Sizing Edge Bevelers

[craftsman827]

COULD YOU ALL HELP ME OUT ON THIS SUBJECT .

HOW ARE EDGE BEVELERS SIZED ? WE WILL USE, BARRY KING'S GROOVED EDGERS AS AN EXAMPLE.

THEY COME IN 7 DIFFERENT SIZES. FROM 00 to 5 .

I GUESS "00" IS THE SMALLEST, & 5 IS THE LARGEST.

THE QUESTION BEING, WHAT SIZE IS USED FOR WHAT WEIGHT LEATHER ??

EX: WHAT SIZE TOOL WOULD YOU USE FOR 8/9 oz. veg. leather ?

WE COULD POST A CHART, SHOWING ALL THE DIFFERENT WEIGHT LEATHER, & WHAT SIZE EDGE BEVELER IS USED. PLEASE HELP !

[Thor]

That is a darn good question which I would like to have answered as well. Since some people say that beveling is a matter of taste it may be difficult to answer though. When I started I was told that the thickness of the leather should be twice the thickness of the edgers radius. Well that might be true, but it never really made any sense to me.

Here's a related question from a few years back and what some people had to say about it http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=36282

[billybopp]

There probably isn't a really good answer to this question. As the post that Thor linked shows, there is no standardization in edger sizing, made all the more complicated by the fact that there are several different styles of edgers .. and even from the same maker no size standard between those! The only general thing that is true is the bigger the number, the more leather it removes .. within the same line from the same maker. I'm lucky enough to have found one, unbranded #3 that works for most of the leather that I like to work with, but it was just plain luck to have found the right size.

There is, however, at least one possible solution to the problem that is reasonably inexpensive. Jeremiah Watt offers a line of western edgers that are reasonably priced at $45US for a full set of five sizes. http://www.ranch2arena.com/hsbtqctools.html ... They are also available from weaver leather supply, although I did not see the full set on their website. They aren't pretty, with a plastic handle and interchangeable blades, but certainly affordable!

Nigel Armitage recently reviewed these favorably in a video on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liakL3TyPA0

These are probably going to be my next new tool purchase .. Sometime in the not-too-distant future. When I get 'em ... I'll report back. If anybody else has them already, let us know what you find!

Bill

[zuludog]

It all depends on what you call a bevel and how much mateial you want to remove.

Basically, for any manufacturer, the higher the number, the more you will remove

I make mostly knife sheaths from 3 to 4mm leather, and use a Tandy #3 beveller. This is perhaps a bit big for 3mm leather so I have to be careful/gentle but it does mean I can handle thicker leather, say 4 to 4,5mm. If I only used 3mm leather a #2 would be OK

If you were doing mostly wallets and similar thinner leather you would want something smaller, say a # 1. And obviously for thicker leather, a higher number beveller

As I do this as a hobby I only have one beveller, Tandy #3. If I was more serious I would probably get a couple of different sized bevellers

Tandy are not considered the very best tools, but for the work that I do they are good enough, and the one size, #3 does the job

However, I make a serious attempt to get my beveller as sharp and as polished as I can. That means I can trim thin leather with a #3 by pushing gently, and bevel thicker leather still with a #3 beveller

So whatever thickness leather I can use a #3, but the supreme sharpness means I have the control to manage a range of thicknesses from say 2mm to 4mm. I just apply the varying pressure to the beveller

By getting the beveller as sharp as possible I can bevel a range of leather thicknesses from 2 to 4 mm. If the beveller was relatively blunt I would ony be able to manage thicker leather as I would have to apply more pressure

See youTube video by lb custom knives 'how to sharpen an edge beveller'

[Trox]

I will agree with my German name brother above, it's a matter of taste and how much material you want to remove. I have many different style edge bevlers, my favorite are the old CS. Osborn fine edgers. (HF. Osb and Gomp and many other made the same style) I have five sizes of them, #1 to #5. I just pick up one try, sometimes I want to remove more and sometimes less. It's not always constant to thickness, but will vary just as much of type of leather. Sometimes I use two different edger sizes on the same thickness, bevels several times. When it comes to leather edges we all have our own techniques, favorite products and tools. There are no exact rules when it comes to leather edges. Somebody could easily write a book on the subject alone. I am not familiar with Barry Kings sizes. I do just fine with 5 sizes for a variety of work. If I had to choose only three sizes of the ones I have, it would be #1, #3 and #5.

