Skiving 1 3/4 Belts

[millwork]

what is best way to skive belts .I have found a supplier that had 9to10 oz leather that needs to be skived on the buckle end. I have been looking for a skiver that was called the mighty skiver but no luck any help would be appreciated. the correct name of the skiver "little giant" it was mentioned in Al Stohlman books. and it was wide enough to do 1 3/4 belt in one pass

Edited May 11, 2014 by millwork

[Chief31794]

I use a hand skiver I've had for many years, they don't cost much and do a good job, there is a slight learning curve to get used to how the achieve the result you want. I have a splitter that I use sometimes but the hand skiver is just as quick and very easy to use.

Chief

[LTC]

i can't get that doggone safety skiver to work right. do you have any tips that might help, please?

[Chief31794]

You have to tilt it towards you a little, take some scrap, make sure the blade is sharp and work it for a while, it becomes easy. One thing is that it takes the leather off in small slivers, you can't skive to 1/2 thckness in one pass. I normally start on the edges and then take down the stuff in the middle, I use the edges to keep me in line with the thickness I want and then I take the middle area down. On belts, I normally then take it to the Oscillating Spindle Sander with 240 grit and smooth the skived area a little. Mine is old, old and I heard that some of the new ones don't work quite as well. Never tried one of the new ones, but this one works like a charm.

Chief

[LTC]

you know what...i have a belt/disc sander. maybe I'll try the belt sander...sounds like it might be easier to use...

[Tree Reaper]

I use a block plane.

[LTC]

that would probably be easier too. how do you taper with it?

[VanDutch]

that would probably be easier too. how do you taper with it?

If you're using a block plane and you want to skive say 3inch length. Using the block plane on the first half inch, then an inch etc... with each pass move back 1/2 inch of so.. the successive passes will give you a taper.

[Tree Reaper]

I take the belts down with the plane and finish them with a drum sander in a drill press.

If you want more of a taper just take more material off in the area you want thinner and finish by sanding.

I'll start off with the bade barely touching and when it stops removing material I'll drop it down just a little more and keep planing until I have the thickness I want.

[silverwingit]

+1 on the skiver Chief pointed out. It's really a tool that comes in so handy in so many ways, even if you have a $600 splitter/skiver (I do). There are many items that either won't fit in a 6" splitter/skiver or that don't merit getting up and moving your work to the much more expensive machine. If you ever watch a saddler work, they will pull out one of these with all the finish worn off from constant use. And they really know how to use one!

Only one thing I would add to Chief's advice and at that it might just be a clarification. You can't draw one of these straight toward you and expect good results. You need to draw it at an angle with respect to your work piece. Try drawing it at, say, a 45 degree angle and you will see how it will then glide through your leather. (Of course you need to use a sharp blade.)

Thanks,

Michelle