Head Knife Vs. Skiving Knife

[MonicaJacobson]

I want to start buying a few nice tools over the next year or so. I don't own a head knife or a skiving knife - I've been using the super skiver from Tandy.

Which knife do you guys find the most useful for skiving? I assume people like head knives because they're multi-purpose.

I'm talking about a normal (or small one, which I'd probably prefer) head knife as opposed to the (for example) vergez blanchard high speed paring knife:

And some prefer this:

http://www.handtools-uk.com/product_info.php?products_id=1605

[Wicked Welts]

>BUMP<

Here's another area in which I have no expertise whatsoever so i thought I'd check in and I hear nothing but crickets........so.... I'm hoping you don't mind a cheesy story with a possible idea;

Last week I was poking around in the storage room in my basement and came across a little box containing a tiny marble cutting board and a weird looking set of small knives. The knives looked sorta like these here, only with wood handles;

I had no idea where this came from or what it was for but after a little head scratching I determined it was someone's idea of a fancy-doddle cheese slicing/service set. A closer look revealed razor sharp single bevel edges in some form of stainless steel and off to the bench I went. Well, what do yah know, their small size gives excellent control for skiving even the thinnest of shavings from small welt pieces and straps too and one of them has an edge on the end for pushing like a chisel and one on the side for pulling like, well, a knife. So, at last, I now have a few skivers in my collection!

Now, I'm not suggesting you go raiding your china cabinet, I'm just tossing the idea out there in case you come across a decent looking version at a thrift store or some such. YMMV, but these things are perfect for what I do.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Wicked Welts

[MonicaJacobson]

LOlL, that's hilarious. Come to think of it, I might be able to steal something from my husband's wood carving tool set. However, it's unlikely to be better than my malfunctioning super skiver.

[DavidL]

I wouldn't get the vegez knife for one reason. HSS steel is difficult to sharpen, only diamond stones can sharpen HSS. Some ceramic stones can sharpen HSS. If diamond stones are something you already have that would be a good choice.

I have a japanese skiving knife that works well for skiving. Would prefer a left handed version so the bevel is on the right side of the blade. When held vertically on a left handed blade, flat side is on the left, bevel is on the right creating a 90 degree angle cut (cutting on the right side of pattern always). The labelling of left hand and right hand knives are switched around for some reason.

A japanese skiving knife from leathercrafttools.com Nobuyoshi 38mm- right hand (Super blue steel according to a reviewer - known to have long lasting edge, can be sharpen to a beyond keen edge).

yujin left handed knife 38mm - don't know much about the steel but is japanese steel. \

Youtuber under leathertoolz who is one of LW member has a review of the knife.

Edited April 8, 2015 by DavidL

[billybopp]

Hmmm. I'm thinking that the cheese knives sound like a gouda idea! And if we combine that with the wine that we drink in order to use the corks as awl backers, we're pretty darn close to having a party! ( but if any o' the folks that live in the big square states offer to bring cow chips to the party, do NOT partake. They are NOT really what we out east call chips and most certainly nothing like English chips )

Bill

[MonicaJacobson]

Thanks for the knife recommendations, David. Yes, I've seen those and wondered how they would work, especially with such a thick handle. I felt it might get in the way, but I see the yujin has a much smaller profile.

Aika mentioned she got a head knife and that she loved it from here: http://www.knipknives.com/leather.php

They're full tang, good steel, and the handles are good wood. I'm leaning heavily in that direction, even though they're pricey. My question is really would I like a head knife or a skiving knife better? I've never had either, so I have no idea. I'm considering the small head knife (Texas rosebud) or the angled skiving knife, but I wanted to get a feel for the designs of knife people like best for skiving.

Rosebud:

Angled skiving knife:

@Bill, you're a genius. We're going to Texas soon. I could bring back some of those chips you like so much.

[zuludog]

A friend has a set of knives & little marble slab like those in your photograph, Wicked Welts. They're a set of cheese knives, intended to be used & displayed in the dinner table, to be used with different types & textures of cheese

Still, if you can use them for leatherwork, do so

[DavidL]

I have a clicker knife from Knip. Amazing knife to hold and look at, came sharp out of the box. You wont be disappointed with his products.

He does do custom projects for not much more than the prices on the site. I was quoted under 100 for the below style knife from knip, full tang cocobolo handle. I figured a smaller length blade can help control the cut.

Edited April 8, 2015 by DavidL

[MonicaJacobson]

Cool, I was thinking of asking him. Thanks for the picture and the review.

[bruce johnson]

Here's another choice. I'd get a fair amount of the old flat handle paring/skiving blades in and they never stayed a day on my website. I sent Terry Knipshield one to duplicate in a right and left. He got these right and pretty handle scales to boot. I'd sure ask him about these. Terry is a really good guy. He patterned the Texas Rose after a 100 year old Rose knife pattern I sent him, and I told him that some people like a smaller knife too - hence the "Rosebud". He has also duplicated English and French pattern plough gauge blades for me too. They all have been dead on good users.

[MonicaJacobson]

Thanks Bruce - do you like those slender skiving knives better than head knives for skiving? I like that they aren't so very angled. If I got a head knife, I think I'd definitely prefer the rosebud version.

[bruce johnson]

I do for some skiving. they are handy for crowning saddle strings by hand, and fine skiving thin leathers. For the heavier leathers, I like a round knife.

