Cutting sharp, crisp lines

[tonyc1]

I'd also be interested in finding a white marker/pen that will work on black upholstery or garment leather. I've tried every white pencil I can find without luck.

I use Chinagraph pencils a lot and they come in diff colours.

[tashabear]

I disagree. I thinks the scalpel blades,#11, are thinner than exactos. If you're not careful, the snap easily and go flying. I've never snapped an xacto blade.

Marlon

Exactos are thinner than snap-off razor blades from the hardware store, which is what I was responding to.

[yaklady]

I'd also be interested in finding a white marker/pen that will work on black upholstery or garment leather. I've tried every white pencil I can find without luck.

Keith Johnstone at Chaylor-Fenneli gave me a pen like that one time. That's just the thing you need! I suggest you contact him. www.chaylor.com

[yaklady]

Hey everyone!

I cut out the "window" for an inlay this evening and I jacked that piece of leather up bad. Maybe I was too ambitious as I was trying to cut out a firefighters helmet? My problem was in the corners. I couldn't get them nice clean without passing into the main leather.

Search offered some good tips for the latter stages of inlay/overlay work... but I didn't find cutting stuff. Further, I didn't want to hijack the beautiful inlay threads with questions. So, can any of you please provide some tips for cutting and/or finishing inlay windows and overlay pieces?

Thanks.

The kind of knife you use is purely a personal thing, and really irrelevant to getting your corners done right. Some peole can cut out anything with a huge head knife. A thin blade is not your anwer here. Your corners can be easily cut with any sharp knife you choose. All you have to do is cut AWAY from the corner. Start your cut right in the corner. Push the blade into the leather and be sure to get it all the way through. Carefully follow the pattern line away from that spot. When you get near the next corner, turn your knife around and start in that corner, working towards the section that is already cut. NEVER cut into the corner. The same applies to swivel knife work. When I have a cut border, for instance, I always stop short of the corner. The line is finished off with bevelling.

Hope this helps!

Kathy

By the way, I prefer a utility knife like the one you were using.

Edited October 22, 2008 by yaklady

[TwinOaks]

Not to hijack the thread, but something that's only been touched on....the knife needs to be REALLY sharp. For reference on what I mean, after a few cuts, I strop exacto blades. The result is much smoother cutting, and that's what you're after. It shouldn't be 'effortless', but it should be close. Anytime you feel the leather grabbing the blade, it's time to sharpen/strop. When the leather grabs and suddenly releases is the exact moment in time when several hours of work becomes fodder for the scrap bin.

[Rawhide]

Exactos are thinner than snap-off razor blades from the hardware store, which is what I was responding to.

ahh now i get it. the ones with the thumb adjustment to extend and retract the blade. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

cheers

Marlon

[Rawhide]

The kind of knife you use is purely a personal thing, and really irrelevant to getting your corners done right. Some peole can cut out anything with a huge head knife. A thin blade is not your anwer here. Your corners can be easily cut with any sharp knife you choose. All you have to do is cut AWAY from the corner. Start your cut right in the corner. Push the blade into the leather and be sure to get it all the way through. Carefully follow the pattern line away from that spot. When you get near the next corner, turn your knife around and start in that corner, working towards the section that is already cut. NEVER cut into the corner. The same applies to swivel knife work. When I have a cut border, for instance, I always stop short of the corner. The line is finished off with bevelling.

Hope this helps!

Kathy

i agree here too use what's comfortable. I like the scalpels because I can bend them a little to skive as well.

By the way, I prefer a utility knife like the one you were using.

Not to hijack the thread, but something that's only been touched on....the knife needs to be REALLY sharp. For reference on what I mean, after a few cuts, I strop exacto blades. The result is much smoother cutting, and that's what you're after. It shouldn't be 'effortless', but it should be close. Anytime you feel the leather grabbing the blade, it's time to sharpen/strop. When the leather grabs and suddenly releases is the exact moment in time when several hours of work becomes fodder for the scrap bin.

I strop my blades after the first few cuts. I think leather artisans are the only folks that feel the sharpest blades and say "mmm, needs to be sharpened or stropped a bit"

Marlon

Edited October 22, 2008 by Rawhide

[8thsinner]

I had a load of things posted for this thread last night, but whilst my net was futtery I went over to play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. But that crashed comp...Well I am back now to add a few of my words....

I don't often cut inlays and overlays but for cutting shapes and what not...

1) SHARP + POLISHED blades, means yes strop the blade, even if you have no stropping compound, jewelers rouge works just as well. Smooth = less friction.

2) Wet leather cuts easier but can increase drag if the blade sticks hence smoother blades.

3) Start where you want to stop and start where you want to start, make them meet in the middle, Takes more practice but it's definitely more accurate...

4) MOVE the blade fast, faster cutting speed means less chance of a drag but also on the micro level the leather opens itself for you...

5) Use a curved edge where the leather is getting cut, the rounder the better. This means it's cutting it's way through the leather not splitting it apart through force alone.

6) I tend to get cleaner cuts at the front from cutting through from the back. I think this is because the back is softer and easier to cut so also helps to set the cut angle for the front if that makes any sense...

Thats all for now..

[Kevin]

Nobody's gonna like this, but if you try it you'll be very surprised. I cut on a piece of sheet metal. An English saddler told me that's how fine leathergoods makers do it. If you use a slanted blade, the only thing that touches the metal is the tip and that is not the part of the blade that is actually cutting. The fuzz on the back doesn't get dragged down into the surface with the blade and it gets cut also. I use the red handle from exacto and hold it like a swivel knife (except index finger on the yoke of course).

Kevin

[Bree]

The kind of knife you use is purely a personal thing, and really irrelevant to getting your corners done right. Some peole can cut out anything with a huge head knife. A thin blade is not your anwer here. Your corners can be easily cut with any sharp knife you choose. All you have to do is cut AWAY from the corner. Start your cut right in the corner. Push the blade into the leather and be sure to get it all the way through. Carefully follow the pattern line away from that spot. When you get near the next corner, turn your knife around and start in that corner, working towards the section that is already cut. NEVER cut into the corner. The same applies to swivel knife work. When I have a cut border, for instance, I always stop short of the corner. The line is finished off with bevelling.

Hope this helps!

Kathy

By the way, I prefer a utility knife like the one you were using.

I agree with Kathy. Cutting away from the corners is the key. I have screwed up a lot of good leather by thinking that I could stop my blade at the intersection of the corner. I now know that this was a mistake on my part.

I took a class with Chan Geer on Swivel Knife Control and he taught us exactly what Kathy suggests... start in the corner and cut away from the corner so that you don't inadvertantly cut across the line into areas that you don't want to be cut. George Hurst taught the same thing in another class I took.

And in swivel knife cutting Chan also does not join the cut at the corner but stops a little short and completes the corner with a beveller. That isn't really relevant to cutting out windows for inlays but it is a point worth sharing.