Tor

Edited January 15, 2016 by Trox

[Equiplay Saddlery]

There probably isn't a really good answer to this question. As the post that Thor linked shows, there is no standardization in edger sizing, made all the more complicated by the fact that there are several different styles of edgers .. and even from the same maker no size standard between those! The only general thing that is true is the bigger the number, the more leather it removes .. within the same line from the same maker. I'm lucky enough to have found one, unbranded #3 that works for most of the leather that I like to work with, but it was just plain luck to have found the right size.

There is, however, at least one possible solution to the problem that is reasonably inexpensive. Jeremiah Watt offers a line of western edgers that are reasonably priced at $45US for a full set of five sizes. http://www.ranch2arena.com/hsbtqctools.html ... They are also available from weaver leather supply, although I did not see the full set on their website. They aren't pretty, with a plastic handle and interchangeable blades, but certainly affordable!

Nigel Armitage recently reviewed these favorably in a video on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liakL3TyPA0

These are probably going to be my next new tool purchase .. Sometime in the not-too-distant future. When I get 'em ... I'll report back. If anybody else has them already, let us know what you find!

Bill

I bought a couple of the JW Quick Change edgers from Weaver recently and they really impressed me. I liked them so much I bought the rest of the set and now I have 5 sizes with spare blades for the cost of one traditional edger. They are sharp and cut great. I really don't care what it looks like as long as it works. I also bought the #3 for a friend to try and now he wants the rest of the set even though he has plenty of other older very good edgers. As far as sizing consistency overall I have no clue how to help you with that one.

[craftsman827]

THANKS TO ALL THE LEATHER PEOPLE. YOU HAVE ENLIGHTENED ME, & ANSWERED MY QUESTION 100 %.

GREAT ANSWERS !

[TinkerTailor]

It is interesting to note how Bruce Johnson lists the sizes of his vintage tools. This one is a scant #2, while that one is a heavy one. Apparently the old tools varied greatly between brands as far as sizing and number, but also within the same model.. I notice it more in the edge creasers on his site, but it does show up in the beveler listings.

[craftsman827]

I think the reason is that they are vintage, (old) so they have been sharpened numerous times.

Every time you sharpen, some tools get larger , the U shape where it comes in contact with the leather, gets wider after time.

I think that's why the difference. I may be wrong, Bruce may see this and answer.

The creasers, I don't know . I don't know if you sharpen a creaser . I do polish mine , once in a while.

[bruce johnson]

The general rule of thumb in the old edge Gomph, HF Osborne, and CSOsbornes edge bevelers was each size number = 1/16 inch of cutting edge. realize that when these tools were made horses were transportation - harness was the primary use and saddlery second so they were mostly used on heavier leather. The finer sizes were not used much. Most of the edgers follow that sizing general guideline fairly close. Some of the European and other makers varied a bit. As was mentioned above - improper sharpening can change the profile or width of some styles of edgers. Bisonettes are notorious for that, Use something too wide for the size and you can make a wider hole and change the size, Gomph and HF Osborne are no more, and CS Osborne has sacrificed some old tried and true patterns for ease and lower cost of manufacture. The modern CS Osbornes can be pretty different than the older equivalents.

French edgers were also sized at the each number =1/16 of cutting edge for the most part. Again some individual tool variation and a bit of variation between the other makers.

Creasers - Took me a while to figure the sizing there! After a few hundred the light came on. Each size number = 1/32" . Gomph and the Osbornes made a smaller size range from 1-5 in 1/32" increments. One in a while you will find a #6 that is 6/32". Then they both made a larger size range that Gomph called a large round creaser and Osborne called a layer creaser. To slightly complicate things they again numbered them #1 to #6. The large range #1 started at 6/32" and went up in 1/32" increments. As found creasers can sure vary. The creasing edge will round and wear over time and use. Some sharpened them for a nice fine crisp line and others are rounded for a bolder line according to preference I can and do try to bring them back to the spec size with bits of the proper radius to regrind the groove and then polish them.

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks for that info Bruce, it will definitely help when looking at tools.

I have this ability to find leather tools in the screwdriver bin at pawn shops, usually beat up and dirty/rusty but the steel is good. Nowhere near nice enough to sell, but for a dollar or three and a half hour with a dremel i usually have a nice quality usable tool. Got 3 of my edgers that way, at different times and different pawn shops. Just found a rusty but perfect, and straight Starrett 92 scratch compass for 5 bux that will take the osborne scratch tips from the 34. It looks like a better made, and sturdier 9" version of the 34. I bet starrett may have even made that compass for cso, or licensed the leg design at some time. My 92 is from the teens or earlier. Quick buff and 2 drops of oil on the hinge, good to go. Points look never sharpened.

Edited January 17, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[JLSleather]

Just ordered a set of the JW interchangeable head edgers. At that price, no reason to sharpen 'em... just pitch and replace!