HELP how do I split 6 inch wide pieces of leather

[jennifer1962]

Hi there, Im from Oregon, but am working overseas, trying to get a small leather company up and running to help my two disabled adult children income

 

I thought I was almost at the finish line to split my veg tan leather to sew pockets for my traveler's notebooks, so...and I ordered a Tandy leather splitter, which cost me an arm and a leg to ship overseas, and found that it seems to be only for  thin pieces of leather,  because when we tried to put our five inch wide piece through, it was so hard to get it through that we have to pull so hard and it stretches the leather:( 

 

Im so lost... it sees like i bought the wrong tool.  

Edited March 27, 2019 by jennifer1962
wanted to show the leather

[RockyAussie]

Others may say different but 5" wide veg can be difficult to get right with even a bandknife splitter of which I have 2 types. I would be shocked if the machine you have could do anything reliable wider than 2" unless fairly soft and with enough thickness. A bell knife skiver could do it with multiple passes or if that is to expensive yet a sanding machine may be an answer.Multi tool sander and adaptions for dust extraction and leather thinning.pdf

[Dwight]

THE key, Jennifer, . . . that blade has to be polished, . . . polished sharp, . . . and if you have never done it, . . . it takes a good effort to get the technique down.

This video shows one way to do it:  

 

 The sharper your blade is, . . . the easier it is to cut the leather.

ALSO, . . . give the leather a light coat of neatsfoot oil 24 to 36 hours before you start to cut it, . . . THAT will greatly improve your cutting.

A useful tool is a pair of hand metal seamer tool.  Harbor freight has them:  

6 in. Straight Jaw Sheet Metal Seamer

Pittsburgh®- Item#98728

 

That tool will help you pull the leather thru, . . . and use a bit of a side to side motion, . . . so you are cutting one corner, . . . then the next, . . . back and forth.

It can be done, . . . and again, . . . you need that blade to be scary sharp, . . . and be careful.  Once you get it up there polished and really sharp, . . . you can nick yourself with it, . . . and you won't even notice it until you see the blood all over.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[Danne]

You have four different alternatives here (Depending on the thickness you want)

1. Crank splitter At least 1000 euro. With a sharp blade you can split veg tan down to 0.5mm 

2. Skiving machine Around 1000euro for a Chinese machine. The primary use for this machine is to thin down edges, but you can split leather in sections, but it requires practice.

3. Band knife splitter. A used old machine 2-3000euro (Requires VERY good mechanical skills, since they are very finicky) A new machine is around 12000euro.

4. Send leather to someone who split it for you and you can get it as thin as you want. (Depending on accessories to the machine, but at least down to 0.5mm)

With the width, you are going to split I think #4 is the best affordable solution. Where are you located?

[beaulama]

5 hours ago, jennifer1962 said:

Hi there, Im from Oregon, but am working overseas, trying to get a small leather company up and running to help my two disabled adult children income

 

I thought I was almost at the finish line to split my veg tan leather to sew pockets for my traveler's notebooks, so...and I ordered a Tandy leather splitter, which cost me an arm and a leg to ship overseas, and found that it seems to be only for  thin pieces of leather,  because when we tried to put our five inch wide piece through, it was so hard to get it through that we have to pull so hard and it stretches the leather:( 

 

Im so lost... it sees like i bought the wrong tool.  

Hello Jennifer, I have the same splitter machine and obviously met this problem. I have not a miraculous solution for you, but the best sharpenned your blade is the easier it will be.

Anyway, this machine is made to split vegetable tanned leather in a smaller width than the blade is. You can try after sharpen your blade like a straight razor with japanese wet stone and strop to pull with two pairs of solid clamp one in each hand, perhaps it will works.

But, you must consider that the part of leather you take with clamps is lost because the leather will be marked with them.

The solution of multiple passes in a skiving machine is a possibility if you have one but the presser foot will mark the grain side of your leather.

In conclusion, the best way is to find a saddler with an electric splitting machine who accept to split your leather. In France leather suppliers have this machine and accept against a little sum of money to do that for you, then you will have a very nice piece of leather in the thickness you want, perhaps is it a good way for you.

Good searchand excuse my poor english, Alain.

[jennifer1962]

wow! so many ideas and options, thank you so much, we are very new to this field, we have a vision, but we are kind of like the blind leading the blind. 

4 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Others may say different but 5" wide veg can be difficult to get right with even a bandknife splitter of which I have 2 types. I would be shocked if the machine you have could do anything reliable wider than 2" unless fairly soft and with enough thickness. A bell knife skiver could do it with multiple passes or if that is to expensive yet a sanding machine may be an answer.Multi tool sander and adaptions for dust extraction and leather thinning.pdf

That's very good information, i really thought I only had to buy a splitter as wide as the leather.  Also I didn't know that thickness made a difference. THank hou

[jennifer1962]

Yes, sharpening knives is very scary, but  the idea of neats foot conditioner and the 

6 in. Straight Jaw Sheet Metal Seamer  is a great idea.

