Cutting shoulders straight in quicker time

[RockyAussie]

Please see attached pictures of how I am presently straightening up these 70 shoulders. I have to do this reasonably straight to next feed into the strap cutter and then split all to 2mm thick. Presently I am scribe cutting with the back of a pointy boot making knife and following this with the curved knife. This helps to keep my curve knife sharper longer due to it barely touching the cutting surface. I polish sharpen it once in this lot.The time to straighten this lot has just taken me 105 minutes(1.5min per). This time is to take of the trolley, straighten as shown and put onto another trolley. Any ideas appreciated and possibly rewarded.

Edited July 1, 2016 by RockyAussie
Clearer wording

[bikermutt07]

If you did all that in less than an hour and a half, you sir are a work horse.

I'm looking forward to seeing someone's idea of how to do it faster.

[RockyAussie]

Hi Bikermut07 All I did was straighten the edges of the 70 shoulders, not cut up and into strips or split yet.The time btw is 1 and 3/4 hours so far. I am getting close to 60 now and maybe getting slower and time as I get older gets more precious and I.d rather have me feet up and a stubby that much sooner.

[Colt W Knight]

Ive been wanting to make myself a head knife to try this style of leather cutting. Currently, I use a straight edge and a utility knife.  

[JLSleather]

70 shoulders.... so yer talkin' like 850 sq ft.... er.. I mean -- 80 meters to you.

That gonna be enough to keep you busy all week?

 

 

[MADMAX22]

There was a thread a long while back where someone made a basically 2x4 board clamp and had a utility knife that he sliced down the hide. I have been thinking of how I would make one. 

Was thinking probably the easiest homemade one is a straight board clamp/vise setup on my work table, then make a draw knife (not sure of nomenclature but the straight blade with a handle on each end) with a thin blade. 

[plinkercases]

What are you doing with all those 2mm thick straps if I can ask? and how thick are the side to start with?

[MADMAX22]

Basically what I am thinking of making is a table clamp like this picture but instead of on the side have it on top of the bench running the full length of the bench so you could slide the hide under it and bring out the edge you want to trim. 

 

Then make a thin one of this style blade that you could draw down just over the clamp. 

I think this method would be pretty quick and easy once it is setup. 

The only issue I could forsee is that the length of the clamp may not hold the middle portion well enough. 

Edited July 1, 2016 by MADMAX22

[JLSleather]

2mm roughly 5 oz .... about right for covering with salty croc?

[billybopp]

I have a Logan 60" matt cutter that I have found works very nicely for straightening the initial edge for strap cutting.  It's extremely easy to use, and big enough to nearly do most double-shoulders.  Any remainder that doesn't fit on the cutter is pretty easily extended by a hand cut.  It can do a vertical cut, or 45 degree bevel as needed.  It also does a nice job of cutting photographic matts, as it was designed to do.

Bill 

[JLSleather]

What type of strap cutter?  IN teh interest of time, some folks seem to prefer just running it through the strap cutter, letting that first piece go where it wants

 

[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, JLSleather said:

70 shoulders.... so yer talkin' like 850 sq ft.... er.. I mean -- 80 meters to you.

That gonna be enough to keep you busy all week?

Hi JLS thanks for time. I was wrong in description it is 70 single buts I see on the delivery docket.(676.5 sq" if you can ever believe a tannery measurement.) The rest of the job should take about 8 hours maybe but I'll let you know.

 

 

 

[RockyAussie]

7 hours ago, JLSleather said:

What type of strap cutter?  IN teh interest of time, some folks seem to prefer just running it through the strap cutter, letting that first piece go where it wants

 

The strap cutter is just an old Merkle and is limited to only 5x38mm cuts at a time. The buts are quite stiff and need to be cut first to get them to pack well at the finish. Once split they have to be packed of and sent up to my main competitor in the belt area that is. For my own belts I mostly use a stiff chrome due to the softer feel and resistance to shrinkage. In flight to America the Veg loses an inch+ in length, something that near drove me mad to start with.

