How do I make the groover my friend??

[TomSwede]

It hates me!! Talking bout this one http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/product...?number=8074-00

I'm sure it hates other people too so throw in you .02cents and tips on how to make life easier with this little great but not great aid.

I have lots of problems with it skidding on top of leather or away from it. I don't think this is very strange. The round tip jumps up on top if you apply pressure wich I assume is the purpose with having a guided version. Why is the main piece rounded? I feel that this is why it skids on top. I'm thinking a square main piece with rounded corners would guide better and not be so sensitive to pressure. Perhaps this would cause to much drag instead??

When I ease of pressure it really want's to go away from the edge, especially when I hit a softspot.

I also think it is a bit hard to control the depth of the groove but I assume that will resolve with better control of the tool.

On the other hand I'm thinking perhaps the tools is supposed to be a little difficult so that beginners are scared off and that keep the folks in the know how better setup as top craftsmen/women but is that what we really want? I don't think so, the market will shrink and put us out of comission with that attitude, prolly.

This is off course not a serious saying from me but the thought struck me when I grooved a riflesling today that will not be topnotch in the grooving field of work.

One more thing, I'd like to se the possibility to make grooves even after edge beveling, That seems impossible to me with this tool(yeah, it has happened that I got carried away and rembered grooving after edgebeveling, wich is a tool with it's own characteristics too and deserves a separate thread;-)

So come on and fill this thread with useful tips and advice for all of us in the dark!

Tom

Edited September 27, 2008 by TomSwede

[Luke Hatley]

Tom in my shop i do use the buffing wheel a lot to refresh the edges of my tools that are supposed

to be sharp. i will use the dark color, then the red. "works for me"

[TomSwede]

Thanks Luke! I get your message. Maintenance and keeping your tools slick is always a good thing but I don't see how it can help with skidding probs. of the groover.

I want to break down this tool in pieces and find the missing link wich seem to be more of a mechanical issue and I want understand the behaviour of this tool wich would be a good help to maneuver it. So I can have my drivers license for it;-)

49 more and I get it perfect, definetly but since there is a freehand version and a guided version, one would expect the guided to be pretty slick from scratch and the freehand one more of a thing that just require a lot of practice. Sometimes there are no shortcuts and this may be one of those but I wanna poke around the subject a bit and see what comes up.

Tom

[Luke Hatley]

Keep on scratching. you will make only IF IT IS SHARP....

[ClayB]

Tom,

You need to try it left handed! Oh, no, that will just make you cuss. I think Luke is right, you have to make sure it's really sharp. Otherwise it wants to just skid around instead of cutting into the leather.

[CitizenKate]

Tom,

You need to try it left handed! Oh, no, that will just make you cuss. I think Luke is right, you have to make sure it's really sharp. Otherwise it wants to just skid around instead of cutting into the leather.

Oh for cryin' out loud... the reason I hate that thing is because I'm a lefty. It's made to be used right-handed. My right hand, although it can do some things as well as (or better than) my left, it struggles with pulling a groover smoothly around an edge. If only they would make a right-handed version of the blade... <sigh>

Kate

[Luke Hatley]

TOM I GOT IT FIGUERD OUT FOR YOU......"IT'S THE WIGGLIN PIN THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE WOBBLING SHAFT THAT IS NOT WORKING RIGHT"

[Timbo]

I've probably cut a mile of grooves with mine and am still on the first blade. It is easier for me if I am above and over the piece that I am grooving. Apply a lot of downward pressure and keep it tight to the edge but you also want to put pressure on the blade by twisting it to your left as you draw it towards you. (it is assumed it is in your right hand) It also helps to make sure you have a surface that the tool guide can slide on easily. I cut grooves on my rock as it is a slick surface that will not cause too much drag. Don't worry about getting depth on the first cut. Finish the first cut completely then come back and cut it deeper if needed, but be careful to follow the first cut or you can really screw it up badly. You also have to make sure you are holding the tool at the right angle to get the optimum cut from the blade.

Hope this helps............and groove all your scrap for practice.

Tim

[TwinOaks]

First off, Tom, you need to switch music! You need something that goes like this: "Groovin'.....on a Sunday afternoon...."

For all who prefer to work left handed here's what I suggest:

Get the freehand stitch groover, and insert into the craftool border tool. Or just learn to be ambidextrous.

Oh, and Tom, keep the tools sharp. I'm using the groover/original blade that I aquired from my dad. He bought them better than 35 years ago. Hmmmm, that says that either it's good tools, or I don't do enough stitching grooves......

[TomSwede]

Tom,

You need to try it left handed! Oh, no, that will just make you cuss. I think Luke is right, you have to make sure it's really sharp. Otherwise it wants to just skid around instead of cutting into the leather.

Thanks Clay! Other than buffing wheel, can it be stropped with a piece of thread with jewelers rouge on it?

TOM I GOT IT FIGUERD OUT FOR YOU......"IT'S THE WIGGLIN PIN THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE WOBBLING SHAFT THAT IS NOT WORKING RIGHT"

IT's the wigglin pig attached to the handle....

I've probably cut a mile of grooves with mine and am still on the first blade. It is easier for me if I am above and over the piece that I am grooving. Apply a lot of downward pressure and keep it tight to the edge but you also want to put pressure on the blade by twisting it to your left as you draw it towards you. (it is assumed it is in your right hand) It also helps to make sure you have a surface that the tool guide can slide on easily. I cut grooves on my rock as it is a slick surface that will not cause too much drag. Don't worry about getting depth on the first cut. Finish the first cut completely then come back and cut it deeper if needed, but be careful to follow the first cut or you can really screw it up badly. You also have to make sure you are holding the tool at the right angle to get the optimum cut from the blade.

Hope this helps............and groove all your scrap for practice.

Tim

Thanks Tim! Good point on body position, I've been sitting down and alltough I know it can be better to stand up and over some types of work it hasn't struck me to try that with the groover and I use the groover on my marble table top. Standing I think may help me to keep it at right angle too.

Gonna go use up some scrap right away with the good suggestions you've made!

First off, Tom, you need to switch music! You need something that goes like this: "Groovin'.....on a Sunday afternoon...."

For all who prefer to work left handed here's what I suggest:

Get the freehand stitch groover, and insert into the craftool border tool. Or just learn to be ambidextrous.

Oh, and Tom, keep the tools sharp. I'm using the groover/original blade that I aquired from my dad. He bought them better than 35 years ago. Hmmmm, that says that either it's good tools, or I don't do enough stitching grooves......

Oh, the music! Too much heavy metal in my shop you mean;-) but I do know a band that used alot of boggie woggie mixed with metal music and very groovy so I must definetly see if I can find those albums on cd somewhere;-)

Another question on topic, what is prefferred when grooving, dry or cased leather?

So far I had better results with it cased but it does cause more drag I think.

Tom, feeling groovy now

Edited September 27, 2008 by TomSwede