Skiving without a skiving knife? And Splitting with minimal tools?

[JC2019]

I've seen a video of people using a dremel  with a sand paper attachment but I'm wondering if I could use something else, maybe a wood working tool I may already own? 

 

I am okay with spending on tools but I don't want to buy every tool out there when I'm getting started & there is so many option and variations.

 

I also read of someone using a hand plane on leather which could serve for splitting leather to some extent?

 

Thank you

[Matt S]

The traditional Japanese skiving knife looks like a wide-bladed paring chisel so there's a good starting point. I used to use a 10a scalpel for small skiving, and have had some success using the wider type of snap-off utility knife.

Bookbinders have used spokeshaves to thin panels for a long time, though I think that use of the skill is declining since the band-knife splitter has come into more widespread use. @hwinbermuda would be worth contacting about that. I think that "heavier" leather trades used to use spokeshaves and such to level out and thin hides in the past but again that died out once tanneries acquired large splitters.

Oh and @RockyAussie has pictures of a belt sander he's modified to make a splitter/lap skiver of sorts.

[bermudahwin]

1 hour ago, Matt S said:

Bookbinders have used spokeshaves to thin panels for a long time, though I think that use of the skill is declining since the band-knife splitter has come into more widespread use. @hwinbermuda would be worth contacting about that.

There's me being quiet on the forum, too.

Yup, bookbinders use a modified spokeshave to pare leathers, and a right royal pain it can be, until you get used to it.

It is a key skill in hand bookbinding with leather, but also works for other leather jobs onto boards, such as boxes etc. It is a 'must have component' if you want bookbinding qualifications. So get a load of cheap skins and practice, and in a shorter time than you'd think afte your first disaster, you will be pleased with the results.

Guide to modifying the blade:

http://www.hewit.com/skin_deep/?volume=16&article=2 has a good aticle on modifying the blade,

The modification is so that the corners do not snag.

From Jeff Peachey's page ( https://jeffpeachey.com/2008/05/05/towards-a-type-study-of-stanley-151-spokeshaves/ )

HOW TO USE A SPOKESHAVE

First, some wise words from Burdett: “The use of the spokeshave demands confidence born of experience–sometimes bitter” (Burdett 1975, 173)  A few general observations:

1. The blade needs to be very sharp and only protrude a few thousands of an inch below the sole.
2. Make sure the blade is level, and not cutting deeper on one side.  Your skin can rapidly be ruined if this is the case.
3. The spokeshave needs to be in motion before it starts to cut the leather, sort of a swooping motion.
4. Hold it lightly with your fingers and thumb– you don’t need to have a death grip completly around each handle.
5. Keep the front edge of the spokeshave pressed flat on the leather.
6. Ordinarily the spokeshave moves fairly quickly.  Once the leather gets very thin it is advisable to go slowly to avoid tearing. Press down a little harder on the front of the spokeshave, and lighter on the blade.
7. If the blade starts to chatter, re-sharpen and make sure you have modified it correctly for leather.
8. If the leather keeps puckering in the mouth, and gets cut through, the mouth is too big and the blade needs to be shimmed from behind.
9. Be vigilant about cleaning bits of leather from under the leather–they can cause tears or an uneven thickness.
10. Skewing the blade in use, and approaching the leather from differing angles helps get a clean cut and not just skate across the surface.
11. Watching the color of the leather change is a good visual indication of the depth of the cut.  Folding the leather over on top of itself doubles any thickness discrepancies for quick identification of areas that need more work.
12. Goatskin is the easiest to spokeshave.  Calf and Tawed skin are more difficult.

 

Both Hewit in Scotland and Peachy in NY are great sources for tools too.

 

Harry

[dikman]

Fascinating stuff. I never knew a spokeshave could be used on leather (but I don't think I'll be modifying mine). As for using a normal wood plane, it's obvious that it won't cut it. (Sorry about that ).

[zuludog]

I can sympathise with not wanting to buy another tool, but in this case a proper tool would be the easiest solution, and need not be very expensive

Buy a cheap Japanese  leather knife and get it as sharp as you can. Search Google & Amazon for one; and YouTube for how to use it. It is a glorified chisel, and I've wondered if a broad wood chisel could be used to skive leather

You will need a hard, glossy surface to work on, like a ceramic tile, a sheet of glass

[arashikage]

Here's an old post of somebody doing something very similar. It can definitely be done. The hardest part may be determining the best angle of the blade.

 

[bermudahwin]

15 hours ago, dikman said:

but I don't think I'll be modifying mine

You can do it without modding it, but be aware the blade's corners may snag the leather, the modding only came about after years of normal spokeshaves.

I have seen people do it with a block plane, but have never tried it.

 

15 hours ago, zuludog said:

You will need a hard, glossy surface to work on, like a ceramic tile, a sheet of glass

I have two shiny ceramic tiles 40 cm sq x 1.2 cm high 'no more nails'ed togetherjust for this and some skiving jobs.

1 hour ago, arashikage said:

It can definitely be done.

Yes it can, if you want a parer, you need something firm, but good small edge skivers can be made with 1" or 1/2" hacksaw blades, with the sawtheeth ground down. Great for awkward internal corners etc.

[JC2019]

I ended up buying a skiving knife for now but I will wait on the splitter, those seem to all be quite pricey :(. Thanks all

[bermudahwin]

On 5/1/2019 at 3:46 PM, hwinbermuda said:

On 4/30/2019 at 11:40 PM, dikman said:

but I don't think I'll be modifying mine

You can do it without modding it, but be aware the blade's corners may snag the leather, the modding only came about after years of normal spokeshaves.

I have seen people do it with a block plane, but have never tried it. 

If you decide to mod a spokeshave blade, it needs sharpening at a 10 deg bevel.

H

[Harry Marinakis]

Belt sander

[chuck123wapati]

a 1" wood chisel will work , or you can sharpen up a good quality putty knife such as this if you have a belt sander and with belts up to 1000 grit, then go to a arkansaw stone or 2500 grit sand paper, then polishing compound on a strop. I,ve even used my belt sander to skive once in a while.

[kirbytorres]

On 11/18/2019 at 11:40 PM, chuck123wapati said:

a 1" wood chisel will work , or you can sharpen up a good quality putty knife such as this if you have a belt sander and with belts up to 1000 grit, then go to a arkansaw stone or 2500 

 

I've always thought of doing this... do you have any problems with regards to the thickness of the blade?

[chuck123wapati]

11 hours ago, kirbytorres said:

I've always thought of doing this... do you have any problems with regards to the thickness of the blade?

this particular brand, as well as others, has two thickness blades one very thin flexable and one heavy/thicker and much more stiff get one with the heavy blade that doesn't flex.

[kirbytorres]

22 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

this particular brand, as well as others, has two thickness blades one very thin flexable and one heavy/thicker and much more stiff get one with the heavy blade that doesn't flex.

okay... will try and find the thickest one I could find

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, kirbytorres said:

okay... will try and find the thickest one I could find

it should get you by, realize its not very high carbon steel.and will need to be sharpened more often