Draw Gauge Vs Plough Gauge

[avimeso]

bought some US leather skirting leather a while back was very heavy 10mm. my strap cutter wouldnt touch it. friends dixon plough gauge did it easy. was wondering if a osbourne draw gauge would handle. was cutting 5/8 straps.

Also will a draw gauge cut 5/8 straps out of heavy herman oak? I know most people use ploughs here, but wasnt sure if it was just preference. ie going forward or drawing.

thanks!

[Jax]

Try changing the blade in your strap cutter, mine will cut 3.5 - 4 mm butt no problem, I have & use both a strap cutter & plough gauge, the strap cutter will cut narrower than a plough but I like using both.

[gringobill]

I have used draw gauges for many years and never saw a plough gauge until four or five years ago on this forum.

I've been in and hung around a lot of saddle shops and all I ever saw used for strap cutting was draw gauges . The "gold standard," was the old Osborne with the brass and rosewood bodies/handles and the old hands made using them look easy.

I now have two plough gauges and find they work much better for me on heavy leather, like the Herman oak you mentioned.

A good, sharp draw gauge will work but for me it is more difficult to keep a perfectly straight edge with very heavy leather.

Also with a draw gauge if you are cutting strips off a full side I find that I need a very large table that will support the whole side and have the edge to be cut hanging off the edge.

Being right handed what works for me with a draw gauge is holding/pulling with my left hand and holding the draw gauge in my right hand and walking backward as I cut. It also helps to clamp the end where you start to the table or bench.

With the plough gauge I also use the large table but hold the strap being cut in my left and and push the tool with my right hand walking forward.

The plough gauge just seems to be easier to push and keep everything lined up.

Before I got the plough gauges I had better luck on really thick sides, scribing a straight line and cutting it freehand with one of my round knifes, pushing forward like with the plough gauge.

With both draw gauges and plough gauges, getting good results is an acquired skill and it takes some figuring out and practice to get good with one.

Like with all of the cutting tools we use for this craft,THE SHARPER THE BETTER!!!! I use standard blades in the draw gauges, sharpen them myself and take it out and strop it before and during use if necessary.For those just learning, you will be amazed how much easier your life will be if your tools extremely sharp and well stropped.

Another advantage of a plough gauge is that the blade has a handle, similar to a round knife and it is easier to sharpen and strop than the smaller shorter draw gauge blades.

Thats my $.02 worth on that!

Wild Bill

[avimeso]

this skirting leather was 6-10mm in thickness. the strap cutter blade just broke everytime or the strap wasnt straight.

However i used the strap cutter on 4mm bridle leather the other day and it worked great.

So im guessing for cutting your heavy duty herman oak cutting style reins a plough gauge is the best.

[Goldshot Ron]

Your strap cutter may not be the problem. Herman Oak has a problem with rawhide in the butt area. Recently, I had the same problem as you. While cutting my stirrup leathers along the back my draw gauge blade could not even make a dent in the leather. It was like pulling it through a 2x4 board. After a little cussing and questioning my tools, I realized it was the side of leather that I started on. Since then I've talked with an experienced saddle maker who has had the same experience with Herman Oak.

Ron

[Knipper]

If your draw gauge is adjusted properly, the only other factor in cutting heavy leather is the quality and sharpness of the blade in the gauge. The commercial ones I've seen do not seem to have very good steel and even after sharpening, give up their edge quickly. You then fight to pull the blade through the leather. I make blades for draw gauges and would be happy to provide you with one that will cut through the heaviest Hermann Oak leather.