Strap Cutter Modifications

[Tree Reaper]

If you are tired of those dull strap cutter blades I have come up with a way of sharpening those tiny blades.

A mini spring clamp holds the blade and the felt wheel on a dremel will make them razor sharp again so they can be used again and again instead of being tossed out after cutting a couple of straps.

Change those pesky little slot head screws out for 6/32 by 1 inch long hex head screws and use a 7/64 wrench to work the screws.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Tree Reaper

[rlpullman]

Great idea. I always hate throwing out blades.

[Tree Reaper]

If you put a soldering iron on each end of the blade while it rest on the plastic jaws and then alternate from side to side the blade will melt into the jaw and it will stay in place when you sharpen it.

[Rayban]

I just picked up this draw gauge and I like it much better than those woodies.....all metal, just feels much better in the hand and works great. Down side, sooner or later I'm bound to rake my finger or hand across the blade that sticks up like it does.

I'll always use the ole woodie for small straps like for belt keepers that I cut every day.

[Tree Reaper]

You can dull the top of that blade and put a heat shrink over it.

[Rayban]

You can dull the top of that blade and put a heat shrink over it.

Good idea, i better do that before i wish I had.

[Eaglestroker]

If you are tired of those dull strap cutter blades I have come up with a way of sharpening those tiny blades.

A mini spring clamp holds the blade and the felt wheel on a dremel will make them razor sharp again so they can be used again and again instead of being tossed out after cutting a couple of straps.

Change those pesky little slot head screws out for 6/32 by 1 inch long hex head screws and use a 7/64 wrench to work the screws.

I really like the hex head screw addition, adding that to my hardware store list now!

I just picked up this draw gauge and I like it much better than those woodies.....all metal, just feels much better in the hand and works great. Down side, sooner or later I'm bound to rake my finger or hand across the blade that sticks up like it does.

I'll always use the ole woodie for small straps like for belt keepers that I cut every day.

I have a fairly old osborne of that design, and can't work it worth a durn. Haven't tried in about a year and a half so maybe I should revisit the subject. Sure feels more solid in the hand!

[Tree Reaper]

If anyone is shopping for those screws, the proper name for them is Cap Screw.

[Colt W Knight]

I just picked up this draw gauge and I like it much better than those woodies.....all metal, just feels much better in the hand and works great. Down side, sooner or later I'm bound to rake my finger or hand across the blade that sticks up like it does.

I'll always use the ole woodie for small straps like for belt keepers that I cut every day.

Ive got one of these that will take a utility knife blade. When it gets dull, I move the blade, and when its dull, I put a new one in.

[WScott]

good mods, thanks for sharing

[Tree Reaper]

You're welcome!

I spent a month thinking on and off about how I was going to hold that blade, tried pliers but the blade either went flying or it broke under the jaws.

I first thought of a clothes pin but they didn't open wide enough and then I remembered those little spring clamps I wasn't using that came in a bag with the larger clamps I needed.

Then the idea struck me to heat the blade and let it sink into the plastic jaws and now I have a dedicated clamp.

It takes all of about five seconds to sharpen both sides.

When I put the leather up against the blade and it won't advance by just pushing on the leather I know it's time to sharpen it.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Tree Reaper

[bruce johnson]

Great idea! thanks a lot. Much safer than anything I have tried or thought about.

[glockanator]

I just picked up this draw gauge and I like it much better than those woodies.....all metal, just feels much better in the hand and works great. Down side, sooner or

later I'm bound to rake my finger or hand across the blade that sticks up like it does.

I'll always use the ole woodie for small straps like for belt keepers that I cut every day.

I was given one of these from the upholstery guy at work. I can not get it to cut a good strap. The leather tends to ride up on the "fence" portion of the cutter. Not sure if it is something I am doing wrong or something else.

Edited January 18, 2014 by glockanator

[TXAG]

Sounds like it needs to be sharpened...

[bruce johnson]

I definitely agree with TXAG, it sounds like a sharpening problem first. The blade needs to be sharp enough that it easily pulls into the leather. The blades never come sharp enough. I am attaching a couple pictures of how I grip one also. I point my index finger down the right side of the handle. My middle finger is on the trigger. My thumb lays over the leather to keep it down. This is how I was retaught and works well for me. The biggest lesson I learned for cutting consistant straps was to stop looking at the blade when I am cutting. Just watch the leather staying up next to the guide. If the leather is staying there, the blade is taking care of itself. Good tip for a plough gauge, ripping boards with a table saw, etc. The natural tendency is to watch the blade cutting because that is where all the action is. The leather wanders away from the guide and things go out the door from there.

Also I set my draw gauges up so the blade tips toward me as much as the slot will allow. That slicing action helps to hold the leather down on the bar. If the blade is tipped away a bit, the leather tends to ride up the edge.

[Rayban]

Good tips Bruce, thanks.

[Pablo27]

Great tips Bruce, thanks so much for sharing the pictures they help a lot. Any tips for those of us that just have the standard Osborne blades that don't have the handle on them?

[bruce johnson]

I mostly use the standard Osborne blades, the test monkey in the picture happened to have my last Buchman blade. For the OSbornes I take the shoulders down on the bevel and then sharpen out to a foil edge and strop that off. I spend about 2/3 of the time on the part of the blade that faces the handle and 1/3 on the outside. That very empirical and imprecise method gives me the bevel I like for the blade to draw the leather in without binding.

[glockanator]

So I took Bruce advice and changed how I was holding the cutter as well as started using box cutter blades instead of the tandy blade. I also started talking my time when doing this and have not had any more problems.