Skiving without skiver

[Shorts]

I'm putting together a belt for a friend (birthday gift due on the 9th!). I am using 7/8oz veg tan Herman Oak as it is what I have available. I would like to glue two pieces together for a smooth inside and outside, and have a good reason to stitch it. It is for a fashion belt rather than a gun belt. So I need to half my leather but I have no skiver or splitter.

What can I use (tool wise) in order to thin down the straps? I have those thin bladed exactos but they wear very quick and keeping the blade straight in order to split a strap is kind of tedious. Is that just what I'm going to have to work with in order to get this done?

Suggestions?

Or should I just go for a single layer belt without stitches? I'm afraid if I go no stitches that the belt will get all stretched and floppy much sooner than if it were stitched. Am I being irrational here?

Edited December 28, 2008 by Shorts

[Ian]

Boy, I wouldnt even attempt to split with an exacto. Do you have any other thinner leather you can put on the back? And, you don't need a liner to edge stitch your belt, you can stitch a single layer too.

[Rawhide]

You can use a head knife or a french edger. (lot of work for the french edger though)

[TwinOaks]

It sounds like you're wanting to split the belt leather, not skive it. If there's a way to make a jig for the head knife I guess that might work, but you really need a splitter for this - how's your wood working skills?

I think you should just smooth the flesh, and stitch up a single thickness.

[barra]

A workable home made splitter can be made by cutting a tapered notch in a block of wood. The notch needs to be wider than what you intend to split. Mount a blade that is wider than the notch on top. by sliding the blade along the notch from the shallowest to deepest end you can adjust the thickness of your split. You then need to work out how to screw/clamp your blade at various positions along the tapered block. Crude but it works.

Barra

[Shorts]

Yup, trying to split. Sorry for the incorrect terminology there.

Stitching a single layer feels like a waste to me. I mean, I can do it, it just feels odd not stitching one piece to another

Barra, thanks for the idea. The hardware store across the street stocks lots of tools for woodworking (we're in Japan). I may be able to find a tool that works. I know they've got plenty of blades and such, I've gone through there often for various projects.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Shorts

[Bree]

If you are really intent on doing this and can't lay your hands on a splitter, you could take some sandpaper on a drill press sanding drum and sand it off. Best to have a nice gum rubber sandpaper cleaner because you will block up the paper doing that much removal. Plus make sure that you have a good dust collection system because you will kick up a lot of leather dust. But you could certainly take the blanks down to size with a drum sander.

Best thing is to ask someone of they will split the blanks for you with a real splitter. Otherwise you can get all the goodies you need at Harbor Freight on the cheap.

[Shorts]

Thanks Bree. I don't have a drum sander or HF (I'm in Japan right now). But the idea is sound and I can get my hands on some hand held sanders (they might work). I totally hear you on the dust. I keep masks on hand Sanding dry leather is crazy!

Instead of 'the black lung' (from 'Zoolander' movie) I'm going to get 'the brown lung'

[HorsehairBraider]

If there is a hardware store across the street, see if they have a hand planer. You could turn one of those upside down and it might work for splitting. In case of any confusion, I mean one like on this page, 4th one down.

[Shorts]

Ohh yes - excellent! They do have hand planes there, I've him-hawed about buying one before as a backup tool for something but never did since "I didn't need it". Well, now I can need it!

[Timbo]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with stitching a single thickness for decoration and to keep it from stretching. Get the flesh side all cleaned up and slicked then cut a stitching groove on the back the same as you do on the front....then stitch away.

I've done lots of belts this way with heavier leather than the 7-8 oz you are using. And actually I wouldn't have a problem lining the 7-8 oz with up to 4 oz lining leather, but 2-3 oz would be best...........but that's just me.

Without an actual splitter it will be very hard to keep it a completely consistent thickness.

Just my .02, ymmv.

Tim

[steveh]

If you want to line the belt, I would reccommend buying some liner material, kip or some 2 to 3 oz strap leather.

[Shorts]

Hey folks....I'm in Japan. Belt is to be presented on the 9th of Jan and came about at the Christmas shindig. It's a bit of a last minute request. So I'm on a deadline with this one. Ideally I have several weights of leather on hand in a nice roomy shop. But unfortunately not possibly right now

I can get the belt finished up quick. It's the stitching that takes me several days as I do all my stitching by hand.

I appreciate all the suggestions. They will definitely come in handy. I'm moving back to the States at the end of the month and I will finally have my workroom and supplies closer at hand and better setup Thanks yall!

Edited December 29, 2008 by Shorts

[Vaquero]

Hey Short, The best idea you got was from Timbo. I've also stitched many single layer belts, spur straps, etc. just for decoration. If you're in a big hurry and don't have a splitter, you don't have much choice.

Phil Green

Wild Horse Saddlery

[Shorts]

Thanks Phil - I'm going to take that advice from Timbo

What will work out wonderfully is that the stitching will stay white and remain contrast for the belt color (a brown to match her boots).

