Members SheltathaLore Posted December 25, 2017 Members Report Posted December 25, 2017 I have had one heck of a time skiving some regrettably stretchy pig lining. Aside from making sure my knives are as sharp as possible, are there any other tricks? Can I stabilize the leather in some fashion while I'm working on it? I tried putting some masking tape on the back, but it wasn't grippy enough, and I ended up with a lump skating right ahead of my knife that inevitably got cut into. Quote
bikermutt07 Posted December 25, 2017 Report Posted December 25, 2017 How thick is it? Most lining things I have seen weren't thick enough to need skiving. Maybe try a one sided layer of contact cement on a scrap piece? Just an idea. Quote I'm not paying 80 bucks for a belt!!! It's a strip of leather. How hard could it be? 4 years and 3 grand later.... I have a belt I can finally live with. Stitching is like gravy, it's only great if you make it every day. From Texas but in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Members SheltathaLore Posted December 25, 2017 Author Members Report Posted December 25, 2017 Relatively thick, for lining. It's also part of a turned edge, so reducing the bulk is good for getting a really crisp corner. You mean sticking it down to the glass? Sounds reasonable; I'll give it a try. Quote
bikermutt07 Posted December 26, 2017 Report Posted December 26, 2017 Yeah, just try a scrap and see if you can get it off the leather after it does or doesn't work. Maybe try rubber cement instead. Heck, I don't really know, just trying to put another set of eyes on it for ya. Merry Christmas Quote I'm not paying 80 bucks for a belt!!! It's a strip of leather. How hard could it be? 4 years and 3 grand later.... I have a belt I can finally live with. Stitching is like gravy, it's only great if you make it every day. From Texas but in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Members SheltathaLore Posted December 26, 2017 Author Members Report Posted December 26, 2017 No harm in giving it a try! Quote
Members flerg777 Posted December 28, 2017 Members Report Posted December 28, 2017 Let me know if that works! I'm like bikermutt07, I don't know, but I have an idea: I use a small 45 degree cut piece of wood for skiving the ends of pieces for box stitching. You set the piece on top of the leather, back just a bit, and bring your knife down against the wood, which forces it into a 45 degree cut. Regardless, good luck! Quote "Stuff is eaten by dogs, broken by family and friends, sanded down by the wind, frozen by the mountains, lost by the prairie, burnt off by the sun, washed away by the rain. So you are left with dogs, family, friends, sun, rain, wind, prairie and mountains. What more do you want?" Federico Calboli.
Members SheltathaLore Posted December 28, 2017 Author Members Report Posted December 28, 2017 I'll definitely keep you posted! I'm taking today off to let my fingers heal after I kept stabbing them with the needle yesterday, though >_> Quote
bikermutt07 Posted December 29, 2017 Report Posted December 29, 2017 14 hours ago, SheltathaLore said: I'll definitely keep you posted! I'm taking today off to let my fingers heal after I kept stabbing them with the needle yesterday, though >_> Any success? As for poking yourself.... I use a wine cork to back up the leather when stitching. That was the awl goes into the cork, not me. I'm not a fan of spilling my sissy juice. Quote I'm not paying 80 bucks for a belt!!! It's a strip of leather. How hard could it be? 4 years and 3 grand later.... I have a belt I can finally live with. Stitching is like gravy, it's only great if you make it every day. From Texas but in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Members Wedgetail Posted December 29, 2017 Members Report Posted December 29, 2017 (edited) Well I suck at skiving. Straight up... but one thing I have learned as I blunder through it myself, is it is as much about a sharp knife as it is about technique. Particularly when it comes to thin/stretchy leather, you want the knife to do the work for you; not your muscles... If you're the kind of person who pushes the knife along, then thin/stretchy leather is going to bunch up real easy and is going to tear out. Instead try just a gentle pressure and use the slicing motion of your knife to do the cutting for you. Always the slicing down and away so it cuts on the stretch and doesn't bunch up. If it stretches a lot, use less pressure, or try using a block of wood or a bone folder to weigh down the edge you're working toward (anything will do, just don't want to slice your fingers if you happen to slip!) Think a bit like cutting a soft tomato. If you just push your knife into it, it will cut it but it will also crush down. If you slide your knife forward as you gently push down, it will slice cleanly. also try to do it on a hard smooth surface. I don't have a good marble slab, so do my skiving on a smooth glass cutting board someone gave me as a Christmas gift in a cheese knife set... Can get one just like it for $5 at the shops. if you are doing all of that and it still won't work? *shrugs* I got nuthin'! Edited December 29, 2017 by Wedgetail Block of bond folder? Stupid autocorrect. Quote
Members SheltathaLore Posted December 29, 2017 Author Members Report Posted December 29, 2017 I only just got my first real knives and I'm still learning to sharpen them, so it really sounds like I might be missing something there. I guess it's time to go absorb another few hours of youtube videos on sharpening. Quote
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