[RockyAussie]

9 hours ago, plinkercases said:

What are you doing with all those 2mm thick straps if I can ask? and how thick are the side to start with?

They are 3mm approx to start with and are backing for the crocodile hornback belt products. See picture

[RockyAussie]

9 hours ago, MADMAX22 said:

Basically what I am thinking of making is a table clamp like this picture but instead of on the side have it on top of the bench running the full length of the bench so you could slide the hide under it and bring out the edge you want to trim. 

 

Then make a thin one of this style blade that you could draw down just over the clamp. 

I think this method would be pretty quick and easy once it is setup. 

The only issue I could forsee is that the length of the clamp may not hold the middle portion well enough. 

Thanks for your efforts MADMAX22. Something along this idea may be of some help. If perhaps I were to hinge the steel at 1 end and foot lift it at the other at midway or something.Something to mull over and thanks again for your trouble.

[JLSleather]

It LOSES an inch?  Wait.. what?   Purdy sure when my wife came from NZ she GAINED an inch

 

[RockyAussie]

8 hours ago, billybopp said:

I have a Logan 60" matt cutter that I have found works very nicely for straightening the initial edge for strap cutting.  It's extremely easy to use, and big enough to nearly do most double-shoulders.  Any remainder that doesn't fit on the cutter is pretty easily extended by a hand cut.  It can do a vertical cut, or 45 degree bevel as needed.  It also does a nice job of cutting photographic matts, as it was designed to do.

Bill 

Thanks for that Billybop it looks interesting. Is it possible to getting a picture of how you use it?I think it looks a bit light on for a lot of this type of work.

[RockyAussie]

4 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

It LOSES an inch?  Wait.. what?   Purdy sure when my wife came from NZ she GAINED an inch

 

Ha Ha not saying anything in particular but you gotta watch them Kiwi,s mate.

[RockyAussie]

On 02/07/2016 at 0:17 PM, RockyAussie said:

 

$25 au Reward for the best useful answer. I have finished cutting and splitting these 949 strips of 38mm veg.Time taken close on 11 hours. WHAT other than dress belt fillers can I do with the of cut splits which average 1.6 to 2mm thick? Average length over 1.4 meters. At present I have already way to much and its going to the tip unless some one wants it or someone can think of some useful way I can use it.

[dirkba]

Hi RockyAussie,

The off cuts could be used for bird hunters game carriers or simple belt key rings.

 

 

 

[Colt W Knight]

You could always get into that kinky sex harness/whip stuff. I mean, it is already black.

 

[RockyAussie]

8 hours ago, dirkba said:

Hi RockyAussie,

The off cuts could be used for bird hunters game carriers or simple belt key rings.

 

 

 

Thanks dirkba, I have never met any body in Australia doing bird hunting, mostly around here you have either roo shooters or pig hunters. As for the key rings what I am trying to find a use for is the split off the back and I dont think that would look much good.Thanks for your efforts though and nice work by the way

[RockyAussie]

6 hours ago, Colt W Knight said:

You could always get into that kinky sex harness/whip stuff. I mean, it is already black.

 

What sort of designs could you do, do you think? I am not toooo sure what the wife would do if she got her hands on any of this stuff, she can hurt pretty bad without any extra help I recon.

[JLSleather]

If you got fellers stout enough to carry a pig on that strap, he don't need no gun -- just whoop the pig and make him walk to the house. 

I was gonna suggest THE best idea what to do with it is send it to Jeff, but since I don't know what I'd do with it either (and the fillin' station don't take AU yen - or whatever you folks got over there) that's maybe not plan A

 

[plinkercases]

How about rough and tumble belts? throw a liner on it or braid them like the examples here? Sure its not "suede" but.... shame to throw out all that material that's already paid for from the first product.