Plough Gauge Bluz

[Mapacho]

G'day fellow leather workers. This will be my first post here although I have been snooping around here for a while. Learning what I can from the abundant knowledge held within this piece of cyberspace. So, I am into making sandals. Been struggling with cutting straps. So I splurged on a Dixon Plough Gauge. A beautiful specimen. Wow ... what a bit of engineering. Ready to throw out my Chinese made wanna-be draw gauge. But wait a minute ... I haven't yet figured out how to use the Dixon. Help!

I understand that you push it. But I'll be damned if I can get it to cut mustard. It seems sharp enough. I can't seem to find any videos with any old geezer pushing one of these beauties around. Cutting perfect straps with it. 100+ years on. Can one of you fine folk please lend a novice a hand?

Cheers!

[MADMAX22]

Depends on the leather. If its softer or thinner leather ya can get it started by pulling with a pair of pliers or such then set those aside and pull the strip or hold the strip while you push the blade thru. 

If its say 8oz vegtan you just grab the body of the leather and push the plow thru. 

These things need to be very sharp. I could make a vid of me using mine but it will be later. 

[Mapacho]

A video would be awesome! As time allows ... thanks MadMax. 

[MADMAX22]

gonna have to reedit the video, it mixed about 3 videos into one. Will have to do that later tonight. 

Edited September 6, 2016 by MADMAX22

[MADMAX22]

Try again later

Edited September 6, 2016 by MADMAX22

[MADMAX22]

On ‎9‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 1:29 AM, Mapacho said:

A video would be awesome! As time allows ... thanks MadMax. 

Not a great vid since I am not setup (no stand or anything). Anyhow here ya go.

 

[Mapacho]

That's great MadMax. Thanks heaps! (:

[impulse]

Sharpness of the blade is a key factor, but I have one more suggestion. Before feeding the leather into the gauge, manually cut the first inch or so. For a beginner it is sometimes useful to put the gauge in a vice and pull the leather through rather than pushing it. This enables you to use both hands in keeping the leather evenly against the fence of the gauge. For very heavy leather you may need pliers to get the cut started.

Hope this helps

Lois

[MADMAX22]

Yeah that would probably help. 

It is easier to cut a strip off of a side then the smaller pieces also. I didnt have any sides to cut but the thicker sides the weight of the leather usually keeps it pretty stable and cutting is easier ....... as long as the blade is sharp as you mentioned. 

[TinkerTailor]

45 minutes ago, impulse said:

Sharpness of the blade is a key factor, but I have one more suggestion. Before feeding the leather into the gauge, manually cut the first inch or so. For a beginner it is sometimes useful to put the gauge in a vice and pull the leather through rather than pushing it. This enables you to use both hands in keeping the leather evenly against the fence of the gauge. For very heavy leather you may need pliers to get the cut started.

Hope this helps

Lois

A leather knife can never be too sharp. My bench cutting knife cuts 8-10 oz veg with one pass, and with very little downward weight.

On the plow gauge, put a couple of layers of masking tape over the protruding unused sharp edge. The only thing it will cut up there is your hand.