Leather Splitter?

[paprhangr]

Tandy has their Deluxe Leather splitter 6" blade on sale now for $250 normally $500

Anyone have one of these? looks like it would be handy for skiving buckle ends, etc

[TomG]

I just bought the old model and it's good, but the blade needs to be sharpened or at least stropped.

I also have the "High Tech" splitter and the new one does require a different method of splitting the leather. Still experimenting with the best way to use it.

But, I did do a tapered skive on some Latigo yesterday and my first ttemptswere pretty impressive.. At least or me.

[bloggs]

I've been trying to find some videos of the Tandy Deluxe model and haven't been having much luck. I have a couple questions as well if anyone has experience on one of these.

I would like to be able to split leather down to around the 2oz range for use in wallets. Typically the largest pieces would be maybe 4" wide and 8" long. I have a lot of 4-6 oz leather that I would like to split down to 2 oz or so. Does anyone know if the tandy machine is capable of making that sort of cut reasonably well, or do I need to be looking at something a little higher end?

Also, how sturdy is the tandy model? I found some videos of the weaver heritage which seems to be at least vaguely similar in design and it seems to be a very solid tool.

[paprhangr]

I have like questions, today is last day of sale.

[sfmiaw]

I've been trying to find some videos of the Tandy Deluxe model and haven't been having much luck. I have a couple questions as well if anyone has experience on one of these.

I would like to be able to split leather down to around the 2oz range for use in wallets. Typically the largest pieces would be maybe 4" wide and 8" long. I have a lot of 4-6 oz leather that I would like to split down to 2 oz or so. Does anyone know if the tandy machine is capable of making that sort of cut reasonably well, or do I need to be looking at something a little higher end?

Also, how sturdy is the tandy model? I found some videos of the weaver heritage which seems to be at least vaguely similar in design and it seems to be a very solid tool.

I do not have this particular model, I do have a 6" skiver that is a knock-off version of it. However, I can comment on the 6" skivers in general. While tapering strap ends is fine (1-2"), I have found that splitting/skiving anywhere close to 4-5" with these is VERY leather temper dependent. If you are using anything sort of mild to soft leather, then I have found that the 6" skivers will "resist" and stretch it out (this includes some tooling leather) which will ruin the texture and uniformity of your project. (or maybe my blade isn't sharp enough).IMO, it would be much easier if you just bought 2oz leather instead of splitting it, but otherwise it would depend on the firmness if the leather you are using.

[bloggs]

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the advice!

[Geneva]

I had one of these things a couple years ago finally sold it. Tandy does not sharpen the blade at the correct angle or at least the one I had was not right. I had like a 30 degree from horizontal taper on the blade before it cut really good.

Good luck.

[paprhangr]

Thanks, I'll think I'll pass on this "Tandy deal"

[bloggs]

I ended up caving and buying one, so I will figure out what it can and can't do and put up a post about it in a while. I figured that even if it doesn't work so well for the larger pieces it looks like it should do a really nice job on straps which would still be a huge help for me.

[paprhangr]

Thanks for letting us know how it works for you

[Tree Reaper]

I ended up caving and buying one

If it doesn't work to your expectations it most likely could be corrected by simply having the blade reground to a different angle but before you do that I would suggest having the blade sharpened by a professional.

I wouldn't expect it to be perfect coming from Tandy but that doesn't mean you can't fix it.

[bloggs]

If it doesn't work to your expectations it most likely could be corrected by simply having the blade reground to a different angle but before you do that I would suggest having the blade sharpened by a professional.

I wouldn't expect it to be perfect coming from Tandy but that doesn't mean you can't fix it.

That's kind of what I was thinking. I spend more time doing hand tool woodworking than I do leather at this point, so I figured I could probably tune the blade a bit and completely regrind it if I need to.