[MonicaJacobson]

Thanks for the help! Ha, I should have known the answer is both knives, not one or the other.

[HippieLee]

I've never had a real skiver but I recently won a free Al Stohlman head knife in a carving contest at my local Tandy. I love this thing.

This was the first thing I made and I was able to cut out that big round front piece in almost one continuous, smooth line. Pushing is so much easier to control than pulling was. I did do some skiving down in places and it worked pretty good for that but I could see where the dedicated skiving knife would do even better.

It came out of the box sharp and I have stropped it a lot but I figure if I love this and can do more with it than my old utility knife ever could just think how much I'm gonna love a LW or Knip when I have enough money to get a really good knife.

[MonicaJacobson]

Nice! I'm jealous. I think the only thing I've ever won was a book.

[Wild Bill46]

Monica

I have the angled, which I believe is referred to as Japanese.

I have the rounded which i believe is referred to as English.

And I possess a round knife I found on e-bay for cheeeeeep.

At first I did not like my new round knife, then after a good sharpening, I found I actually prefer it to all others,

except my break off utility knife that I use extensively.

Long-story short; I think a round knife is most advantageous for your needs.

Go with Knipshield ! I think you;ll be glad you did. hope this might help ? --- Wild Bill46

[MonicaJacobson]

LOL, Bill, you just sent me into indecision again. But yes, that's helpful to know. I want to buy both kinds, and both this year, but the difficulty is which to buy now and which to save up for.

[Wild Bill46]

sorry I could'nt be your tie breaker. I think, I would go for the knipshield though, to prevent all that sharpening.

They say his are very sharp from the package. --- Wild Bill46

[Nuttish]

I wouldn't get the vegez knife for one reason. HSS steel is difficult to sharpen, only diamond stones can sharpen HSS. Some ceramic stones can sharpen HSS. If diamond stones are something you already have that would be a good choice.

I use a Blanchard French paring knife for skiving and evening out skives after I hit them with a French edger. It's definitely not high speed steel. It's some kind of high carbon steel that I wouldn't even say is particularly high quality. I also wouldn't say that Vergez-Blanchard is a very conscientious machine shop, but that's neither here nor there since the knife is a good design and sharpens easily. I just have to strop it frequently and run it over an 8000 grit water stone here and there.

Bottom view of knife with cuts — the steel discolored within a week of me sanding and oiling it — the knife was also very poorly ground at the factory, requiring a substantial amount of work on the bottom side.

Top view — note discolored steel and crummy grind.

Monica, the knife is not "handed", so it works well on either side.

As for skiving with round knives, look down at your fingers and ask yourself how much you like them. You like them, right?

I think I've suggested this to others, but have a look at Jeff Peachey's site. He's a bookbinder, but uses tools any of us would find useful. He extensively discusses the merits of different alloys and knife designs. http://jeffpeachey.com/tag/bookbinding-tools/

[HippieLee]

...

As for skiving with round knives, look down at your fingers and ask yourself how much you like them. You like them, right?

...

THAT was weighing heavily on my mind during the little bit I did with mine...it was too close and made me nervous even with the constant thought "Meat stays BEHIND the blade!" on a loop in my brain.

[electrathon]

As for skiving with round knives, look down at your fingers and ask yourself how much you like them. You like them, right?

I skive all the time with a round knife. A good quality flexible blade makes it easy. I also use them for other knife purposes other than skiving. I have cut off a total of zero fingers over the years. In fact, I do not believe I have ever cut my self with one. When I hand it to someone else I always warn/remind them that I keep it "scary sharp".

There is only one thing to remember with a round knife and you will never be hurt: Keep your non-knife hand closer to your body than your knife hand is, and cut away from yourself.

Leather Wranglers has a few good knife videos on their website. Lots of good info for free.

[MonicaJacobson]

@Nuttish, thanks for the website - it was a good read and there were a lot of fun tools on there. I was less worried about cutting myself (though the thought crossed my mind) and more about keeping that large of a blade sharp. I am not remarkably skilled at sharpening, but I guess whatever happens, I'll have to get better.


@electrathon - you're just confirming my feeling that I have to buy all the tools. At least eventually. I'll look up the videos on LW -thanks for the pointer.

[Tramps Leatherworking]

I agree with electrathon, I use my CSO head knife for skiving, and most of my other cutting... I have yet to cut myself with a round, or head knife, because I am very careful, and have respect for what any knife can do to your skin... I love it...

The other knife I use often is a 7" Jeremiah Watt Straight Knife...

I never use a utility knife, they are not stable/accurate enough for me...

[electrathon]

@electrathon - you're just confirming my feeling that I have to buy all the tools. At least eventually. I'll look up the videos on LW -thanks for the pointer.

Yes, I forgot to add that to my post. You need to buy all the tools. I am a tool guy, so I am not the guy to advise against buying cool tools. It is hard to have favorites if you don't have ones you like less.

[billybopp]

I have a round knife, but haven't used it too much yet .. for cutting nor skiving. It seems to do OK for both jobs, but I have a hard time controlling it which probably means nothing more than I need to practice. I've also been eyeing up Lisa Sorrell's skiving knives. They aren't fancy, but I'd bet they're well made and of good metal. Now .. Wonder if they work OK with cheese??

Bill