How can I adjust a cowboy bench spitter/skiver?

[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