[paprhangr]

Blogs, How's the skiver working

[silverwingit]

FWIW, I realize that this thread was started a while back, but I thought this would be a logical place to mention this really good deal on a Heritage splitter on ebay. $269 OBO.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heritage-Leather-Skiver-Splitter-tool-FANTASTIC-PRICE-/271434443235?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f32c0e9e3

Thanks, Michelle

[bloggs]

Blogs, How's the skiver working

Thanks for the reminder! I haven't used it much yet, as I'm retrofitting a section of my shop to become a permanent leatherworking area. I did take it out and mess with it a bit, and have a few first impressions:

It absolutely will need to be bolted down to something. This wasn't a surprise by any means, and I'm building in some quick attach points on my workbench to be able to set up various tools that need to be secured like this.

The blade is MUCH thicker than I expected. It came pretty sharp. I ran a 1 1/4" strap through it to skive the end for a buckle and it cut well enough, but before I start really using it I'll be doing some work on it.

The variable depth seems like it will be pretty nice for tapering ends.

I have not tried skiving any of the wider leather that I had originally bought it for. It will need to be bolted down and have some blade work done before it's worth giving that a shot. I will definitely write something up once I've had a chance to mess with it more - most likely in a couple months.

[silverwingit]

OK, I'm a bit of a sharpness freak, I admit it. For example, I wasn't satisfied with simply honing my splitter's massive blade. I polished it to a mirror surface. It is easily the sharpest blade I own. It cuts so smoothly and leaves a nice smooth flesh side.

What I did, FWIW, is use the incredibly flat surface on my 3" thick granite surface plate that is my pounding block along with a series of the 3M wet or dry polishing papers of increasingly fine grain (down to 3 microns) to lap polish the cutting surfaces of my splitter's blade.

I discovered these polishing papers while researching what other artisans use to sharpen their tools. I found that woodworkers are at least as anal as us leatherworkers about maintaining the sharpness of their chisels particularly. They get a slab of glass and either a commercial or homemade sharpening jig, some 3M papers and soapy water and have at it. They work their chisels for hours until they are satisfied with their sharpness.

So it took me the better part of a day, but like I say you can see your reflection in my blade's, cutting surfaces. Now, whether all this hoo-ha makes that much of a difference I won't argue, but I do know my splitter shore is purty and it cuts through English Bridle leather like it was butter.

Michelle

[silverwingit]

One other splitter note. My saddlemaker leatherworking mentor is a master at a hand splitter. He whipped out a belt blank to demonstrate its use when I first noticed it in his shop. He very deftly and smoothly cut a very even and smooth beveled skive at the end of the blank right down to a feather edge. I've ruined lots of strips of leather trying to accomplish that move.

Oh, and one final side note since you are talking about mounting your splitter. Said saddlemaker has his mounted in a unique and handy way. His splitter is mounted on the flat side of a length of 2x6. He then has a 2"x6" slot built into the underside of his bench. That way he can un-stow his splitter from underneath the bench and slide its 2x6 mounting board into the 2"x6" slot where he can split as needed and then remove sand re-stow the splitter-mounted 2x6 back out of place. I know I wasn't able to do this without totally rebuilding my work bench so I actually mounted my splitter on a separate table just to keep it out of the way. I'm so scared of that blade that I made a little cardboard box shroud to cover it up when I'm not using it.

A splitter is a great tool to have but like most any other leatherworking tool it needs to be carefully sharpened. Further, the proper and effective use of a splitter does not come without practice.

Good luck and let us know how you progress.

Thanks,

Michelle

Edited April 5, 2014 by silverwingit

[TomG]

I honed the Tandy blade, but didn't "sharpen". It's one of the things I need to learn more about. This blade has the main angle and then a more acute angle right at the edge. I'm not sure it I need to just make it a flat angle or what.

More research needed <g>

[silverwingit]

Mine is a Heritage knock-off of the old CS Osborne #84. The one with the handle on it.

http://www.handtools-uk.com/images/Cs%20Osborne%20Splitting%20Machine%2084.jpg

Its blade is a simple edge, not a compound one. That's one thing that makes it scary to me. But yes, it's all one taper down to its edge.

