Help Sourcing A Good Skiving Knife For Making Watch Bands

[teddycrafts]

Hi guys, i need help to pick the right skiving knife for making watch bands, have been pretty unsuccessful thus wasted some cash,etc.

Sometimes i need to skive very soft cowhide/calf, if the knife isn't sharp enough... it will cause the leather to change in shape.

I have one option in mind, what do you guys think about it? UK right hand style skiving knife

http://www.handtools-uk.com/p1586-skiving-knife-osborne-ref-469b-uk-right-hand-us-left

Nonetheless, is this uk website trusted?

[El Zipster]

Hi

I've bought many things from this website. Always helpful with a fast delivery time.

Hope that reassures you................

Cheers

Zip

[fivewayswelshcobs]

I would also try J Hewit and Sons Ltd for an English paring knife they sell bookbinding tools and leather and their knives are good to use and sharpen. They are based north of the border in Scotland.

[teddycrafts]

thank you

[Xenophon]

Try Knipschield custom knives,

http://www.knipknives.com

Terry will fix you up and even customize to your liking. I've got some of his knives and the nice thing about it is that it has a convex bevel this allowing more sensitive input as compared to a conventional bevel.

Fred

[DavidL]

One thing I will add be careful what steel you buy as the type of sharpening stones needs to be able to sharpen that steel correctly. The 154cm steel (stainless steel) that knipshield uses is harder to sharpen and takes longer to sharpen than carbon steel. HSS steel like the one found in Fineleatherworking will need a ceramic or diamond stone to sharpen and takes considerably longer to sharpen as the steel is harder (longer than Stainless and carbon.

Carbon steel or white steel tempered at rc 60 or above will sharpen faster and save time although the stainless and HSS will stay sharper longer in general. You may want to add a japanese utility knife made with white steel, it is very similar to the english paring knife but the steel is made by a master blade maker. The japanese blade is flat and not angled like the other knives so the skiving is slightly different.

If you want some personal advice j meyers in Singapore has a shop in Chinatown, he makes watch bands with exotics. I didn't have a chance to meet up with him though as he was away from his shop when I was there. Atelier lodge also in singapore has a shop that I did get a chance to visit. He's friendly and willing to share. He also hold classes.

Edited December 8, 2014 by DavidL

[thefanninator]

If you're still looking check out Lisa Sorrel's skiving knives. She's got an ad that is up top sometimes.

http://www.customboots.net/customboots.net/SNF_knives.html

[JoeSnuffie]

For skiving edges I need to fold over on soft calf skin I use the cheap Tandy Safety Skiver. It's really easy to control for small areas and the blades are cheap and can be stropped to a perfect edge over and over before the need to be replaced. The key is to strop a lot. I'll usually give it 20 passes as soon as it doesn't seem to be cutting like I want and I flip the blade every other time I strop it. For larger items I use a round knife that I made from a high speed steel industrial fabric cutting wheel. It holds a fantastic edge.

[rawcustom]

I'll offer my services if you're still looking.

I don't agree with the above caution on harder steels. If a steel is easier to sharpen it is easier to dull, hence more frequent maintenance. A steel that is harder dulls slower and requires less frequent maintenance, and with the advent and availability of diamond sharpeners, the old issue of sharpening hard blades with soft stones is rather dated.

[ramrod]

i use an extremely sharp wood chisel. it's 1/4" wide. my brother gave me all of his 1/4" chisels because he doesn't use anything that small. it's got a great shape for skiving and the narrowness of the blade allows for some great control on a narrow piece like a watchband. i know this doesn't fall in line with the title of this thread, but i figured i'd offer it just for some info.