Skiving/splitting wickett 3mm leather

[JeannieH]

Hi. I have a consew dcs s4. I need to split some 3 mm wicket and Craig bridle leather to use for stamping my logo and making the holders for my d rings on a purse. Will this machine do this? If so, what adjustments do I need to make? I tried it and the leather only moves a little then stops. 

[Bigfoote]

That machine is for skiving, I think you need a splitter, I think we need a little more info on exactly what you are doing.

 

[JeannieH]

Ok. Yes I know it is for skiving..that’s what I use it for normally. But I want to use the bridle leather I have for my strap...as trimming too. So I need a front label to stamp my logo on, two pieces to attach my o rings. I believe it is 3mm. So my pieces will only be about 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch wide.

currently it’s way too thick to do the trimmings. I have a skiving knife, but that’s not working out. I don’t have a manual splitter. All I have is the skiving machine.

[AdamPCain]

If there only 3/4 if an inch go buy a paint scraper razor blade. Its about 4 inches long at any Home Depot. Prop it up with a couple washers to at the end if a table and clamp it so it wont move. And use it like a regular splitter. I know this is a permanent fix but it works well I have split some hard leathers. I made a jig so it is sturdy.

[AdamPCain]

Put the leather under the blade before you clamp it or you wont be able to get it under. When i can i will post a picture, and leave enough on one side so you can pull it with pliers or your hand.

[JeannieH]

Ok yes please load a picture when you can. Thanks!

[Sonydaze]

I have the same Consew skiver.  It can skive/split up to 2" wide.  For wider items, you can do more than one pass.  Having the machine well sharpened and properly adjusted makes a large difference on how well it works.  If you do a search, you should find some threads on how to properly set up these skivers.

 

You don't say how thin you are trying to go, but you can reliably take strap leather down to garment leather thickness.  If the strap leather is too thick or too hard, you may have to skive it twice to get it down to where you want.

[JeannieH]

Sonydaze im trying to get to 2-3 mm. I was wrong..it is 5 mm now. I just tried something. I dipped a piece of scrap in water then blotted it off..leather glides through now. So now I will play around and keep skiving until I get it thin enough. I saw something online about casing leather..so I thought maybe a quick dip would help..it did lol.

[JeannieH]

Now it won’t move the leather..tried a 1 inch width piece. My knife was just sharpened yesterday so that is not an issue. Are there other adjustments I can try? I have the piece that rolls close as possible to the bell blade..the blade is close to the foot...what else?

[AdamPCain]

Not my video but the same idea

 

[JeannieH]

Ok thanks that gives me some ideas!

[Nuttish]

Thick and stiff leather is more difficult to split or skive than thinner softer leather. It requires a very sharp knife, clean emery or steel feed roll, higher feed roll spring tension balanced with the distance between the bell knife and leading edge of the presser foot, and correctly setting the curvature of the presser foot to be concentric with the bell knife.

If your piece is getting stuck, your knife is too dull, there's not enough tension on the feed roll spring, or your knife is too close, or a combination. I'd start by making sure your knife is actually sharp. If you take a corner of any leather and dip it against the running knife it should cut with no drag.

I'll post a walkthrough with pics of skiving and splitting thicker leather on a similar machine if you want.

[Sonydaze]

Wet leather may not be a good idea for your skiver.  It can cause rust and some leathers will release chemicals that are not metal friendly.

Reading this thread may help:  http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/73087-skiving-machine-woes/

[JeannieH]

10 hours ago, Nuttish said:

Thick and stiff leather is more difficult to split or skive than thinner softer leather. It requires a very sharp knife, clean emery or steel feed roll, higher feed roll spring tension balanced with the distance between the bell knife and leading edge of the presser foot, and correctly setting the curvature of the presser foot to be concentric with the bell knife.

If your piece is getting stuck, your knife is too dull, there's not enough tension on the feed roll spring, or your knife is too close, or a combination. I'd start by making sure your knife is actually sharp. If you take a corner of any leather and dip it against the running knife it should cut with no drag.

I'll post a walkthrough with pics of skiving and splitting thicker leather on a similar machine if you want.

Ok I will check those things. Yes please post pics for me!

8 hours ago, Sonydaze said:

Wet leather may not be a good idea for your skiver.  It can cause rust and some leathers will release chemicals that are not metal friendly.

Reading this thread may help:  http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/73087-skiving-machine-woes/

Ok thanks. I won’t try wetting it anymore. Checking out that thread now!

[AdamPCain]

Here is another good video 

 

[JeannieH]

On 4/26/2018 at 8:29 PM, AdamPCain said:

Here is another good video 

 

Thanks! I’ve actually seen this video before a while ago. It does work. I will try it again on the WC.