What's your favorite skiving tool?

[strathmoredesigns]

Ok, so I'll admit it. Skiving is not my strong point and I haven't invested a ton of time in getting better at it, but I know I need to. I have invested a little money bouncing between tools/ideas though. So far I have Tandy's Super Skiver and their Saftey Beveler. I also have sandpaper disks for my dremel and a small trimming plane, but nothing's really clicked yet. I watch videos and people make it look easy and I attempt it and I'm either tearing up my project or like barely taking anything off. I was sort of most hopeful that I'd be able to master the Safety Beveler and so I brought it to a tooling class the other week. Well, imagine my surprise when the instructor told me I was using it the wrong way (I was skiving away from myself) and then gasped and said "Oh, you're left-handed!"  No one told me the tool was right-handed and I never realized it! I spent the rest of the class trying to use it with my right-hand and cursing Tandy's lack of labeling. 

I came home determined to find a left-handed Safety Beveler. Needless to say, I've found some lovely metallic colored ones, but no left-handed versions. I did however see more videos of people using knives and other tools to effortlessly and perfectly skive their edges. So, I figured I'd ask you guys. If you were going to invest the time in mastering one skiving tool, what would your go to be?

[bermudahwin]

Standard English Paring Knife.

Its what I have used since 1983. Same knife too.

[zuludog]

Similar to hwinbermuda

I have a home made kiridashi - cum - english paring knife; made from a piece of 25mm wide industrial hacksaw blade. I'm sure you could find someone to make something similar, otherwise Search the Net for 'kiridashi' and 'leather paring knife'

George Barnsley was a traditional tool maker in Sheffield, England. They ceased trading years ago, but their old stock is still available from www.gandmtools.co.uk. Look through their website, they have various skiving  & paring knives, including a George Barnsley 10" L/H Paring knife, for £15  = $19-70

Search YouTube to see how they are used

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by zuludog

[terrymac]

For a skiver that won't break the bank is the one Lisa Sorrel sells.  It comes sharp and the key to any skiver is keeping it sharp.  Lisa advertises on this site or she used to

Hope this helps

Terry

[zuludog]

I also use a Japanese style leather knife for both cutting and some skiving. Once you've got the hang of it there's no problem with the asymmetric blade. Again, Search YouTube to see how they're used

www.goodsjapan.com sell left handed versions, so the bevel of the cutting edge is on the correct side for left handers

Whatever you settle on, you'll need to keep it absolutely razor sharp

[D28]

I use a Stohlman and an Osborne English paring knife. I have most of the other blade types as well but rarely use them.

I feather edge of books with them and feel that I have more control than the razor blade types. They just need to be super sharp.....

Edited March 5, 2019 by D28

[bikermutt07]

This thread got me motivated.....

So, I just ordered one from Lisa Sorrell.

[Aven]

1+  on Lisa's skiving knives. 

I have both sizes even though I find myself grabbing the smaller one most of the time, I'm glad I got the larger one as well.  Keeping them sharp has been easy, just strop them. Easy to use too, but if you dig through Lisa's youtube videos, she does one on skiving that is worth the watch if you struggle with skiving.

[Sheilajeanne]

I just watched the video of the safety beveler. And you know what...it reminds me of the parer I use for paring vegetables! Hm...wonder if that would work? My aunt was left-handed, so her parer was wicked sharp on the right side, and right-handed people couldn't get it to pare for them at all. 

The more you use them the sharper the blade gets. My mom managed to amputate a very large piece of her baby finger while peeling potatoes one night! :D

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/store/product/rsvp-endurance-reg-vegetable-peeler/1046705327?skuId=46705327&&enginename=google&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand__&adpos=1o1&creative=259324461247&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=46705327CA&mrkgadid=612922151&mrkgcl=610&rkg_id=0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoNWQvZbq4AIVAbjACh1uKwfmEAkYASABEgITivD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[YinTx]

I use a variety of knives for skiving, it really depends on the situation.  And as I get used to certain tools, I begin to use them more.  For instance, I hadn't really used the safety skiver I have, but when I learned to properly sharpen the blade, it became really useful.  But I'm not so good with the super skiver I have.  For some instances, the round knife does wonders for me.  I have a Barnsley paring/skiving knife, sometimes it works well, sometimes I have to use something different.  Also, my splitter works great for lap skiving belts/straps etc.

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

7 hours ago, Aven said:

1+  on Lisa's skiving knives. 

