Skiving Failure

[edd]

Skiving and paring leather is about 20% technique and 80% having a VERY sharp knife. Search for 'Jeff Peachey'. He's a bookbinder with a lot of very helpful information on paring leather and sharpening tools.

I use a strop with blue Dialux cutting compound to keep a really nice edge on my knife.

[JoeSnuffie]

I have great results with the tandy safety skiver but I have to strop the blade a lot. I also flip the blade over and hit the other side when I strop. Different leathers skive differently and you'll learn what to do. Softer leathers are a pain in the butt but a sharp blade eventually gets it done. For some really soft leathers, like my 2.5oz calf skin, I will make many light passes, just taking a little off at a time. This stops the binding and stretching that I get if I put enough pressure to get a deeper cut. Experience is an important part that comes with time but what you can do right away is make sure the blade is sharp and, at least with the safety skiver, make sure you strop both side - after all it only takes a couple seconds to remove the blade and flip it over. I only replace the blades when they get nicked or worn to the point they won't sharpen.

[Palermo]

I found that with the osborne skiver on a glass surface works best

[Nuttish]

+1 Jeff Peachey. Nobody's paring as finely with such fragile materials as bookbinders.

Here's him discussing English paring knives and old woodworking planes. http://jeffpeachey.com/tag/leather-paring/. I believe he also discusses French paring knives elsewhere.

I use a Vergez-Blanchard No. 2 French paring knife http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/fiche_produit.cfm?ref=3_1001_3&type=31&code_lg=lg_fr&num=2, a 1000/8000 grit combination waterstone, and a strop. I can get a gossamer skive in just a few passes. The trick for this knife is keeping it extremely sharp to the point that you may find yourself stopping to strop or even dress the edge every few minutes if you're doing a lot of work. You must use the flat side up for paring because you can control your depth of cut exquisitely. You may then use the beveled side up to clean up by gingerly scraping. When used properly, this knife wants to work perfectly without you having to do much work or thinking at all. It's actually difficult to dig out or tear your piece because of the geometry of the blade once you begin your cut.

Regardless of the tool you use. You must always make sure that there is absolutely nothing at all, no tiny flake of flesh, no scrap, no bump in your working surface, under your knife or you will tear out thin edges.

Hefty makes very convenient plastic containers called "Cinch Saks" for you to store your Tandy safety skiver in.

[ReneeCanady]

A block plane will work if you learn how to sharpen it properly.

I have only used it on belts but it works very well.

I bought this today because someone else was recently talking about them working well. The cuteness helped the sale a lot LOL It's 3"x1"

[Red Cent]

Placing the edge to be skived even with the edge of the block towards you will help. I can get a quick feather edge by pulling through to me and over the edge. Safety skiver.

[Neillo]

The block planes are a great idea if you can keep them nice and sharp, very inventive of you guys!

I normally use a 19mm Pfeil Violin knife, it was lying around my workshop not being used and i'm glad i picked it up instead of buying an english paring knife.

Saved me a lot of money and it slices even fuzzy grain leather very nicely! Here's a pic:

[Palermo]

The bookbinders mainly use a bench top parring machine

[BDAZ]

FYI for the US guys..Harbor Freight has their belt / disk sander on sale for $59, less than half of what I paid for my last swivel knife..

Cya!

Bob

[Tree Reaper]

Renee;

They work very well for items like belts.

I clamp one end of the belt to a board and shave the far end.

If you have trouble and aren't getting good results let me know and I'll help you with it.

Kevin.