Thank you so much:)

[jennifer1962]

22 minutes ago, Danne said:

You have four different alternatives here (Depending on the thickness you want)

1. Crank splitter At least 1000 euro. With a sharp blade you can split veg tan down to 0.5mm 

2. Skiving machine Around 1000euro for a Chinese machine. The primary use for this machine is to thin down edges, but you can split leather in sections, but it requires practice.

3. Band knife splitter. A used old machine 2-3000euro (Requires VERY good mechanical skills, since they are very finicky) A new machine is around 12000euro.

4. Send leather to someone who split it for you and you can get it as thin as you want. (Depending on accessories to the machine, but at least down to 0.5mm)

With the width, you are going to split I think #4 is the best affordable solution. Where are you located?

Wow that sounds expensive and im worried about not having anyone to sharpen it where we are  

And there isn't anyone on this side of the world who splits leather.  Our concern is that we need to use the same cow for the pockets, because the dye changes soooo much between cows.  And the pockets need to match.  

 

Thanks so much

[jennifer1962]

you all have been amazing, I'm going to try and see if the tool helps pulling it through along with the conditioner (not sure which side to put the conditioner on) I really had no idea this tool was for small strips.

 

One day if we have enough money we can get a crank splitter, BuT who would be able to sharpen it for us , we are in the middle of nowhere, and if it dulls???

[jennifer1962]

46 minutes ago, Dwight said:

THE key, Jennifer, . . . that blade has to be polished, . . . polished sharp, . . . and if you have never done it, . . . it takes a good effort to get the technique down.

This video shows one way to do it:  

 

 The sharper your blade is, . . . the easier it is to cut the leather.

ALSO, . . . give the leather a light coat of neatsfoot oil 24 to 36 hours before you start to cut it, . . . THAT will greatly improve your cutting.

A useful tool is a pair of hand metal seamer tool.  Harbor freight has them:  

6 in. Straight Jaw Sheet Metal Seamer

Pittsburgh®- Item#98728

 

That tool will help you pull the leather thru, . . . and use a bit of a side to side motion, . . . so you are cutting one corner, . . . then the next, . . . back and forth.

It can be done, . . . and again, . . . you need that blade to be scary sharp, . . . and be careful.  Once you get it up there polished and really sharp, . . . you can nick yourself with it, . . . and you won't even notice it until you see the blood all over.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

1

 

Hi i just ordered the tool you spoke about, thank you so much, we don't have much upper body strength, this should help.

 

Again thank sooo much

God Bless you too

[bikermutt07]

You will need to learn to sharpen. That is one of the many techniques needed for leather work.

Get yourself some sheets of glass, quartz or granite.

Then aquire some PSA backed sand paper, some varied grits of PSA backed lapping film, and make a leather strop.

I just recently split 8ozs of very hard and dense bridle just under 8 inches wide on my heritage 8 inch splitter.

You need to allow for some stretching so over cut your pieces. 

Get those pliers mentioned above and get that blade super duper sharp. Watch videos on scary sharp.

It can be done. I only have the 3 inch pliers. And it was still a bit of work.

[Matt S]

4 hours ago, Danne said:

You have four different alternatives here (Depending on the thickness you want)

1. Crank splitter At least 1000 euro. With a sharp blade you can split veg tan down to 0.5mm 

2. Skiving machine Around 1000euro for a Chinese machine. The primary use for this machine is to thin down edges, but you can split leather in sections, but it requires practice.

3. Band knife splitter. A used old machine 2-3000euro (Requires VERY good mechanical skills, since they are very finicky) A new machine is around 12000euro.

4. Send leather to someone who split it for you and you can get it as thin as you want. (Depending on accessories to the machine, but at least down to 0.5mm)

With the width, you are going to split I think #4 is the best affordable solution. Where are you located?

I have or have had every one of these tools and completely agree with your assessment. Band-knife splitters are the dog's danglers, absolutely knock the tar out of all the other options for almost all situations but they're big, expensive, finnicky and heavy.

8 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Others may say different but 5" wide veg can be difficult to get right with even a bandknife splitter of which I have 2 types. I would be shocked if the machine you have could do anything reliable wider than 2" unless fairly soft and with enough thickness. A bell knife skiver could do it with multiple passes or if that is to expensive yet a sanding machine may be an answer.Multi tool sander and adaptions for dust extraction and leather thinning.pdf

Absolutely agree. I have split 4" wide wallet backs down to 1.2mm from 4mm English bridle using a pull skiver but I wouldn't recommend it. Probably ruined more leather than I successfully split.

