Edge Bevelers

[Steve75]

What type and brand edge bevelers are you guys using?  I am currently using Tandy Keen Edge Bevelers and have found they are not user friendly when beveling a corner or a tight radius.  Any insight given is appreciated.  

[bikermutt07]

I use a craftool pro and a few others depending on thickness of piece.

Have you sharpened it?

I sharpen mine like this.

Bevel the edge and rub stropping compound on the edge. Then just run your beveller backwards over it several times.

Hope this helps.

[TonyRV2]

Are you wetting the edge before beveling?  That, as well as a well stropped tool should help.

[bikermutt07]

You should wet before you bevel? That's the first I've heard of that.

Thanks.

Should I be wetting before I sand as well?

Edited September 10, 2016 by bikermutt07

[TonyRV2]

Just like tooling, it makes the leather softer and easier to cut.  You don't want to soak the leather, I just use a spray bottle and spritz it.  I should point out that I do knife sheaths and work with 8 or 9 ounce veg tan leather.   I suppose like many other things it becomes a matter of preference.  ymmv

As far as sanding, I think you want to just leave the edges dry for that and then of course wet it down with something like trag or saddle soap for burnishing.

Edited September 10, 2016 by TonyRV2

[bikermutt07]

Thanks. Only 8 a.m. and I already learned something new today.

[zuludog]

I use a Tandy Craftool Edge Beveller number 3 on mostly 3 to 3,5mm veg tan leather. If I was using thinner leather more often I would probably get a No 1 or No 2. This is how I sharpen it

Strop the outside curve on my strop used for all my knives & tools. I use a home made strop and Veritas Green compound, O5M08.01

Then I fix the beveller at a suitable angle in a bench vice with soft jaws ; load about 18"/45cm of my normal sewing thread -  18/3 linen - with the same honing compound, and pull the loaded thread through the beveller 3 or 4 times - from the handle towards the tip. Then clean up the end of the tool with a thin cloth

This is more or less the same as the method shown in this video - www.how to sharpen an edge beveller by scarou 022. It's in French but simple enough to follow

this is good - www.sharpening an edge beveller by AK Workshops

If you use an edge beveller that has a groove or guide on the undersurface, ie the outside curve, this video is good - www.how to sharpen an edge beveller by lb custom knives

Besides these there are several other related videos; the more you watch, the more you learn.

So far I've only used my beveller on dry leather, but on the strength of this thread I'll try dampened leather in future

[YinTx]

I have been using the Tandy edge beveler, but I have not been very happy with it since it just makes a squared off edge now with two corners to sand smooth.  I came across these other two bevelers in the pile of old tools I had bought, but they are in pretty rough shape.  My impression, right or wrong, is that these will cut a rounded corner, instead of a chamfered bevel.  But one appears to have been cut through on the business edge, likely by oversharpening with a rouge loaded thread, and the other is pitted pretty bad.  My question is, can these be saved, or do I have to go get another $40 tool for each weight of leather I work with?  and if these don't cut a rounded edge, can someone tell me what will?  Thanks much!

 

 

 

 

 

YinTx

[gmace99]

 

My edge strip is a dixons as is most of my tools

Edited September 10, 2016 by gmace99

[Red Cent]

He needs to get that translated to English

 

I draw my cheap Tandy bevelers (3 & 4) across 1000 grit on a board  a couple of times. On the other side of the board is another strip of 1000 with red rouge smeared on it. I push the beveler through the rouge, with some downward pressure, around 4-6 times and wipe off. Cuts great. Bianchi would not be pleased, though. You can hear the beveler cut the leather.