skiving knife thickness

[DaveP]

I'm going to try and make a skiving knife this weekend. What is the average thickness of the blade and width?

 Thank you,

 David

[PhilC]

Mine is 36 mm wide 2.54 mm thick

[DaveP]

Thank you for the information. 

This is kinda what I was thinking. 

 

[zuludog]

I have made a Japanese style leather knife from an old block plane blade; it is 35mm wide, and just under 2mm thick

I have made a skiving knife from a piece of industrial hacksaw blade; it was 1,5"/40mm wide but by the time I'd ground off the teeth and tidied it up it was 36mm wide and just under 2mm thick

I've Searched t'Net -

Osborne skiving knife, which they call All Purpose Knife #67 is 40mm wide

Chartermade Skiving knife is 40mm wide - find it on Rocky Mountain Leather Supply

Vergez - Blanchard skiving knife, which they call a Heel Paring knife is 40mm wide - find it on Rocky Mountain Leather supply

For those three they don't quote the thickness, but it looks like they are thicker than 2mm, perhaps 4mm

A Search of Goods Japan shows several Japanese style skiving knives with widths between 30mm and 39mm

So, I think a suitable width would be around the 35 to 39mm range

Personally, I think your handle would be a bit too bulbous; compare it to the examples above, and Search YouTube to see what I mean. On the other hand, make what you want - you can always thin it down, but you can't stick it back on.

Edited April 17, 2020 by zuludog

[DaveP]

Thank you for the information. 

My drawing the blade is 1 1/2" wide, 3" long. Handle could be slimmer.  I doubt it would be round with a full tang. More flat with rounded edges.  The metal I have is a 10 1/2" wide bandsaw blade 15N20 steel (.085" thick). Made the carving knife with it.

 

[DaveP]

Here's the knife 

[DaveP]

Does this pattern look better?

[zuludog]

That looks OK

The little carving knife looks very good; if the skiving knife turns out to the same standard, you've done well.

You could try making a KIRIDASHI knife; Search Google and YouTube to see what they're like. Just holding the bare tang would be a bit uncomfortable, you would probably need to fit some scales

[DaveP]

Little work on my skiving knife.  Scales are Claro walnut with brass pins.

[DaveP]

Next one...done with blade until after heat treatment.