What do you cut your leather on?

[afdfirefighter]

In the process of building a little leather shop. I am going to have a 30"x75" table that I will do my cutting on with a nice thick wood top. Wondering what kind of mats you guys are using or if there is another option out there to cut on that is readily available and cheap. Appreciate the help in advance. 

[battlemunky]

lol, I usually use the dining room table  

[afdfirefighter]

3 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

lol, I usually use the dining room table  

Lol didn't know if a 24" x 36" cutting mat was a good route or if there was something better maybe. 

[LatigoAmigo]

I have had very good luck with this "self-healing" mat that was on sale at our local Joann's Fabric store. Paid less than $30.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/17457806826926259896?lsf=seller:3122104,store:14381595720323684515&prds=oid:9319092586081852846&q=joanne's+fabric+cutting+mat&hl=en&ei=KUcUXJy3I43AtQWTmaTIBQ&lsft=gclid:EAIaIQobChMI4uHw1sag3wIVCJ7ACh2FfQhtEAQYASABEgK88PD_BwE

[afdfirefighter]

1 minute ago, LatigoAmigo said:

I have had very good luck with this "self-healing" mat that was on sale at our local Joann's Fabric store. Paid less than $30.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/17457806826926259896?lsf=seller:3122104,store:14381595720323684515&prds=oid:9319092586081852846&q=joanne's+fabric+cutting+mat&hl=en&ei=KUcUXJy3I43AtQWTmaTIBQ&lsft=gclid:EAIaIQobChMI4uHw1sag3wIVCJ7ACh2FfQhtEAQYASABEgK88PD_BwE

Something like this is exactly what I was thinking. Hoping to catch one on a great deal like you did!

[fredk]

I vary between an A0 sized self healing mat, or a scrap of hardboard/MDF.

For when I need to really press the knife down and maybe trim something its the self healing mat. For lighter cutting I use the MDF board. When that is scored too much It goes to recycling then a new one is bought. I give my MDF a coating or two of thinned PVA glue. I find that helps lengthen its life

[afdfirefighter]

3 minutes ago, fredk said:

I vary between an A0 sized self healing mat, or a scrap of hardboard/MDF.

For when I need to really press the knife down and maybe trim something its the self healing mat. For lighter cutting I use the MDF board. When that is scored too much It goes to recycling then a new one is bought. I give my MDF a coating or two of thinned PVA glue. I find that helps lengthen its life

How do you thin the pva glue? I like this idea for the cutting board part of my table

 

[fredk]

27 minutes ago, afdfirefighter said:

How do you thin the pva glue? . . .

Woodworker's PVA is water based so I just thin it down with water. No exact measure, its sort of PVA into a tub, add some water, stir well and paint on. I use PVA which is water proof when dry

[OnePivot]

I got an ebay self healing mat, which feels and cuts identical to the dramatically more expensive fiskar mat at the hobby store. It think it was 15 bucks for the 24x36. 

I wish I got one years ago! Its nice to cut on, but more importantly it has rulers on both axis. 

[bruce johnson]

I like the self healing mats for rotary cutters. High density polyethylene for knives. HDPE is hard enough to not let the edge dig in, but forgiving to an edge. The blade skates over it and doesn't dig in. That can be an issue with tight turns on softer plastic and mats. It is easy to twist the point off a round knife if the board is soft enough to let the blade dig in. I bought a 4x8 sheet and cut it down to fit my cutting table. I used it a good 8 or 9 years of hard use and it still was good. When I switched gears and concentrated on leather tools and not leatherwork per se, I cut it into smaller pieces to test knives in the tool shop and gave away a few pieces. My wife retired and first thing she did was kick me and the tools out of "her leather working shop". Second thing she did was to drive over to TAP plastics and have them cut a new piece of 3/8" HDPE to cover the cutting table again. 

[immiketoo]

What Bruce said.

[JerseyFirefighter]

13 hours ago, afdfirefighter said:

Something like this is exactly what I was thinking. Hoping to catch one on a great deal like you did!

Check for coupons. Craft stores like that usually have 20-40% off coupons regularly. 

[Aven]

16 hours ago, afdfirefighter said:

Something like this is exactly what I was thinking. Hoping to catch one on a great deal like you did!

 

2 hours ago, JerseyFirefighter said:

Check for coupons. Craft stores like that usually have 20-40% off coupons regularly. 

If you're eyeing Jo Ann's, give them your email and they will send you all their weekly, daily fliers.  You are more likely to score a good discount this way.

[Rockoboy]

There's a mob on Instagram called Mascon Leather who have a table that is 8ft X 4ft with a full size cutting mat, same as the self-healing mats already discussed. No problems with the mat not being big enough! I made a table, I wish I had the space.

[Mark842]

Yep, I'll be a third on what Bruce said adding I'll cut with my box cutter type knife on my self healing mat but not with my head knife for the reason he stated.

That being said I'm partial to the self healing mats that uline sells. I can get about 6 months out of an Olfa brand mat and about 2 years out the Uline mats.

https://www.uline.com/BL_1174/Self-Healing-Cutting-Mats?pricode=WU282&AdKeyword=uline cutting mat&AdMatchtype=e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxpGw0cek3wIVIx6tBh33Jwn7EAAYASAAEgLAVPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds