What's your favorite skiving tool?

[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.