I have both sizes even though I find myself grabbing the smaller one most of the time, I'm glad I got the larger one as well.  Keeping them sharp has been easy, just strop them. Easy to use too, but if you dig through Lisa's youtube videos, she does one on skiving that is worth the watch if you struggle with skiving.

Dangit, I read somewhere that if you could only get one, get the big one.

So, I didn't order the small one. Maybe next time.

[bermudahwin]

For my bookbinding, where I pare paper for repairs, as well as leather, I use a reclaimed hacksaw blade, ground to mimic the English Paring knife. loads of control, in a smaller tall.

So a ground down large hacksaw blade would work as a more normal sized one.

Harry

[bikermutt07]

7 hours ago, Aven said:

1+  on Lisa's skiving knives. 

I have both sizes even though I find myself grabbing the smaller one most of the time, I'm glad I got the larger one as well.  Keeping them sharp has been easy, just strop them. Easy to use too, but if you dig through Lisa's youtube videos, she does one on skiving that is worth the watch if you struggle with skiving.

And here is that video.... Google tracking and algorithms working for the good for once.

Found myself on YouTube this morning and Lisa's video was front and center after searching for skiving knives last night.

 

[Danne]

Some people who struggle with skiving blames the tool. (I did too) A better skiving knife won't give you better results. (Maybe your first projects if it's sharpened.)

Is it hard to skive edges? Yes with a dull knife it's impossible to get good results.

I have two Japanese skiving knives from Kyoshin Elle (cost around 40usd/knife) and one china knife (cost 2usd) Both Japenese and Chinese knife work good, the downside with the Chinese knife is that it won't hold an edge very good.

I wouldn't say I'm good at sharpening knives, but I can get them really sharp after a lot of practice.

[GRod]

 

15 minutes ago, Danne said:

Some people who struggle with skiving blames the tool.

I recently received my skiving knife from GoodsJapan.  I've been practicing and getting very mixed results with it. 

However, I have no illusions about the source of my problems.  It's all on me.

It arrived nicely sharp, but I spent a fair bit of time stropping.  It could be sharper, but I've been afraid to take the sandpaper to it because I don't want to screw up what's already a pretty good edge. 

[Danne]

18 minutes ago, GRod said:

 

I recently received my skiving knife from GoodsJapan.  I've been practicing and getting very mixed results with it. 

However, I have no illusions about the source of my problems.  It's all on me.

It arrived nicely sharp, but I spent a fair bit of time stropping.  It could be sharper, but I've been afraid to take the sandpaper to it because I don't want to screw up what's already a pretty good edge. 

I have a solution for this, it's not a professional way to do this, but it works.

My guide is two small pieces of a cutting mat. A better choice would be something with a little lower friction. Maybe you have one of those small glass burnishers in combination with something to get the right height. 

I use wet & dry sandpaper, it sticks to my granite plate if wet. (In my picture the sandpaper is dry, just took the picture to show) I hold my sandpaper with my left index finger and my guide with my thumb.

Something like 1000 - 2000 - 4000 grit and you have a nice edge. 

If your guide gives you a small secondary bevel it's okay, and it's quicker to sharpen your knife.

 

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Danne

[bikermutt07]

Speaking of all this I finally broke down my heritage splitter this morning to finally sharpen and strop the blade. I haven't had the blade off until now.

 

I am looking forward to seeing what it will accomplish after a good sharpening.

[GRod]

3 hours ago, Danne said:

My guide is two small pieces of a cutting mat

That's a good idea for a guide.  I don't trust myself to keep the same bevel on the edge, so I'll have to look around at what I have available to see if I can devise something helpful.  I think my knife is nearly sharp enough, but not quite so , because I feel like it takes just *a little* too much effort to skive (but it does cut leather to shape & size quite nicely - hence my fear of messing up a good thing). 

Stropping alone doesn't seem to be getting me where I want to be, but I only have up to 800 grit wet/dry paper on hand.  I need to find some finer grit.  I will move on to a set of diamond stones at some point, but I feel like I need to learn how to sharpen my stuff before I drop real money on something like that.

Edited March 5, 2019 by GRod
typo

[Danne]

3 minutes ago, GRod said:

That's a good idea for a guide.  I don't trust myself to keep the same bevel on the edge, so I'll have to look around at what I have available to see if I can devise something helpful.  I think my knife is nearly sharp enough, but not quite so , because I feel like it takes just *a little* too much effort to skive (but it does cut leather to shape & size quite nicely - hence my fear of messing up a good thing). 

