Skiving Tools?

[rodneywt1180b]

I'm about to order some more leather and plan to get a skiving tool to go with it.  Primarily I want the skiver for doing turned edges on my cane handles.  Since I lack any skill in skiving I'm looking at these styles first instead of a traditional knife though I'm open to a traditional knife too.

http://springfieldleather.com/Skiver-Super

http://springfieldleather.com/Beveler-Safety

Both appear to use the same razor style blade. 

Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks,

Rodney

[TSes]

The safety style works real well. It is designed to only take small amounts off at a time. Lets you gradually work it to the shape you need.

[cowboycolonel]

I've tried both, and had several of each style.  The "super skiver" never worked for me, but I've run through many of the safety skivers.  I'd suggest you concentrate on that one.

[rodneywt1180b]

Looks like it's going to be the safety skiver then.

Thanks!

[Grumpymann]

Got a round knife awhile a go. And had 2 skivers sitting around as well. The skivers were KILLING me time wise, the round knife was scareing me. Long story short I will take 2 minutes hacking away with the round knife (and call it practice so I can get good one day) as apposed to 10 minutes and just being " good enough ". To me I need the practice and my costumers deserve more than "good enough".  IMHO try the option that will expand your skill and gives you more than a one use tool. YouTube and a strop can work wonders.  

Anyway you choose to go good luck.

[Mark842]

What kind of leather are you planning to use. In my experience both of these work fairly well with some practice on veg tan and stiff leather and not worth a darn on soft or leather that will stretch.

[Grumpymann]

1 hour ago, Mark842 said:

What kind of leather are you planning to use. In my experience both of these work fairly well with some practice on veg tan and stiff leather and not worth a darn on soft or leather that will stretch.

Wish someone would have told me this a long time ago!

[rodneywt1180b]

Soft stretchy leather to start. (Figures, right?)  The soft stretchy leather is actually an advantage for me for forming the leather around my handles.

  I already ordered the safety skiver.  It should be here soon along with some more leather and a few other odds and ends.  The plan is to have nice neat rolled edges at the ends and seams on my cane handles.  Unfinished edges on my leather work are one of the biggest and easiest issues for me to resolve.  I know that a round knife is more  versatile (almost like it was designed for leather work) but I also expect the learning curve to be much steeper. That's the main reason I didn't look at knives first.   The skiver will get me started quickly and with less risk of cutting through the leather in the wrong place.  I've also been following the current thread on skiving stretchy leather so I'm hoping that will help too.

[rodneywt1180b]

I thought I would follow up on this.  I bought the safety skiver,  C S Osborne #925 skife.

I had a chance to use it a bit.  Is it the end-all, be-all of tools?  No, and it won't fix my incompetence either, but it is a good tool for my needs.  I just need some more practice with it.   I'm working with smaller pieces of leather right now, say 6" square and under, and just skiving the edges of them for rolled edges and thinning the occasional strap end.  It works well for those jobs and the price was right so I'm pleased with it.

Thanks everyone for your help.