Preventing Stretch When Cutting Out Chrome Leather?

[DavidL]

I'm having difficulty cutting out chrome leather my knife is pretty sharp (has no secondary and primary bevel) it sort of just curves to an edge. This knife is a clicker knife and it works well on veg but when cutting on chrome or pull up it pulls the leather to the side while I'm cutting and the end result is bad.

Is this an issue of the knife or can leather with stretch only be cut with the use of a die cutter?

[Hi Im Joe]

Use a Quilter's ruler and a rotary cutter. Definitely the easiest way to cut stretchy leather.

[dirtclod]

You can try putting some masking tape on the back side of the leather to make it firmer.

[DoubleC]

or glue it to cardboard and cut out the whole thing. Cheryl

[DavidL]

Great Ideas!

I'll try them all.

Thanks.

[Nuttish]

Fresh razor blade and a piece of flat steel bar from McMaster.

[tcondie435]

I cut tons of Chrome-tanned leather everyday and the best solution we've found is a 60mm fiskars rotary cutter. The fact that the blade rolls as it moves means the leather doesnt bunch up as you go which will happen no matter how sharp your razor is!

[DavidL]

makes sense. U cut the turns with heavy duty scissors?

I cut tons of Chrome-tanned leather everyday and the best solution we've found is a 60mm fiskars rotary cutter. The fact that the blade rolls as it moves means the leather doesnt bunch up as you go which will happen no matter how sharp your razor is!

[tcondie435]

makes sense. U cut the turns with heavy duty scissors?

Yeah or an exacto or razor knife, If we are going to be cutting a lot of turns in thin leather I make a plexi-glass template with the exact curves so that you can press the leather down with the template and keep it from bunching while you run your knife along the edge of the template.

[kevinp]

We cut loads at work and use knife edge scissors. do not lift the leather just rest the scissors on the table and cut to your lines.