New Tandy Swivel Knives

[Cyberthrasher]

thanks everyone...now i understand. Its not so much the blade thats the problem as the bearings or lack thereof. I'll stick with what i have and spend any spare cash (ha!) on leather for the foreseeable.

That's a good plan, but if you're putting out production, the time spent sharpening that tandy blade can add up to lots of money. The $50 for a Barry King is well worth it. I used to have to hit the stone at least once a week with my tandy blade. I've had my BK for about 6 or 7 months now and it's never seen a stone. Just keep it stropped and it's done real well. But, I know the time's coming where I'll need to hit the stone with it.

[JJs Leatherworks]

Aaron - really liked the ice cream anecdote. I love ice cream and can relate - I thoroughly enjoy the fancy brands but can't always justify the cost, but that doesn't mean I am not going to have ice cream on a regular basis even if I am settlling for the cheaper brand. There will always be some kind in the freezer and for a treat or special occasion, will bring out the good stuff. May have to have one really good swivel knife in the tool rack, for the special jobs.

Billymac - Like you, I have accumulated several knives over the years, although I have never bought a real expensive one. I enjoy having several on the go, as it saves switching out blades, angle blade, regular blade, filigree blade, one can have the hair blade, a couple will be attached to edge guides at preset widths (always ready to border a belt or strap).

I think I will seriously look at purchasing one of the new swivel knives, not expecting to instantly carve better, but hopefully to be easier on my hands. I do hope that I can try them in the store first, test drive if you please, as my hands are medium to large and I want to compare the feel of the different sizes and see if one fits/feels better than the other.

Before I spend my money though, I am wondering if anyone has tried one of the knives sold by 'Tanglefoot Traders'. There was a video posted in one of the other 'swivel knife' threads. The idea of the blade turning without have to twist the barrel with your fingers was a neat concept, and wondering what kind of learning curve there would be to adjust to the different style. They are more expensive again and by the time shipping to Canada is added in, they would need several five star ratings to be considered.

So many choices, so many considerations, .....

JJ

[electrathon]

I have a tangleboss. It is not one I would want to use as a primary knife. There is a learning curve to it and so far I have not yet mastered it. It would be best used on small, tight cuts and fast direction changes. My newest and most favorite to use knife is a leather wranglers. It is also the most exspensivew knife I have. I would hesitate telling someone to buy it as a first knife purchase. My previous favorite knife is a Chuck Smith. Still like it, but being a tool addict always looking for better. I use a straight blade most of the time, used to use an angled blade. It felt like I grew up to the adult table when I got the hang of the straight, like taking off the training wheels.

I don't know if that hurt or helped.

[cjdevito]

While I'm only a novice at tooling, I do love my SK3 swivel knife from leather wranglers. I consider it worth every penny I paid.

[GlenH]

The issue with most of the 'standard' knives is that they use a "cup on a point" - pull one apart and you'll see what I mean- and over time, the knife can/will develop a "less than smooth" feel to it. It's not just the blade, it's the yoke as well. A good bearing supported yoke will allow the knife to turn with no added resistance or choppy feeling from the yoke. To give an example, I can hold one of my tandy knives by the blade and lightly thump the yoke....it might go ONE full revolution. I do the same thing to a bearing supported yoke (different knife obviously) and it spins for just under 10 seconds. Completely free spinning. Heck, I can blow on the yoke and it'll turn....it's so much smoother that you really do have to feel it to understand it.

The new Tandy knives have a ball bearing. I was at a store Saturday and we gave it the spin test. It spun for a whole lot longer than 10 seconds.

And I see people saying that these tools are made in China. Do we know that for a fact or is that just a guess?

[electrathon]

And I see people saying that these tools are made in China. Do we know that for a fact or is that just a guess?

I was going by the "made in China" part on them. Very little Tandy sells is not made in China. I have long considered them the Harbor Freight of the leather industry.

[JustKate]

I think what usually drives me to upgrade to a better quality tool is when I reach a point where I'm frustrated that I can't get the results I want with the tools I have. That was certainly the case with my bevelers. I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get rid of the track marks I was getting from the bevelers I got from Tandy. So I got some better ones (from Hidecrafter), and my beveling immediately became much better.

But then, after using the new ones for a couple of years... one day I picked up my old Tandy bevelers, and did some work with them, and much to my astonishment, the results were much better than I remember from the last time I had used them. Wha...?

Here's my theory. The new bevelers did indeed improve my beveling. They made it easier to do better work. But what they also did was raise my expectations of the results I get from the beveling. Over time, my skills continued to improve - though maybe not so noticeably, and by the time I tried the old bevelers again, my skills were much better, and also my expectation of the results.

So, is it your skill that improves your work, or the tools? Answer: yes.

[edit: grammar correction.]

Edited January 22, 2013 by JustKate

[billymac814]

That's a very good way of putting it especially where you said it increased your expectations of your beveling.

It pretty much is always nicer using better tools but nothing goes farther than experience and practice and if someone is new here don't think you need to spend a fortune on tools to turn out decent work, you may have to get a little crafty with modifying things though but that's no big deal.

I did order one of the new bevelers today to see what it looks like.

I think what usually drives me to upgrade to a better quality tool is when I reach a point where I'm frustrated that I can't get the results I want with the tools I have. That was certainly the case with my bevelers. I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get rid of the track marks I was getting from the bevelers I got from Tandy. So I got some better ones (from Hidecrafter), and my beveling immediately became much better.

But then, after using the new ones for a couple of years... one day I picked up my old Tandy bevelers, and did some work with them, and much to my astonishment, the results were much better than I remember from the last time I had used them. Wha...?

Here's my theory. The new bevelers did indeed improve my beveling. They made it easier to do better work. But what they also did was raise my expectations of the results I get from the beveling. Over time, my skills continued to improve - though maybe not so noticeably, and by the time I tried the old bevelers again, my skills were much better, and also my expectation of the results.

So, is it your skill that improves your work, or the tools? Answer: yes.

[edit: grammar correction.]