Where Can I Find The Equivalent Tool Or Product In The Uk

[Sona]

Okay, than maybe we just collect a little more, and sum it up then a little later, before you got to update this one again and again

[ClaireAshton]

In regard to Splitter blades in the UK, see this other thread

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=57493

[Pogger]

I ordered a bridle butt from Bakers recently, leather quality was excellent and well packaged. Saving up for a personal visit!

[ClaireAshton]

I ordered a bridle butt from Bakers recently, leather quality was excellent and well packaged. Saving up for a personal visit!

That sounds good. The more the merrier with comments please.

[ClaireAshton]

I have found a really good resource for having blades sharpened professionally. I have just had 3 manual skiving machine blades totally reground, fully squared and rebevelled. About a couple of hours each honing them and now they are mega sharp. The bevels are now mirrors and performance in the machine is, wait for it, Awesome! (Sorry for using the A word)

Why take them and pay to get them ground? Well, they came back perfectly square in all respects, only a large industrial grinding machine can do this. To back this up, I took Medi (off this board) 8" splitter blade at the same time (he had posted it down to me and I posted it back after). This blade was in a sorry state. A large chip missing, some corrosion and blunter than a blunt axe. Caame back fantastic, (would you agree Medi?) I did a bit of work on it prior to sending it back to Medi)

THe place I went to is about 30 miles from me and they specialise in Paper Industry guillotines. I knew to go there as my father was a printer and his huge manual guillotine looked just like a splitter blade and can recall how well sharpened it was when it was sent away.

As a matter of interest, how many people have splitter or skiver blades they need sharpening? (not just touching up, I mean a serious start again)

As an afterthought, and as a little guide as to what I mean by sharp, I bought a Stanley plane blade to possibly replace one of my skiver blades if I had trouble sorting it out. When this arrived you could not bevel 6oz (2.4mm) veg tan with it unless you put the leather on the bench and pressed on.

Now having given it the Claire treatment, 2 sides of and oil stone, diamond 'stone' ceramic 'stone' then through the cloths, 4K, 6K, 8K, 12K then 3 grades of rouges i can hold up a piece of veg tan and bevel it without any holding it firm in the air. I tried the nail test with one of the skiver blades and it nearly went through so I don't do that anymore.

Only trouble now is my knives feel blunt. So it looks like many more hours of getting RSI to get them up to snuff.

I once heard of putting blades under a pyramid to sharpen them....... If this works, where can I get one!

[billybopp]

There are a couple o' big pyramids down in Egypt that might work. Watch out for the shipping costs, tho. They're a little heavy.

Bill

[ClaireAshton]

Mmmmm.......... but nothing like the rip off I just got scammed with. I ordered a Firewind or Freshwind Circle thingy from USA. Not cheap, but stuff from the States tends to be well made and well designed. The postage was not cheap either. So i get a card in the post saying my parcel is ready to be collected at the Post Office Sorting Office (not a post office, more the sorting centre) and don't forget ID such as credit or debit card and remember even though you need one of these as ID you can't pay using one it has to be cash.

So I pick up my little package. I pay £3.20 VAT ($5 or $6 Sales Tax) and , wait for it, a £8 handling charge! ($15!)

That is why next time I shall be asking for someone over there to get one for me and send it to me using the strict cost as the customs declaration so I don't get stuck allways. In this country, UK, there is a TV programme called Grumpy Old Men and one called Grumpy Old Women. After today I would walk either audition.......

Whinge, Whinge.......

[kevinp]

I might have read the last comment wrong but you didnt get scammed by the company you bought the circle thing from, but the impot dutys of this country.

[kevinp]

A good supplier of some very high quality leather is http://www.metropolitanleather.com/ very nice to deal with and quick service.

Buckles, dies thread etc http://abbeyengland.com/ never had a problem always had next day delivery.

For hand tools etc thread and eyelets http://www.handtools-uk.com/

[ClaireAshton]

I might have read the last comment wrong but you didnt get scammed by the company you bought the circle thing from, but the impot dutys of this country.

No, the circle thingy is by windfiredesigns.com and is excellent. Just the costs and processes of getting it from the States.