Michelle

[BigJake]

I have been researching skiver/splitters for awhile and educating myself in the process. There are several out there and since I wanted one that would both skive and split, which allowed me to narrow the field some what. My next consideration was a comparison of the blades of the several models which I could only do by careful examination of the photos available on the web. The Osborne 84 design and knock-off's of the same narrowed my search down to one. Used splitters were not considered due to the potential of blade damage from improper sharpening. The Campbell-Randall unit looked very good but was not in stock for at least six weeks. I finally settled on the Heritage skiver sold by Weaver Leather and ordered one yesterday.

What separated the Osborne 84 and clones from the others was simple the blade and the angle of the edge. The angle runs the entire width of the blade as opposed to half the width like the other tools. In my view this allows for a sharper and better cutting blade much like comparing the edge of an axe to a chefs knife. The proof, of course, will be in the testing once the tool arrives.

[J Hayes]

I have been researching skiver/splitters for awhile and educating myself in the process. There are several out there and since I wanted one that would both skive and split, which allowed me to narrow the field some what. My next consideration was a comparison of the blades of the several models which I could only do by careful examination of the photos available on the web. The Osborne 84 design and knock-off's of the same narrowed my search down to one. Used splitters were not considered due to the potential of blade damage from improper sharpening. The Campbell-Randall unit looked very good but was not in stock for at least six weeks. I finally settled on the Heritage skiver sold by Weaver Leather and ordered one yesterday.

What separated the Osborne 84 and clones from the others was simple the blade and the angle of the edge. The angle runs the entire width of the blade as opposed to half the width like the other tools. In my view this allows for a sharper and better cutting blade much like comparing the edge of an axe to a chefs knife. The proof, of course, will be in the testing once the tool arrives.

Please keep us posted. I've been eyeing a new one myself.....

[Sovran81]

I researched for months before getting a splitter. I wanted a Chase that was refurbished by Bruce but availability and price never coincided. Second best was the Campbell-Randall Keystone splitter. I chose this over Osborne because the CR blade is solid tool steel. Osborne blades are an inlay of a hard and soft steel. I keep the blade sharp with a buffing wheel and jewelers rouge. I would have never made it into the soft steel, But why chance or worry about. The blades are too expensive not to be able to resharpen when needed.

3" wide is about as much as you can pull through it without distorting the leather.

[J Hayes]

I researched for months before getting a splitter. I wanted a Chase that was refurbished by Bruce but availability and price never coincided. Second best was the Campbell-Randall Keystone splitter. I chose this over Osborne because the CR blade is solid tool steel. Osborne blades are an inlay of a hard and soft steel. I keep the blade sharp with a buffing wheel and jewelers rouge. I would have never made it into the soft steel, But why chance or worry about. The blades are too expensive not to be able to resharpen when needed.

3" wide is about as much as you can pull through it without distorting the leather.

Is the CR blade gound all the way back? Approximate angle?

Thanks

Jeremy

[Sovran81]

Is the CR blade gound all the way back? Approximate angle?

Thanks

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy. Here is the link with a good pic of it. http://www.campbell-randall.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=splitter&product_id=13842 Grinding it all the way back would weaken it and allow for flex in the middle I would think. To be honest, I have no idea what angle the blade is. CR has a rep with leather tools I have no problem trusting. Oh, the 3" width I quoted is without the splitter bolted down. I mostly use it for braiding strands but have run lots of belts and harness through it also

[deloid]

As I was searching for comments on replacement steel for an Osborne 84 I ran into this thread. I figured I would add a couple of comments for the sake of education (or argument) .

#1 There is little to no value in having the blade grind go all the way up as with the Weaver (in my opinion). The stiffness of the 3/8" thick spine of the old Osborne blade is important and this is diminished with the greater grind. Additionally, the cutting action takes place in a very small part of the blade though it is wise to keep the entire beveled section polished. This blades action is not like that of a Chefs knife. No offense meant with a direct contradiction.

#2 While I cannot dispute the possibility that there is a softer steel welded within the carbon steel I see no reason for this on this kind of blade. I'm probably going to use O1 tool steel to replace my blade. Almost considered regular old 1084 or 1095 but the O1 will wear better.

Dean