10 hours ago, jennifer1962 said:

Hi there, Im from Oregon, but am working overseas, trying to get a small leather company up and running to help my two disabled adult children income

 

I thought I was almost at the finish line to split my veg tan leather to sew pockets for my traveler's notebooks, so...and I ordered a Tandy leather splitter, which cost me an arm and a leg to ship overseas, and found that it seems to be only for  thin pieces of leather,  because when we tried to put our five inch wide piece through, it was so hard to get it through that we have to pull so hard and it stretches the leather:( 

 

Im so lost... it sees like i bought the wrong tool.  

Jennifer, may I ask where you are currently located? We have a worldwide membership on this forum and one of us may know of someone near to you who offers a splitting service but doesn't advertise. It's not necessarily the wrong tool, it can work for what you want but it's not ideal.

4 hours ago, jennifer1962 said:

That's very good information, i really thought I only had to buy a splitter as wide as the leather.  Also I didn't know that thickness made a difference.

I get annoyed when manufacturers call these machines splitters for exactly this reason. IMHO these tools are lap skivers -- ideal for thinning down the foldbacks on leather straps, good for straps up to 2". Okay for levelling straps. Not much good for splitting wide pieces of leather.

4 hours ago, jennifer1962 said:

you all have been amazing, I'm going to try and see if the tool helps pulling it through along with the conditioner (not sure which side to put the conditioner on) I really had no idea this tool was for small strips.

One day if we have enough money we can get a crank splitter, BuT who would be able to sharpen it for us , we are in the middle of nowhere, and if it dulls???

I'm sure you can learn to sharpen these simple blades, really not too difficult. However a lot of skiver/splitter manufacturers allow you to buy extra blades so you can use the spare while you send the other out for sharpening. Sometimes the original manufacturer will sharpen it for a small fee, sometimes you have to send it to a specialist sharpening service.

4 hours ago, jennifer1962 said:

Hi i just ordered the tool you spoke about, thank you so much, we don't have much upper body strength, this should help.

Those sheet-metal pliers will really help you grab the leather. As I mentioned above I used to split 4" stiff bridle leather from 4mm down to 1.2mm (I think that's 10oz down to 3oz) with a pull-skiver and pliers like those really helped. Had to put my boot against the bench and pull with a lot of power though and probably ruined more leather than I successfully split.

[jennifer1962]

thanks for the photos and explanation

We are putting out foot against the bench too.

 

Thanks

[beaulama]

hello Jennifer, I have found a video on youtube , here is the link

You can see how a professionnal splitter works. This one is in Paris France I suppose you have in the USA some machines like this. As you can see it makes a big difference with a manual splitter but the price of the machine is not the same the work result is perfect.

Here is a link with a leather crafter (Erick Deneken)  who can make this work for a low price, but he is, as me in France.

But it may be an opportunity. contact@esprit-cuir.fr

Alain.

He is a very competent and kind man and surely answer to your wishes but

[beaulama]

here is a video of the splitter machine of Erick

 

[YinTx]

I would never attempt to pull that wide of a strap through such a small splitter.  The amount of force required would be significant, and put a lot of strain on the equipment and yourself, increasing the chance of an injury, damage to equipment, or the leather.  You need something that is powered, like mentioned in previous posts.  Also wider, that is designed for large pieces of leather such as you are working with.  One option for you could also be the Cowboy 8020 hand crank splitter, Techsew SP-20, etc.

Alternatively, you could just order your leather in multiple weights and accept the natural nature of the beast, that colors will always be slightly different.  Considering even pieces coming from the same side of leather will take dye different, particularly if you have been pulling and stretching and smashing it through a little splitter, this shouldn't seem a bad option at all, imho.

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

3 hours ago, YinTx said:

I would never attempt to pull that wide of a strap through such a small splitter.  The amount of force required would be significant, and put a lot of strain on the equipment and yourself, increasing the chance of an injury, damage to equipment, or the leather.  You need something that is powered, like mentioned in previous posts.  Also wider, that is designed for large pieces of leather such as you are working with.  One option for you could also be the Cowboy 8020 hand crank splitter, Techsew SP-20, etc.

Alternatively, you could just order your leather in multiple weights and accept the natural nature of the beast, that colors will always be slightly different.  Considering even pieces coming from the same side of leather will take dye different, particularly if you have been pulling and stretching and smashing it through a little splitter, this shouldn't seem a bad option at all, imho.

YinTx

Y, I didn't have to put my foot on the bench. I just kind of did a skewing motion back and forth. But, take note, that blade was really really sharp. 

I wouldn't have attempted it otherwise.

[YinTx]

On 3/27/2019 at 8:27 AM, Dwight said:

This video shows one way to do it:  

 

Basic concepts are there, process makes me a bit nervous (sharpening an ax with flip flops?  I presume this guy never ever dropped a thing in his life, or doesn't value his toes) and please don't check for sharpness by shaving your arm hairs.  If it is sharp enough, it'll shave more than the hair, and you'll be getting yourself some stitches.

YinTx