Best Leather Splitter/skiver?

[tossik]

Hi everyone, I have been searching for a nice leather splitter, and with so many options and so little description, it is very hard to pick one.

I have been doing belts lately from veg tan 9-12oz that I would ideally split into 9oz. I have also been doing camera straps and wallets out of chrome tan leather and I have a 8-9oz piece that I want to split down to around 3-4oz.

Ability to skive the edge would be great as well. I do know chrome tan is very soft, so not sure how well it splits.

I have around $400 budget for a machine. Any advice? What should I avoid? What should I look for? should I get Osborne 86, 86a, 84, or weaver or tandy one or a hand roller kind? I am really lost. Please help!

Also maybe someone is trying to sell a splitter, then pm me.

Thank you all!

[tossik]

No advice?

[J Hayes]

I have a Weaver Heritage, the 8" one, pretty nice( Keystone or Osborne 84 clone) Also had an Osborne 86 6", worked good. Have a Spittlers Patent Champion lap skiver and splitting machine by H F Osborne, 6" that ones for sale. Anyway the HFO and the Weaver do lap skives very well, the 86 didn't really have the capabilities. None of these can edge skive as far as I know. I have split chrome and veg tan on all. Blade needs to be really sharp to do the soft chrome tan with out distorted it.

Widest I've pulled was 3.5" veg , and 2" chrome through the Weaver Heritage.

How wide of pieces are you splitting?

Kinda like any tool, everyone has their favorite.

Jeremy

Edited August 5, 2014 by J Hayes

[tossik]

Thanks Jeremy, if none of them pull more than 3-4", should I look for a 6" machine or try find an 8"? I dont need edge skive, I was referring to lap skive. Would you pick osborne or Weaver?

[TXAG]

I have an 86 with a VERY sharp blade and it will not do chrome tan leather at all, whatsoever.

Just FYI before you go out and buy one thinking it'll do that right because mine can't and I've tried too many times to count. Finally gave up.

Edited August 5, 2014 by TXAG

[tossik]

XTAG, what thickness were you trying to do on the chrome tan?

I see a osborne 84 on ebay right now, for $600, and not sure if its worth grabbing... This is so difficult!

[TXAG]

84 isn't the same as the 86...I don't think the 84 would work either though.

I've tried various thicknesses of chrome tan on the 86 -- none worked.

Edited August 5, 2014 by TXAG

[Cobra Steve]

Have you seen our new COBRA Class 14 Leather Splitter? Even though it is over your budget, you should still check it out. It is impressive. Thanks, Steve

[tossik]

Thanks Steve, but that thing is $1500 out of my price range Maybe once I do more commissioned work, I will be able to afford something like this

[J Hayes]

So I've split 5/6oz crazy horse pull up from Zack White down to 2oz, maybe the oil tanned waxed stuff is just firm enough to be able to split on a pull type splitter. That's the only chrome tanned I've split.

Steve's splitter is nice, sometimes wish I could split wide stuff like that