Advice on a skiving tool please

[Leahlovesleather]

I want to buy a skiver.  I am using a safety beveller from Tandy and want something that is not disposable and holds its sharpness longer.  Hobby Tools in Australia have this wood knife https://www.hobbytools.com.au/kirschen-carving-knive-with-long-wide-blade-skewed-edge/. Does anyone think it would be good for skiving?  Has anyone used a ceramic blade?  Sounds like they stay sharp longer but take a lot of effort to sharpen. Any thoughts welcome.

[Instinctive]

I have a similar knife that is meant to be a wood carving knife. It is Japanese steel and razor sharp (with honing). Cuts leather like butter. Assuming the steel is good, it is worth a try. You might want to look to see if there is a specialty store that focuses on high quality wood working tools. They may have higher quality tools for only marginally more money. I paid $32 CDN for mine.

[garypl]

I use a Japanese marking knife to skive - it's about 1/2" wide and is as sharp as a scalpel.  I bought it years ago in Japan for woodworking - suppose you could buy something similar at any good woodworking tool supplier.

[Leahlovesleather]

Thank you for the comments.  I found one locally, similar to garypl's and will have a look at it today.

Cheers,

Leah

[Leahlovesleather]

 

This is what I bought.  The angle is very strep but I an gring that out a bit over time. Similar Japanese metal to yours garypl.

[Mark842]

I use a head knife for skiving. I've used knives with blades shape as the one you show and they work good if the blade is good. A lot of it depends on what you are skiving and how wide you need to the skive to be. For most things I've found a good head knife to be more versatile for this as you can do wide and thin skives were as the knife your looking at will only give you a path as wide as the blade.

[Leahlovesleather]

I'm uprised you could understand a bloody word I said!  I have turned auto text off in my settings, and I am starting to think it was a mistake.  Head knives might be something I invest in later on.  They look a bit scary. 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Leahlovesleather

[garypl]

2 hours ago, Leahlovesleather said:

 

 

This is what I bought.  The angle is very strep but I an gring that out a bit over time. Similar Japanese metal to yours garypl.

Did you try to post a picture?  I don't see what type knife you bought.

1 hour ago, Mark842 said:

I use a head knife for skiving. I've used knives with blades shape as the one you show and they work good if the blade is good. A lot of it depends on what you are skiving and how wide you need to the skive to be. For most things I've found a good head knife to be more versatile for this as you can do wide and thin skives were as the knife your looking at will only give you a path as wide as the blade.

You are right Mark - the thin blade I am using works best for small areas like wallet card holder edges.  Would definitely be more work trying to get an even skive on larger areas.  I have a round knife I bought from Tandy, but I need to sharpen it a lot more to get it to skive cleanly.  Been thinking about investing in a better quality knife.  What brand head knife do you use?

[Leahlovesleather]

Don't know what happened there.  I don't have a head knife as I have only been interested in leatherwork for a few months. , They look a bot serious for me at this early stage and from what i have learnt, you should invest in a good one.

This is the knife I bought: hopefully it loaded.

 

[Mark842]

9 hours ago, garypl said:

Did you try to post a picture?  I don't see what type knife you bought.

You are right Mark - the thin blade I am using works best for small areas like wallet card holder edges.  Would definitely be more work trying to get an even skive on larger areas.  I have a round knife I bought from Tandy, but I need to sharpen it a lot more to get it to skive cleanly.  Been thinking about investing in a better quality knife.  What brand head knife do you use?

I have an assortment of old ones..mostly osbornes. Just get yourself a good stone and practice sharpening it. Once you get a good edge it's easy to keep with regular maintenance.