want to make very thin leather lace

[AlD]

I want to make some real nice very thin leather lace. I have that razor stick-like thing. Its cool for thick lace, but difficult for me to start a thin lace. I would appreciate any suggested techniques. I saw a reference to a 2 step technique in here but didn't see the actual steps. (by the way, I'm as NewBie as one can get)

Thanks

[Beaverslayer]

Ald,

The lace maker your talking about, is it the black plastic one with the adjustable razor blade? If so, you have to put the blade in the closest to the center slot....Ah...I'll get my camera and take pics for you, it will be way easier if you see rather than read.

Ken

Okay, here goes.

First you have to cut a piece of leather into a circle with a circle cut out of the center as well. I make my circles 13" wide with a 2" cut out in the center. The one pictured is smaller for demo purposes.

Then Cut a small tail, going from left to right, with the grain side of the leather facing up. Make the tail about 3" to 4" long for ease of handling.

Determine the size you want by the space between the razor blade and the center hub of the lace cutter. For the smallest lace use the last slot with the blade placed closest to the center of the hub. Thread the tail into the slot, you may have to use a small pin to push it through...being careful as to not touch the razor with the pin. This will put a nick an the blade and make it very dificult to cut the lace.

Once you have the tail through the slot, place your index finger against the back of the hub, using a slight pressure to push the leather up from the cutting slot. Pull slowly and evenly on the tail until it starts to move freely. This will take a few pulls, as once the inner circle gets bigger you can pull on the lace much faster.

The more pressure you apply to the leather on the back of the hub while pulling will actually help to stretch the leather a bit, and the finished lace will be a bit smaller.

The finished lace. This lace measures 3/16".

To make such a small lace, you have to start with thin leather, this was made with 1.5oz garment hide. You also have to check the hair side of the leather for scars or viens that you can't really see on the grain side. Cut your circle from a clean un-scarred srea, as the scars will rip apart when you are pulling the lace through, and it gets very annoying, and your lace length will only be about a foot long.

A 13" circle will make about 140' of 1/8" or 75' or 1/4" lace, and is WAY WAY cheaper than buying a premade roll from the local leather supplier.

Hope this helps, any questions...please ask.

Ken

Edited July 21, 2007 by Beaverslayer

[Johanna]

Ken, do you mind if I put your explanation on its own page in the "Tips & Tricks" section? The pictures complement the explanation well.

Thanks,

Johanna

[Beaverslayer]

No Johanna, you can do that.

[SmilinJim]

Dang, it's amazing how well a good explanation and a few pictures work. I bought one of the plastic thingies last year and couldn't get the engine cranked. Been sittin in a drawer ever since. Got to try it again.

Thanks Beaverslayer for a great (tutorial ?) or whatever.

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[Beaverslayer]

Jim,

It takes a bit of practice to get it right, but once you do get the hang of it you can save a ton of money by making your own lace. The inportant thing is to make sure you don't have any scars on the piece you are trying to make lace with. They can drive you crazy and then it just ends up in the draw or in the garbage.

Ken

[AlD]

I really appreciate that tutorial. One quick question though. How do you usually cut that tail? I have so much trouble cutting that arc with a scissor.

Thanks again

[Beaverslayer]

Ald,

I cut it with scissors. I know it can be hard to cut that direction, if you flip the leather over, you can cut it to the right, but be sure you flip it back to run through the lace cutter.

Ken

[AlD]

Thanks again

[SmilinJim]

Okay Ken, about the practice part. I've got, ah well had, quite a few scrap pieces of leather of all kinds, retan, veg tan, chrome tan, upholstery, etc. Now I've got quite a bit of lace. Got any projects in mind?

But seriously, it does work and practice is needed, at least by me. How about beveling the edges? I've read about it but don't seem to pull straight enough to get it even. Any tips there?

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[Beaverslayer]

Jim,

If you have some that has an un-even edge, it is most likely only on the one edge, and one edge is straight. What I have done is re-pull the lace through with the un-even edge the one that gets cut by the razor. You will need a bit of practice on this as well, as you have to put index finger pressure on the lace so it follows the even cut side. When you pull the lace through, pull it so that you are putting pressure on the lace cutter core. Basically away from the razor edge.

I hope that you get the drift of what I'm saying.

As to projects....Where ya want to start???? I myself, lace everything, never use a sewing machine. My hats, belts, purses, vests, you name it, I lace it.

Ken

[candyleather]

Excellent tutorial! Thanks

[SmilinJim]

Ken, you put your foot in it.

I'm a hat person. I look dorky in a ball cap. Probably in a hat too, but heck, who cares. Got a hat project you don't mind sharing? I've had some ideas but that's as far as I got, oldtimers ya see.

Keep on Smilin

Jim

[Beaverslayer]

Jim,

If you PM me your snail mail address, I can send you a pattern or two of the hats I make, along with instructions.

I don't have a scanner so I can't do it that way.

Also, if anyone else is interested in hat patterns, and instructions...just PM me with your snail mail address, and I'll send them out.

Ken

[Chitin]

How does one cut 1/4" lace with one of these? Mine only seems to have two slots for the razor...

[Beaverslayer]

Chitin,

The cutter has two slots for the blade, and it also has 4 grooves for the leather to run through.

What you need to do is to place the razor in the furthest from the core slot, and use the second from the top groove. This should give you 1/4" lace.

Depending on how much tension you apply, will also determine the width of the lace to some degree.

But practice...practice...practice.

Ken

[braider]

I've used one of these lace cutters quite extensively so I'm going to add a couple of tips that I've learned about them.

I only use 1/4" laces for my work. Because of that I've filed the narrower slots larger - so I can use more of a single blade for 1/4" laces. Something else that I've done, to make those slots a bit smaller again, is wrap some thread around a slot.

Most often I use a Jerry's Stripper to cut laces. After doing that, I take the outside two uneven laces and run them through this lace cutter.

Sometimes I take a hammer and flatten the lace point out a bit to get it through this single lace cutter.

I hope this info is of use. ...Dave

[Gremlin]

One more tip for any type of lace cutter - always, always, always use sharp blades.

My fav lace cutter is the thumb held aussie lace cutter. It allows you to start the lace wide and narrow it as you cut. Excellent for cutting the lace to braid whips.