It is much quicker to stitch a single layer than it is to stitch double.

And I'm also going to take this quick order as a lesson to be better prepared for the future! How this order came up was I was wearing my belt to a party. You know, a great way to advertise is to use your stuff. Well, a friend asked about it. Then asked if I'd make one for a mutual friend of ours. She even wants a few for her sons and husband (after our move though) lol

Edited December 30, 2008 by Shorts

[sheathmaker]

Here's an old man's perspective. You're in Japan....7/8 oz leather is all you have (that's your biggest problem).

!. See if you can find anything remotely close to a shoe repair shop. If so they might have a hand crank splitter or a 5 way. Take that 7/8 oz down to about 2/3 then glue up the 7/8 to the 2/3 and you have a decent weight for a belt. or..............................................................................

.................

2. Make a single ply 7/8 oz. belt which in my opinion is too light for a belt, but if it is to be a fashion dress belt it might be okay. I would not stitch it if it was me. Hand stitching is way to corse for a really dressy belt. It would need tp not heavier than #69 thread and about 10 stitches to the inch minimum.......so my vote for a good looking belt would be NO STITCH. or......................................................................

3. Talk the customer into waiting until you get home where you can do it right and then mail it to them.

Hope everything works out for you.

Paul

Edited December 30, 2008 by sheathmaker

[Shorts]

Interesting ideas Paul. I know a few shoe repair shops. Thank you.

The belt is a birthday gift for a friend from a friend. I'll make the deadline, it'll just make the time between now and then a little exciting

[Shorts]

The belt, my dremel and I spent some intimate time together last night. Let's just say, it was a messy affair ...lesson learned

I got the belt down lighter than 7/8oz and I'll be stitching the single layer next. (I thought that the lighter weight of a singled layer stitched belt would be less stiff and easier to wear casually. Or am I wrong and be better to stick with a straight 7/8oz singled layer stitched belt?)

Ok, moving to my next question about the dye and finish. I normally dye after stitching. And when I use white thread, the thread takes the dye. This time, I would like to keep the thread white. Would there be any harm in dyeing (and sealing?) the belt BEFORE stitching? I'm thinking that this will allow the thread to stay white for a nice contrast effect (I'm asking the customer tonight which she'd actually prefer for stitching color but I'm asking these questions now so that I'm ready to go to work asap).

Note: I'm doing a quick test sample of the above method to take tonight for inspection

Sorry for all the questions on the build. This is just really my first local order with friends for customers and I'm just trying to get everything just right. I hope I'm not overthinking things!

[TwinOaks]

Do all your stitch layout as you normally would, including awling the holes. That way, when you dye it, the holes will have the same color as the rest of the belt. Let dry, stitch it up, then seal it (presuming you're using a clear-ish sealer like Resolene), that way the thread gets sealed but not colored. I'll presume that you'll also want to smooth out the flesh side, so also do that before sealing.

You know all this, you've done it before, and gone through the process enough times to be comfortable with it. "You can do eeet!"

A word of caution: take breaks! Don't work so long on it that you get tired or inattentive and make a mistake. Take a five minute break and WRITE DOWN YOUR STEPS. Then just follow the instructions!

Seriously, don't let tiredness mess up your project. Stand up and stretch, walk around, go do a Kata. Do anything that gets you moving and loosened up, because the concentration efforts will turn into physical tension.

Edited December 31, 2008 by TwinOaks

[Shorts]

Thanks Mike You're right about the tension and concentrating and taking breaks. Many mistakes are avoidable!

Edit added -

Here's that process in the sample here. I used the single needle saddle stitch so its got that goofy tread pattern in the stitch holes from the angle of the thread instead of that normal consistent thread overlap.

Edited December 31, 2008 by Shorts

[esantoro]

I'm putting together a belt for a friend (birthday gift due on the 9th!). I am using 7/8oz veg tan Herman Oak as it is what I have available. I would like to glue two pieces together for a smooth inside and outside, and have a good reason to stitch it. It is for a fashion belt rather than a gun belt. So I need to half my leather but I have no skiver or splitter.

What can I use (tool wise) in order to thin down the straps? I have those thin bladed exactos but they wear very quick and keeping the blade straight in order to split a strap is kind of tedious. Is that just what I'm going to have to work with in order to get this done?

Suggestions?

Or should I just go for a single layer belt without stitches? I'm afraid if I go no stitches that the belt will get all stretched and floppy much sooner than if it were stitched. Am I being irrational here?

How well would a handheld electronic planer work at thinning down vegetable tanned leather?

Ed

[Shorts]

I'm not sure how well a handheld electric planer would work.

I took my sample last night and she wanted the thread to match the belt. No problemo. I'll be punching the stitch holes today and be starting the stitching.

Crazy enough, as I was showing the sample, one of the other girls asked if I'd make a gun belt for her husband for his birthday. So I picked up another order!

Edited January 1, 2009 by Shorts