Stropping alone doesn't seem to be getting me where I want to be, but I only have up to 800 grit wet/dry paper on hand.  I need to find some finer grit.  I will move on to a set of diamond stones at some point, but I feel like I need to learn how to sharpen my stuff before I drop real money on something like that.

Or maybe something like this? https://www.etsy.com/listing/225648750/skiving-knife-sharpener-toolleather

I'm planning to buy something similar and three stones. One SK11 150-600 (For restoring edges) and two Shapton Kuromaku 1000 and 5000 Cry once?

[GRod]

26 minutes ago, Danne said:

Or maybe something like this? https://www.etsy.com/listing/225648750/skiving-knife-sharpener-toolleather

I already own something similar for my wood chisels, but i'm not convinced it can hold my skiving knife blade as securely as needed.  This is similar to what I have, but significantly more worn: https://www.amazon.com/ATLIN-Honing-Guide-Chisels-Planer/dp/B07C9X3F98

27 minutes ago, Danne said:

I'm planning to buy something similar and three stones. One SK11 150-600 (For restoring edges) and two Shapton Kuromaku 1000 and 5000 Cry once? 

My head is already so full of new leather knowledge that I can't even sort out the sharpening tools. Brands, grits, materials...  ugh.  It will sting when I actually spend the money, though I know I'll be glad once I do. That much I already know. 

[Danne]

8 minutes ago, GRod said:

I already own something similar for my wood chisels, but i'm not convinced it can hold my skiving knife blade as securely as needed.  This is similar to what I have, but significantly more worn: https://www.amazon.com/ATLIN-Honing-Guide-Chisels-Planer/dp/B07C9X3F98

My head is already so full of new leather knowledge that I can't even sort out the sharpening tools. Brands, grits, materials...  ugh.  It will sting when I actually spend the money, though I know I'll be glad once I do. That much I already know. 

 

The tools you have is not going to work on most skiving knives. Your wood chisels have straight edges, most skiving knives don't. 

Your tool clamps the edges, the tool from Etsy clamp on the flat surface of the blade.

 

Regarding the grits, it's not that important in my opinion. If I sharpen my skiving knife with 1000 - 2000 - 2500 I can skive my edges without a problem, but if I go higher in grits it's less friction when I skive.

"My head is already so full of new leather knowledge that I can't even sort out the sharpening tools"

Yes I can see that in your profile picture :D

Edited March 5, 2019 by Danne

[GRod]

52 minutes ago, Danne said:

Yes I can see that in your profile picture :D

[bermudahwin]

1 hour ago, Danne said:

Yes I can see that in your profile picture :D

Bill the cat is far more (oh so much more) confused than GRod's queries show him to be...

[Aven]

14 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Dangit, I read somewhere that if you could only get one, get the big one.

So, I didn't order the small one. Maybe next time.

I did the same thing, ordered the big one first.  When I got around to getting the smaller one, I didn't go "Where have you been all my life?!?"  I just found myself reaching for it more often.  It may or may not mean anything, but I don't have large hands. I can do an octave on the piano, but it is a hard stretch.  I've also have arthritis in both my thumbs, so maybe that  1/4" makes a difference in comfort, I don't know.  I try not to think about anything but where the knife point is when I'm skiving.  But I do use the larger one often enough to want keep it around. So.... you might find that the larger one is all you really do need.

In another one of her videos, Lisa shows how she does all the skiving for the inlay/overlays she does on the boot uppers.  Of course she makes it look so easy, after how many years of doing it?  But she uses a marble lazy-susan to work on that really seems to make it easier, more efficient.  So now I look for a marble lazy-susan every time we good into Value Village.  Worst case, I don't use it for skiving and put tool stands on it instead.

[Lapoxby]

On 3/4/2019 at 5:05 PM, terrymac said:

For a skiver that won't break the bank is the one Lisa Sorrel sells.  It comes sharp and the key to any skiver is keeping it sharp.  Lisa advertises on this site or she used to

Hope this helps

Terry

Thanks I hadn't looked at her site she had the exact knives I've been looking for. I had a pair took them to be professionally sharpened. They screwed the knives up so bad. That when I took them to the guy who does my dad's clipper blades he told me there was nothing that could be done. I've been looking forever for them.