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JoeSnuffie

Cowboy Splitter With Minor Improvements

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Since I can't afford to buy 15 sides of chrome and oil tanned leather, I buy scraps that yield 3 - 6 wallet shells each that only cost me $2 - $3 sqft. They're often too thick and I've been skiving them down to a good thickness by hand, and that isn't fun for anyone. I bought the Cowboy splitter knowing I'd have to tweak it, but I wasn't expecting it to be so easy.

The first modification was a super high tech tension device that's fully adjustable and allows me to grip the leather with both hands. It's a bungee cord wrapped around the handle and attached to the bench with a screw. To tighten it, I just give it another wrap around the handle and I can pull it towards me to release the pressure and insert the leather.

The second modification was brass shims that allow the steel roller to move a little more freely. I made the shims from 2 pieces of .45 Colt brass (seriously, is there any better way to shim a 'Cowboy' splitter?) The biggest problem when splitting the oil and chrome tanned leather is the grain side. It sticks to the roller and the roller shaft isn't free spinning.

In less than a minute I had split about 1mm off of a 9x4 inch wallet shell.

CowboySplitter

The picture shows the 'before' leather on top of the 'after' leather with the portion that was split off resting next to the 'before' piece.
Edited by JoeSnuffie

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Very clever, I have the same splitter and I'll try the bungee cord, can you show where you fitted the shims??

thanks

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Does the blade come real sharp?

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The blade comes very sharp and resharping is really easy. I let the tension bar fall and strop it in place. Also, I no longer use shims. I bought a 10mm steel shaft, bearings and aluminum tube and made a great free spinning drum. this makes splitting up to 4.5" oil tan possible without a lot of muscle. Of course the blade needs to be really sharp. I can also easily split calf skin strips down to .4mm.

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just curios where are you buying your scrap

thanks

Lewis

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Please post another pic of your finished modification.

Thanks

Tor

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just curios where are you buying your scrap

thanks

Lewis

I've been getting the best scrap from this guy. The stuff with the most scars and marks has surprisingly been the most requested by customers. http://www.ebay.com/usr/theleatherguyofmn

Like this, for example

PasportCase01

Edited by JoeSnuffie

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