Cobra Class 4 Skiver Help Needed

[venator]

Does anyone have a link to how to set-up, operate one of these? I bought one second hand and cannot seem to get it to skive, it either cuts right through the leather or does nothing at all and I'm getting frustrated. I've emailed cobra asking for instructions, or a manual, or a video, and received no response so if anyone could help I'd really appreciate it.

[Art]

No. Not much in the way of support for that machine. Here is Campbell demoing a Fortuna, best I could find. Call the Cobra folks, maybe they can help.

Art

[Cobra Steve]

Hello. Please call us, we can help you.

[venator]

Hello. Please call us, we can help you.

As I said I've tried emailing since I doubt my issue could be solved via telephone.

The machine is fine, it's just a learning issue and I'd do that best by watching instructional videos or reading instructions.

[venator]

Well I called and cobra is mailing me a manual, not sure why they don't respond to emails but that's very nice of them. It is a little disappointing that I won't be able to use the machine for another week or so until that arrives as I had some projects I wanted to get done this week that it would have been very handy for. Not their fault however that there's no manual with my used machine.

I don't suppose anyone has experience with these and could maybe talk me through using it as they weren't able to do that over the phone since the lovely lady didn't know how it worked. lol

[venator]

Also I suppose I should be more specific with my issue. When I attempt to skive only one of two things happens either the machine sucks the whole piece of leather through cutting the edge right off or the leather just slides across the top of the blade not skiving anything. There doesn't seem to be much of an in-between.

I'm using fairly soft leather (upholstery hide) and I've tried moving the presser foot up and down, I've tried moving the feeding wheel up and down, angling it etc etc and just can't seem to get it to do anything other than one of the two above things. Very frustrating and I'm sure it's user error as the guy I bought it from skived some very thin leather on it when I bought it to demo that it worked.

[Cobra Steve]

If you call and ask for Vince, he can help you. He is very good with Skivers and helping over the phone. Give him a try.

[venator]

I was told today that there was no-one there who could help. I'll just wait for the manual and see if I can figure it out myself. The good news is with my issue it doesn't really waste any leather as the damn knife doesn't ever cut it, the leather always just slides across the top.

Also yes, I've made sure the knife is sharp, ask my fingertips.

[machinehead]

Steve,

Thank You for providing an excellent example of your customer service. I commend you sir.

[dirtclod]

I just did a search putting in youtube skiving machine and the first movie was about setting a skiver up.