under pressure. Mallet struck woodworking chisels can benefit from microbeveling, where the cutting edge may be 15° included, and the rest of the tool beveled at 20° or more. It's also a fast way to get a lower angle as you have less metal to remove at the edge.

I'm new to use of the round knife, but for some cuts, like an exterior radius on a hide that is particularly firm of hand, I find it indispensable, as I rock around to make the cut. I like a honed utility blade for long straight cuts.

Clean cut leather shines, literally.

[IngleGunLeather]

I use several knives. Primarily I use the utility knife for rough cuts(cutting outside the line) and then I use my round knife for detailed cuts (on the line). I've also got the curved and straight trim knives that serve their own purpose as well. The curved trim knife for the sharp curves. The straight trim knife is great for skiving and cutting narrow long strips such as bullet loops or belt keepers. Regardless of which knife I use I never try to cut all the way through the leather on the first pass and I always strop with green rouge during use. The more projects you do you'll find yourself needing a specialty tool for.

Edited December 1, 2012 by CountryTrash