How can I adjust a cowboy bench spitter/skiver?

[ADDgirl]

I am about to lose my mind.

I recently purchased a cowboy bench splitter. The 800 model. It has been great as I've only been through the testing it out phase. I noticed it was slightly off one side to the other. (I've come to realize that my need for perfection should have lead me to obtaining a higher end model like the Osborne 84, but I digress) So for all intents and purposes.... this is what I have to work with. 

I attempted to even out the roller bar adjusting the nut on the opposite side of the handle. I seemed to have gotten it almost perfectly level with the blade. Here's my problem... it won't skive now!!!! It worked perfectly fine before I apparently jacked it up. So now my pieces are a bit closer to perfectly even, but the handle doesn't seem to have that little extra give at the end that allows for the skive. 

I have searched and searched and searched for info on this and have come up with nothing. I really hope someone out there can help me!☺️

[bikermutt07]

I'm not familiar with this one. But a feeler gauge could come in handy.

[SolarLeatherMachines]

Call me at the number below.  I'll see if I can help.  

[ADDgirl]

I don't see a number. 

[SolarLeatherMachines]

817-422-9151. 

It's in my signature.  

 

[Dwight]

You might take a look at this:  

It's a Tandy Splitter, . . . but it looks very similar.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[Dwight]

Also, . . . while I'm not a betting person, . . . I would be inclined to think that what you did was move the actual cutting edge forward.  That makes it really hard for the edge to pick up the cut.

Cutting tools like this are sometimes a pain to adjust, . . . you can move your blade up and down, . . . and forward and back, . . . all of which can have a profound impact on the way the machine cuts, . . . and even IF it cuts.

Check to see that the leading edge of the blade is behind top dead center of the roller, . . . not very far, . . . just behind.

May God bless,

Dwight

[bikermutt07]

2 hours ago, SolarLeatherMachines said:

817-422-9151. 

It's in my signature.  

 

I don't see it in your signature, either.

[Mark842]

I agree with Dwight. You probably moved the roller on its front to back plane. For the record, I own a bunch of splitters, many different brands. I've have never owned one no matter the make that had a blade so evenly honed that the spacing between the blade and roller was perfectly even across the entire edge. IMO its the nature of the beast and has never mattered to me as the widest items I skive on it are about 2-3" wide. I've never owned a Cowboy brand skiver  but I've used one on a friends bench and it was definitely a quality tool.

Mark

[Dwight]

Mine is the Tandy version, . . . widest part of the useable blade is just shy of 6 inches.

I've pulled 5 1/2 inch leather thru mine to make a special type holster.  

Key is keeping it sharp, . . . which I do.

Just wish I could get my regular knives that sharp.............

May God bless,

Dwight

[ADDgirl]

Thank you so much for all the help. It's been a while since I posted this, but i did end up resolving my problem. I forget what was actually wrong with it, but I think I was pulling the handle backwards as opposed to pushing it forward! Derrrrrrrr.

 

Anyhoo....... I ran into another problem. I have a belt I'm making (already running behind on it) and I tested the thickness, got it where I wanted it, put my belt in and pulled...... cut it right in HALF!!!! My throat still hurts from screaming. I messed around with it and thought I was in the twilight zone. There seemed to be NO WAY the leather could be cut thinner than my set depth. The more I tested the more I was in the twilight zone. THEN, I came here and reread the posts. Didn't think about the blade position. The roller bar can only go up and down, and the blade front to back. So I adjusted the blade forward a bit, still behind top dead center, and VOILA!!! I've tested so many pieces now, so I know I'm good. Just thought I'd mention this should anyone else need the info 

[bikermutt07]

My splitter is mounted low on an old nightstand. If I don't pull the leather downward it will slice it off everytime. 

I need to get around to building some benches.

[Matt S]

19 hours ago, ADDgirl said:

Thank you so much for all the help. It's been a while since I posted this, but i did end up resolving my problem. I forget what was actually wrong with it, but I think I was pulling the handle backwards as opposed to pushing it forward! Derrrrrrrr.

 

Anyhoo....... I ran into another problem. I have a belt I'm making (already running behind on it) and I tested the thickness, got it where I wanted it, put my belt in and pulled...... cut it right in HALF!!!! My throat still hurts from screaming. I messed around with it and thought I was in the twilight zone. There seemed to be NO WAY the leather could be cut thinner than my set depth. The more I tested the more I was in the twilight zone. THEN, I came here and reread the posts. Didn't think about the blade position. The roller bar can only go up and down, and the blade front to back. So I adjusted the blade forward a bit, still behind top dead center, and VOILA!!! I've tested so many pieces now, so I know I'm good. Just thought I'd mention this should anyone else need the info 

Yeah that'll happen. Apparently it's common on pull splitters. I split a bunch of belts and 4" strips for wallets with my Cowboy 800 but ruined a lot of leather too. So much that I just bought a 7" crank splitter... Night and day difference. Those little Cowboy bench units are really best for doing lap skives, and that's why I keep mine around. A single lap skive or maybe two and the knife is faster. Any more than that the Cowboy comes out.

[billybopp]

21 hours ago, ADDgirl said:

Thank you so much for all the help. It's been a while since I posted this, but i did end up resolving my problem. I forget what was actually wrong with it, but I think I was pulling the handle backwards as opposed to pushing it forward! Derrrrrrrr.

 

Anyhoo....... I ran into another problem. I have a belt I'm making (already running behind on it) and I tested the thickness, got it where I wanted it, put my belt in and pulled...... cut it right in HALF!!!! My throat still hurts from screaming. I messed around with it and thought I was in the twilight zone. There seemed to be NO WAY the leather could be cut thinner than my set depth. The more I tested the more I was in the twilight zone. THEN, I came here and reread the posts. Didn't think about the blade position. The roller bar can only go up and down, and the blade front to back. So I adjusted the blade forward a bit, still behind top dead center, and VOILA!!! I've tested so many pieces now, so I know I'm good. Just thought I'd mention this should anyone else need the info 

I run into the same problem with my little splitter, and have found that you need to pull downward a bit from the front, as Bikermutt mentioned, and also need to keep the leather down a bit from the back as it's feeding in.  I keep meaning to put a bar across the back of the splitter to do that but never seem to get around to it.  For now, I recruit an extra pair of hands.

Bill