How To Skive Consistently With Super Skiver?

[pgivens]

I am having a lot of trouble with skiving with the Super Skiver. Any recommendations for a beginner on how to keep the depth consistent? I am constantly cutting too deep and ruining my edges :\ Thanks in advance!

[Logans Leather]

Never really liked the super skiver. Pretty safe advice is to practice a lot, and I mean A LOT. also, keep your blades very sharp. strop them often, or you will be spending a fortune on them using them in a disposable fasion. You may have more luck with a safety skiver. I prefered them when I was starting out.

Best plan is to get good skiving knives, learn how to sharpen them and keep them sharp, and use how to use the and practice a lot. Several of the Stohlan books give excellent tutorials on skiving. This book is indespensible: Leathercraft Tools, How To Use Them, How To Sharpen Them, by Al Stohman

http://springfieldleather.com/26963/Book%2CLeathercraft-Tools/

or

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/books-patterns/61960-00.aspx

[footrat]

I use the Super Skiver, and a sharp blade is critical. Cleaning bits of leather out from between the blade and knife is important, too, otherwise you end up changing the blade angle against the leather, and it digs in harder than normal. For me, it's a two-handed motion, with my left hand (I'm left handed) pulling the handle, and the right hand holding down the piece and pushing on the head of the skiver. In this manner, I get more control, and can lift up out of the skiving where I want. I use saddle skirting, so have to skive almost everything at some point, mostly to make folds, or to make a piece of leather thinner in one spot so the layers don't add up so much.

[Invasion]

I have the super skiver. I am also new to all of this. I spent yesterday practicing on a 20x20 cm of veg tan and I am now a dab hand at it

I think it is just practice and developing your own technique. I can't put into words really how I do it. A key point is watch the cutting edge and adjust by tilting back and forth as you go if that makes sense ?

I got my 3mm veg tan down to 1.5ish and even and I am super fussy/critical

Hope this helps

[RiverCity]

Just a side note to replacing the blades. Use a pair of needle nose pliers, it will help set the blade in tight and keep you from cutting your fingers to ribbons.

Chuck

[lightingale]

I also struggle with this tool. I've ruined a lot of good strips because I accidentally skived to a feather edge. I've found that it's easier to skive wet leather. The best time is just after soaking it for casing, before you put it in the fridge to case overnight.

Not all the replacement blades come sharp. I struggled with a dull one for months, thinking that this was normal as it had always been that hard to use. There was a huge improvement when I replaced the blade again.

I've been eyeing some of the skiving knives on goodsjapan. Sounds like there's a bit of a learning curve there, but you'll get better and more consistent results with less frustration.

[Ferg]

I have two of the Super Skivers, would gladly give them away for a very good price.

Round knife works well especially the smaller ones. I have a straight blade skiving knife, it does a marginal job as well as several sizes of round knives. I have a one inch French Edger I use when not using my Skiving Machine.

ferg

[pgivens]

Thanks for the replies. For those who are skilled with the super skiver, do you focus more on keeping the left to right angle or on the height of the handle as you pull back? How often do you change blades? How do I know when it's time? Does everyone agree that skiving when wet is best?

[lightningad]

Round knife works well especially the smaller ones.

ferg

mind me asking, Ferg...how do you skive with a round knife? I tried with mine but it just seemed clumsy and highly dangerous for skiving!

adam

[Dangerous Beans]

mind me asking, Ferg...how do you skive with a round knife? I tried with mine but it just seemed clumsy and highly dangerous for skiving!

adam

Adam,

Have a nose at this, 3:24 in you see me skive the edge of the lid with a 6 inch round knife.

Nige