FloridaLeatherGirl Report post Posted August 23, 2019 Curious if any of you re-work your store bought tools? I dont want to hear how if I buy a $60 over priced beveler I wouldnt have this problem. I have what I have. I have some Tandy tools I use a lot. I dislike the edge and feel it is not as defined as it once may have been. Do these tools dull up after time? Should I (or do you) (can I) strop or sharpen some of my bevelers on a regular basis? I have had some of these for a few decades. Is there any benefit or does that harm them? If so, What other maintenance techniques am I missing out on with these things? thank you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt S Report post Posted August 23, 2019 All tools that rely on a sharp edge dull with use. Some take longer than others. Many don't arrive as sharp as they can be. Sharp tools are not only safer to use than dull ones but also they tend to make better work. I tend to strop edge tools every time I pick one up. Edge bevellers I strop using a piece of heavy linen thread rubbed with beeswax and then polishing compound. One end is held under the bench with a tack. I use a strip of scrap tooling shoulder, treated similarly, for stropping inside my French edger/skirt shave. The backs of these tools I do with my normal flat strop, which I use for knives, awls etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
koreric75 Report post Posted August 23, 2019 I strop my Tandy bevelers regularly. Anything that cuts chops slices dices should be maintained. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted August 23, 2019 I have several Tandy bevelers and they are just fine so long as you maintain them. There is a video that was up on the Tandy site and you might also find it on youtube that shows how to maintain the edge bevelers. The basics are to take a wooden board and glue various-sized strips of leather onto it. You then use rouge on them and draw the edger over the leather. The video explains it better than I ever could. But it works, and that is the point. Edit: here is the link BTW, even $60.00 bevelers aren't worth a darn if they aren't maintained. If I used my beveler daily I probably would splurge. I'm a hobbyist and the ones I have work fine for my purposes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted August 23, 2019 (edited) Yes, bevelers need sharpening. Awls need sharpening. ANYTHING with a cutting edge will eventually need sharpening! Currently, the Leathercraft Library at Tandy is available for free download. This book tells you how to maintain and care for leathercraft tools. As tools are THE biggest expense item when starting this hobby, this is something that's really important to know! https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/product/1141/leathercraft-tools-by-al-stohlman When I purchased a large lot of stamps recently, I noticed some of the older stamps, the ones everyone thinks are so great, weren't that good. Some were okay, some weren't. It's logical to assume that even stamps that are frequently use will slowly deteriorate over time, and lose their crispness. Edited August 23, 2019 by Sheilajeanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted August 23, 2019 (edited) Any tools must be well maintained & sharpened; once you get into the habit and have them up to the desired standard it doesn't take so much effort as at first. A lot of the cost of expensive leather tools is to get the final sharpness/finish/polish ready for use. On cheaper tools you get a basic edge and are expected to do that final processing yourself, that helps to keep the costs down I don't do tooling or stamping so I can't help you there, but Search YouTube for 'sharpening an edge beveler'; there are several videos. This one is good - 'How to sharpen an edge beveller' by lb custom knives. I have made a sharpening board similar to that shown - a piece of plywood, but it could be anything similar, 24 cm X 16 cm bevel both sides of an edge of some 3 mm veg tan leather about 18 to 20 cm long, and cut off that edge so it's 3 to 4 mm wide; use general purpose/contact glue to fix the strip to the board with the rounded edge uppermost. rub the strip with stropping compound a metal rod or bamboo skewer about 3 mm dia and 18 to 20 cm long; glue this to the board. this is a base for 2,500 grit wet & dry paper a small leather strop, about 18 to 20 cm X 4 cm, also glued to the board; could use my main strop but this is convenient This will cater for edge bevellers that are either flat or grooved on their underside to sharpen the inside edge of bevellers I use a similar method as described on earlier posts. I have plaited some 18/3 linen thread about 60 cm long and rubbed it with stropping compund. I fix the beveller in a vice, using soft jaws so I don't mark the handle, then dreaw the coated thread through the beveller as required Edited August 23, 2019 by zuludog Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted August 23, 2019 @FloridaLeatherGirl Are you asking about an edge beveller, or about a stamp? Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
