Need Advice On Buying A New Knife.

[Tannin]

How about a clicking/clicker's knife with a concave curved blade (that's what I use currently or a Stanley 199 knife with similar blade)? Either long blade or short blade variety:

http://www.kingsmerecrafts.com/

http://www.wrtcleather.com

[A cheap, plastic handled, long blade clicking knife might be the best option (~£12 inc. blade & shipping if you shop around): I have a short blade walnut handled version but the long blade one seems like better value, assuming that you can just keep sharpening it. Note: The short blade variety will not take a long blades. Wooden handles are prone to splitting - so plastic might offer some advantage in that regard. ]

Here is one in use cutting curves: http://ritsandrits.blogspot.co.uk/p/will-show-how-we-create-bear-leather.html

Edited July 31, 2014 by Tannin

[StrigaMort]

Thanks for showing that tannin. I have a very similar knife for wood carving, but I figured the recurve blade would be useless. I've got a couple of head knives coming by I see no reason to limit myself.

[Turn n Burn]

I use the re-curve blade for hair and feather cuts pierce with the point and pull back gives a thick to thin taper in the cut that is easy to control. For tight curves I use my swivel knife and cut the rest out with a scalpel or the re-curve blade.

[Tannin]

Thanks for showing that tannin. I have a very similar knife for wood carving, but I figured the recurve blade would be useless. I've got a couple of head knives coming by I see no reason to limit myself.

I hadn't thought of using them for woodcarving - any good for incising/cutting curves? The hook seems to work very well cutting leather - unsurprising, as the clicking knife is a traditional leather working tool for cutting patterns out of leather. You can still get them with fixed blades too, like this:

http://www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/shoetrade/shoemakingclicking.html

Cutting curves is often challenging though, I find lifting the handle helps (perhaps by presenting a thinner, more curved & pointed tip?). However, I too have just ordered a round knife but more out of curiosity than necessity. I would think the round knife might be more suitable for bigger projects and longer cuts.

BTW I started off using some thick Sheffield-made single-ended curved blades (bought v. cheaply on eBay) for my vintage 199 Stanley knife, they work very well and can be sharpened. They have a similar shape & thickness to the Tandy industrial knife shown above. However, currently, the clicking knife does seem to cut a little better for some reason - perhaps a little narrower/sharper/stiffer/shallower bevel angle? I think the Stanley knife blades might improve with use/wear though (TBC).

Edited August 1, 2014 by Tannin

[Trox]

Hi Tannin, StrigaMort showed you a proper clicking knife above. I mostly use one of my round knifes for cutting leather, I like a stiff blade and I use the old stocks of knifes. However, when I cut around a cardboard pattern or such, I use a Blanchard Indispensable knife. It has a very thin, yet stiff blade with a long bevel edge on the left side; for riding along the cardboard pattern. I have the knife in your picture, but I find the blade to thin and flexible for my use. Yet its a fine utility knife, you can alter the handle and make it flat on two sides so it do not roll of the bench. You can also make your own blades for it out of HSS hacksaw blades. It work well as is too and its a upgrade from a Stanly knife. Make sure you have a good cutting surface too, its as important as a good knife. I use HD Polyethylene, same as the clicking board (but a bit softer) and butcher tops. You can buy the Blanchard here if you are based in the USA http://www.fineleatherworking.com/indispensable-knife or by Vergez Blanchard http://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique/liste_produits.cfm?type=42&code_lg=lg_fr&num=2 There are other French shops who sells it without a required minimum buy as with Blanchard, Google is your friend.

Good luck

Tor

[Tannin]

Hi Tannin, StrigaMort showed you a proper clicking knife above....

Hi Tor - oh yes, I see it now, in his original link (I wondered where I'd open that link from) - that is exactly the same clicking knife that I have too. It works very well but I would actually suggest getting a different one, one of the more traditional ones that can take the longer blades (old hacksaw blades if you like, as you suggest - although they might be thinner), they are also about half the price here. Less importantly, I would also suggest getting one with a plastic handle, if you can find one - I have only seen a picture of one such. Good idea about flattening the handle - I've already done that to my awls hadn't thought about doing it to the clicking knife.

Yes those Blanchard Indispensable knives look very good - actually most of their tools look wonderful but many (e.g. their highly polished pricking irons & elaborate pricking wheels) are very expensive here (add 20% VAT, etc.) although I guess relatively less so for a Norwegian (watched a documentary on Norway recently - strong currency, sovereign wealth fund - well done!). The English-made tools are not cheap either but they are typically less than half the price of the Blanchard tools - albeit a little less refined/polished (I figure my tools improve with use). Actually I have a small-bladed wood carving knife with a similarly shaped blade to the Blanchard knife, made by Ben Orford(whose wife is an accomplished leather crafter) which I could use - but I think I will stick with the clicking knife for now.

For a cutting surface I use one of those green "self-healing" cutting mat, miraculous, I have an A4 size one but just ordered a larger A2 one:

A2 Self-healing cutting board

The Scandinavians make some wonderful knives & axes - we mostly see Swedish made things by Gransfors Bruks, Hans Karlsson, Whetterlings, Mora/Frost, Halftors, etc. but I'm aware of similar tools - old & new - coming from Finland (Martinni?) and Norway. Are there any good traditional or modern Scandinavian leather working tools (e.g. for reindeer hides)?

[Bobbin]

Reviving this old thread because I've been researching some of the knives mentioned here. I'm looking to get a core set of very high quality, essential knives that are workhorses and require minimal upkeep beyond stropping.

So far I have a few in mind:

- Clicker knife/ detail knife for cutting around patterns. l'indispensable handle w/ custom blades made by Buzzard Brain leather. Made of high carbon O1 steel to a hardness of RC62. Can be custom sharpened.

- Round knife/head knife from Knip Knives. Probably the French one. Long straight cuts, curves, some skiving. Multiple uses.

- Skiving knife from Knip or Chartermade

This seems like a good core set. But I'm wondering--where does a rotary Olfa cutter fit in? I know many use these, and they seem excellent for straight cuts as well, and especially for thin leathers.

Oh, and I'm mostly working with thinner leathers for fine work--wallets, bags, etc up to the occasional thick belt.

Thoughts? Alternatives? Did I miss an essential? Thanks!

[billybopp]

Rotary knives work very well for really stretchy leathers such as deer, elk, lamb, etc.   Also good for thin leathers, although other knives do OK on thin as well.

[jfdavis58]

Perhaps, instead of a core set, you should spend some time researching knife steels.  And then settle on one knife learning to use it for everything.  Jumping from tool to tool is an ineffective way to spend your money or improve your skill-set.  One mans opinion.

[Art]

There are two methods:

Buy a knife when you need a knife, you will have fewer very used knives.

Buy a knife when you see a knife, you are a collector (join the club), you use the same knives you use if you follow method one, but if you get one dull or break or drop it, oh do you have backup.

Or.........Buy a Utility knife and Irwin Bi-Metal (Blue) blades and a couple of scalpel handles and some blades from ebay, then when you really need something different, go for it.

The only thing that is really good about a head/round knife is seeing the cutting line.

Art