How Do I Square A Piece Of Leather?

[Striver]

I have a half hide and would like to cut straps out of it. What is the best way to square the leather to get uniform straps with strap cutter?

[dirtclod]

Lay a straight edge along the back mark a line and cut the crooked piece off and you have a straight side.

[hornm]

Spend a few dollars on a 4, 5 or 6ft ruler at the hardware store. Worked for me. Someone else will probably have a better idea though.

Horn

[waddy]

I found an 8 foot aluminum rule at a lumber yard. As I remember it wasn't too terribly expensive. It hangs on the wall and is only used to square the sides of leather, but for that it is fantastic. No fooling around trying to keep lines/rulers lined up. I just lay it on the top of the side, easily adjust it for the least waste, put spring clamps on each end and run one quick (and darn sure straight) line. Hang the rule back up and cut the line. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

[McSkiver]

I find the type of knife used affects the ability to cut a straight line, so im now using a rotary cutter with a long steel ruler, works better than other cutters.

[LTC]

i have a gingher rotary cutter and it doesn't cut leather worth a crap. i was surprised because i have a couple of other gingher tools and those work great. but that rotary cutter is a piece of junk.

i checked it and it's definitely sharp. but put it on 6-7oz leather and you might as well be trying to cut it with a plastic knife from mcdonalds or something. it sucks.

are there other brands that don't suck? i finally resorted to getting a utility knife and gee, it works great. sure wish i hadn't wasted money on that stupid gingher cutter.

[Tree Reaper]

There's a difference between cutting a straight piece of leather and a square piece.

I use a framing square to mark the leather and then measure diagonally corner to corner, if the measurements are the same from both corner measurements then the piece is square.

A straight cut is just done using a straight edge.

[sharkeyfinn]

i bought one of the industrial knives from tandy, the one with the curved blade,it goes through like butter, best £30 i spent, also one of the black roofers squares is handy for squaring off,

[Sylvia]

The easiest way is to remember to ask your leather supplier to "put a straight edge on this" for you. Failing that you'll have to do one of the methods above with a long straight edge.

[silverwingit]

Since the tile of the thread has to do with "squaring" leather, I thought I would add this suggestion for smaller projects.

I find that those clear plastic layout rulers that seamstresses use can be indispensable aids for making smaller square or straight cuts of leather. The ones that have one inch gradations marked in 1/8 inch divisions. I have several in different sizes from Olfa, the same maker as my rotary cutters, etc.

http://www.olfaproducts.com/product_images/OLF%20QR-6x12hr.jpg

They are double handy because they are transparent, you can see the underlying leather which is helpful deciding what section of leather you want to cut (avoid scars, etc.).

Thanks,

Michelle

[MojoGeorge]

Dunno if you have already got the side or nit, but spfd leather will strap cut the side for you cheap, ask for rusty

[Dwight]

For both squaring and cutting a straight line, . . . I have my work table covered in a 36 inch by 60 inch plastic top that was designed for ladies who sew a lot.

It is marked off in 1 inch squares, . . . with 1/8 inch gradations, . . . and it makes cutting a straight, square, or even angled cuts "piece of cake" easy.

I also have the aforementioned large aluminum ruler, . . . together they make big cuts, . . . long cuts easy.

The cutting surface came from JoAnn fabrics, . . . with their 40% off coupon it was only like $25, . . . which to me was a super bargain. It is "attached" to my table top by double faced carpet tape, . . . so if it becomes damaged, . . . it is easily replaced.

May God bless,

Dwight