Is there a cheaper alternative to a bell knife skiver?

[williaty]

I'd like to have some kind of a machine to thin down edges for a bunch of different stuff. The obvious tool for this would be a bell knife skiver but they're just too much money for me at this point. I have some motor disability, so skiving freehand along a long edge isn't going to work either. Is there some sort of middle ground machine that will maybe take more work on my part or be slower or whatever but will allow me to thin an edge consistently without requiring a lot of fine motor skill from my hands or a lot of cash from my wallet?

 

Thanks as always.

[Mark842]

What type off leather will you be using? If your working with veg tanned you may be able to do what you need with a belt sander.

[williaty]

Both chrome and veg, unfortunately.

[fredk]

I bought one of these recently:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sewing-Leather-Splitter-Edge-Skiving-Tool-Leather-Craft-Device-Paring-Cutter-/254213890096?hash=item3b30542030

1. Mine cost £26

2. I've not had the opportunity to use it yet

3. Allegedly they need careful setting up to work correctly but once set up they work great

[williaty]

They're showing it thinning the whole width of a strap. If you get yours to take just the edge down on a panel, I'd love to hear your results once you get a chance to work with it.

[fredk]

10 minutes ago, williaty said:

They're showing it thinning the whole width of a strap. If you get yours to take just the edge down on a panel, I'd love to hear your results once you get a chance to work with it.

If you study the photos the machine comes with a set of rollers so just the edge can be skived and in the spiel it says;

quote;

Equipped with 4 different sizes of rollers to choose from, in order to achieve different peeling width.

end quote

Don't wait on me; it could be months before I get around to using it

PS; some of these use a peculiar type of blade, some, like mine, use the cheaper and easier to get blades as used in box cutters [aka Stanley knives]

[Matt S]

3 hours ago, williaty said:

I'd like to have some kind of a machine to thin down edges for a bunch of different stuff. The obvious tool for this would be a bell knife skiver but they're just too much money for me at this point. I have some motor disability, so skiving freehand along a long edge isn't going to work either. Is there some sort of middle ground machine that will maybe take more work on my part or be slower or whatever but will allow me to thin an edge consistently without requiring a lot of fine motor skill from my hands or a lot of cash from my wallet?

Keep an eye out for used bell-knife machines, they're fantastic once you get the knack. I don't know what your situation is regarding mobility or willing helpers but there's bargains which occur near where I live -- £300 and good timing will buy you a used skiver most months. Hopefully something similar will come your way soon.

Otherwise, have you tried a skirt shave/french edger? They're more of a straight push motion than a skiving knife, and easier to control. I use mine all the time for skiving. A Japanese style skiving knife might work for you too -- it looks like a wide bladed wood-chisel and is a push forward rather than push across motion. 

2 hours ago, fredk said:

I bought one of these recently:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sewing-Leather-Splitter-Edge-Skiving-Tool-Leather-Craft-Device-Paring-Cutter-/254213890096?hash=item3b30542030

1. Mine cost £26

2. I've not had the opportunity to use it yet

3. Allegedly they need careful setting up to work correctly but once set up they work great

I used to have the more complex version -- the Scharffix clone. I spent far more time and leather than I ought trying to get it to cooperate. I suspect that the one I had was flexing too much with the leather I was putting through it. IT would work, for a while, then randomly plunge through.

Fred you may find better success with your design -- it's got fewer moving parts so I suspect it's far stiffer.

[KingsCountyLeather]

Hi @Matt S I’m in the market for a bell knife skiver but I’m having a tough time trying to find one at a reasonable price.

would you be able to throw in a link or two for me to research? 

[Matt S]

8 hours ago, KingsCountyLeather said:

Hi @Matt S I’m in the market for a bell knife skiver but I’m having a tough time trying to find one at a reasonable price.

would you be able to throw in a link or two for me to research? 

Research them generally? There's some good videos on YouTube, especially by Checaflo.

It you're looking for one cheap, trawl ebay, Craigslist, FB all the usual local ads. Get the word out there with people who might hear that someone else is selling a skiving machine. Leather dealers, other leather worries etc.

[KingsCountyLeather]

3 hours ago, Matt S said:

Research them generally? There's some good videos on YouTube, especially by Checaflo.

It you're looking for one cheap, trawl ebay, Craigslist, FB all the usual local ads. Get the word out there with people who might hear that someone else is selling a skiving machine. Leather dealers, other leather worries etc.

Thank you!