Dies For Head Stall And Breast Collar

[stef73433]

Can someone please educate me on dies for this? How are they made? How do they work, what other tools do you need to make them work, how much $$? I know nothing on them, but am interested

[JAM]

Dies are like shaped knife blades. I don't know how they are made, but I just had one made by Texas Die for a large knife sheath that I make in quantity for a knifemaker. It really helps for quickly cutting repeatable shapes that are perfect every time (and no cutting mistakes). Most folks use a clicker, which would be best, but I don't have a clicker so I use my 6T bottle jack press (for which I paid too much money to Weaver - you can get the same thing at Harbor Freight for a lot less). The bottle jack press is slower and smaller (although quite a lot cheaper) than a clicker - I have to press-click the piece in three presses - but it works. Essentially you need a machine that will push the die straight down through the leather onto a cutting surface that won't dull the die edge. Hammering the die through the leather doesn't work - at least not for me - the die just bounced around - but the press works really well.

The die I had made is about 12" by 6", fairly simple outline, and cost me $90. Texas Die is 817-832-3897.

Edited June 11, 2013 by JAM