Using glass on edges?

[JohnD]

I have seen a youtube video, where a shoemaker uses a piece of glass to even and smooth the edges of the sole of the shoe. Does any one have any info on this? I've searched the threads here as well as google and came up with nothing.

The info I'm mostly looking for is; what preparation is needed on the edge of the glass to get it to scrape properly? Is it just a flat smooth edge or is there some kind of bevel or something?

I would post a link to the video as reference, but its in 7 parts and each part is 7-10 long and I don't remember which part it was in.

Thanks for any response and in the meantime I'll keep looking.

John

[ClayB]

When I have used glass to do this, it's the broken edge of a piece of glass. The sharp part from the broken edge is what scrapes the leather and evens up the edges.

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hi John,

ClayB is right about the broken edge of glass... it is best to use glass that is fairly thick so it doesn't break in your hands. I heard about the technique from an old saddlemaking book I have and thought I'd give it a try (I usually use spoke shaves). If you go to a glass repair shop and ask if they have any scraps (they usually give them to you for free) and try to pick out the larger pieces. There are probably better ways to break the glass but I usually put a piece in a plastic bag and hit it with a hammer. I do this so I don't have small shards of glass all over my bench. I then take out the larger pieces that have relatively straight edges and throw out the smaller stuff. I usually use the glass on the leather groundseat of my saddles while they are still damp and a fresh piece of broken glass will shave leather better than any spoke shave I've come in contact with. I haven't used glass on leather edges but I'm sure it would be just as effective as what I have used it for. I think I would run a damp rag over the edge to give it just a little moisture. If you find it isn't working for you, the glass may not have the necessary burr on the edge so try another piece.

Darc

[rickybobby]

I have seen a youtube video, where a shoemaker uses a piece of glass to even and smooth the edges of the sole of the shoe. Does any one have any info on this? I've searched the threads here as well as google and came up with nothing. The info I'm mostly looking for is; what preparation is needed on the edge of the glass to get it to scrape properly? Is it just a flat smooth edge or is there some kind of bevel or something? I would post a link to the video as reference, but its in 7 parts and each part is 7-10 long and I don't remember which part it was in.Thanks for any response and in the meantime I'll keep looking.John

John, I read about this in one of Al Stohlmans books. I just got some old window pane glass (about 1/8 thick) and wrapped masking tape around an end for a handle and started working the edge of the leather down, no special prep to the glass. It works great but I have a ocilating power drum sander from Harbor Freight (on sale $99.00) that is faster and safer!!Rick Jorgenson

I have seen a youtube video, where a shoemaker uses a piece of glass to even and smooth the edges of the sole of the shoe. Does any one have any info on this? I've searched the threads here as well as google and came up with nothing. The info I'm mostly looking for is; what preparation is needed on the edge of the glass to get it to scrape properly? Is it just a flat smooth edge or is there some kind of bevel or something? I would post a link to the video as reference, but its in 7 parts and each part is 7-10 long and I don't remember which part it was in.Thanks for any response and in the meantime I'll keep looking.John

John, I read about this in one of Al Stohlmans books. I just got some old window pane glass (about 1/8 thick) and wrapped masking tape around an end for a handle and started working the edge of the leather down, no special prep to the glass. It works great but I have a ocilating power drum sander from Harbor Freight (on sale $99.00) that is faster and safer!!Rick Jorgenson

[tonyc1]

Yeah, and cabinet makers also use broken glass as a type of blade to remove some rough pieces.

Tony.

[$$hobby]

we used glass to smooth out the molded joints on underwater FO cable. the thing is that you had to score/break the glass to get that sharp edge. another thing was that the the glass dulled fast too. we ended up bring in some glass people to instruct our operators how score/break the glass so they wouldnt injure themselves.

we also had the glass company supply use with 2"x8" glass pieces so we could break off a piece at a time and use it.

you could check with your local glass shops in your area and get some glass for this and maybe they will show you how to score/break w/o damaging or cutting yourself. let them know what you want to do with the glass so they can get the right stuff for you.

[JohnD]

Thanks for all the responses. I could not find any other info anywhere else. This web site, The people here...... I'm just so glad I found this place when I started working with leather.

I just replaced the windows in my basement, so I have plenty of glass. I will give this a try today. Thanks again.

John

[8thsinner]

I worked with glass for three years and I should have bad luck for the next 43 generations or so, however.

Heres a guide on the glass cutting.

pop down to your hardware place and pick up a single wheel tungsten bladed glass cutter.

Use a soft plastic but thick 3/16-1/4 edge rule, it helps if it's a T shape.

Go to the carpet place and ask thenm for scrap too, big enough to put the glass on.

Line up the edge guide.

With your index finger in the groove of the glass cutter, place it 1/8 from the top edge of the glass away from you and score backwards over the edge

Replace the glass cutter right on top pf the 2mm score or so you just made and now work towards you.

With a brand new cutter, if your cutting too hard, the glass will actually pop up from it in razor sharp fragments, Be warned, do not lean too hard, if anything allow yourself a few inches of practice cuts, minimum 2 inches from the last cut. Going down lower than an inch becomes difficult to break. But for a beginner make sure you have lots of leverage.

Once the score is made,

Take the scored line over the edge of the bench

Using the left hand grip a corner sticking out, with the righthand from the underneath use the back of the glass cutter, it should be a smoothed ball shape, tap the score with the same force as a pencil dropping off the bench.

Your best guess of this is exactly what it needs not the actuall force...it's a mind thing.

Anyway, once the first bit of the crack is made, Place your right hand under the glass, thumb upwards line the hard part of the hand where the finger joins it, right under the crack, with your thumb you pull the edge of glass down.

The motion is simply life up with the finger a centimetre or so then the thumb cracks it as the glass is moving down. the tempo for this is set about half a second apart.

There is not really anything dangerous about this if you do not fear glass other than the first 50 cuts or so ( 200ft average )with the cutter. If you want to use gloves use the rubberised knitted ones, usually orange over here in the uk.

Another easier way if your cutting larger bits off, place a pencil under the top double scored bit and press down on that corner, It doesn't work on bits thinner than 4 inches very well, especially as you work up the thickness range. And for something like the use you intend I suggest 5mm Minimum 6 inches long and 4 wide, this will have a lot of strength in it. As a glass worker I would never worry about this size breaking on me.

And a few Do nots

The square edges chipped out of the cutter are for holding and cracking glass (FOR PROFESSIONALS) Unless you want to be throwing shardes of glass into your eyes dont think of it. If you want to use them glass pliers are available, of this sort.

http://65.118.245.21/product/fletcher-terr...iers-06-112.jpg

But you really do not need to waste the money on them.

Hope that all of that helps you out.

[gloomis]

I have used glass to scrape cow horns while making powder horns. When it dulls, just break it to get a sharp edge.