clivel Report post Posted February 8, 2017 BikerMutt, Thanks for the suggestion, I have contacted Jeremiah Watt who replied with a very useful email on the care and sharpening of these tools. I feel that his reply would be useful to others, so I have emailed him for permission to include it in this thread. Clive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dangerous Beans Report post Posted February 8, 2017 On 07/02/2017 at 0:27 AM, clivel said: Just getting started in leather work I first spent some time devouring youtube videos which is where I came across Nigel's review of these edgers. Being reasonably priced they looked ideal for a beginner so I ordered a set in late November. My first opportunity to try the edgers was a few weeks ago when I made my first item a wallet. I struggled to get a decent edges, but put it down to poor technique and thought not much further about it. Getting ready for my next project I decided to spend some time trying to get a decent edge on the leather, but I just can't seem to get the edgers to cut. I don't have a great selection of leather to experiment with right now, just some 1.6mm veg tan, I have tried both the size 0 and size 1 blades on it and all they seem to do is skirt across the surface of the leather, rounding it but not cutting. Watching Nigel's video it all seems so easy so I am wondering if it is the tools, the leather or me. I am not keen to send them back until I have tried another edger to make sure it is the tools, especially as it involves international shipping. So I was looking for ideas or a recommendation for another reasonably priced edger I could try? Thanks, Clive 1.6mm could be a little ambitious for this tool Clive, the tool will likely foul the board before the blade engages the leather properly. Try placing the leather onto something else to raise if off the board a little and try it again. Or perhaps simpler, try a thick piece of leather. You see me use this tool on 3mm and 4.5mm thick leather in the video. To get a good bevel, the leather need to be thick enough and stiff enough to take the cut. Certain leathers that are just too thin or soft to be beveled well. Once you have tried that you will know if the tool needs replacing. Nige Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clivel Report post Posted February 9, 2017 Hi Nigel, Thanks very much for the advice. I didn't have too much success raising the leather, even though I made sure that the blade was fully engaged with the edge, it still didn't cut well. I suspect though that it really is just a matter of sharpening the blades in accordance with Jeremiah's instructions. I will also try some thicker leather as you suggest. Thanks, Clive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChriJ Report post Posted February 9, 2017 What was his method of sharpening them? Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clivel Report post Posted February 9, 2017 (edited) 8 hours ago, ChriJ said: What was his method of sharpening them? Chris I asked Jeremiah for permission to repost his email to me here, he hasn't yet responded, but I can't see that he would have any objections to me posting his sharpening instructions, so here is what he wrote: So lets get started with the inevitable maintenance of any and all cutting tools, no matter who makes them. I would have to guess that there are small burrs on the top side of the tool. ( top side of these tools is that side looking back at you during use. Lets begin with a sort of daily maintenance schedule for edgers on the bench. Sharp tools need to be stropped or another term may be polished. So, I keep a small strip of board on my bench with assorted leather strips glued down on top the board. Each leather strip changes in its width and height with different radius over the top, which faces you when its being used. I charge or load each strip with a high polish type compound, something like a red rouge or a white diamond compound. By holding the edger in its “too be used” position, dragging it backwards along the top of the strip that best matches the radius of the bottom of the tool you will be honing/polishing those internal cutting edges.Think about having a second board and strips, but on this one we charge each strip with a powdered grit of say 600 grit, we would use this for more material removal/sharpening, followed by the board above used to polish that final cutting edge.Now any time that you are sharpening and or honing a tool, there will be a tiny wire burr forms on the upper edge of the tool- that’s the edge facing you remember.So now, use the honing board, turn the tool upside down and drag that upper crook and cutting edge of the tool side ways along the largest radius strip- this will wipe off that tiny wire burr. You should be ready to go after that.Charge your boards every month or so too keep them fresh and doing their job. I strop/hone my edgers some everyday, just like my knives.If you are edging wet or damp leathers, when done wipe those tools off, keep them dry. Veg tan leathers have a certain degree of acidity in them, however minor, it will micro etch those fragile cutting edges making you struggle even harder. Edited February 9, 2017 by clivel removed the double line spacing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigfoote Report post Posted February 20, 2017 On 12/30/2016 at 3:13 AM, JLSleather said: On 1/8/2017 at 1:38 PM, bikermutt07 said: On 1/2/2017 at 8:27 AM, Sonydaze said: On 12/31/2016 at 11:36 AM, YinTx said: Hey guys, just received a new set of blades from Mr and Mrs Watt. Very kind of them. I haven't given them a real major test, but can tell you I was able to edge a couple belts without sharpening. That's is about 4 times better than the first set I had. They tell me they are still in development so things should get better. All I can say is they stand behind their product and so far the new blades are an improvement over the original set I had. Garry. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted February 20, 2017 Glad to hear it, Gary. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted March 28, 2017 I traded a few cordial emails with JW, and they requested I return the tools for them to do some hardness testing. No indication they would replace, just that they would get to the bottom of it. For me, if I have to send it back, I wont have a tool in the shop, so I'll have to purchase something else. I replied as such, but have not heard back for a few weeks. We'll see. YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
