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. 

[DaveP]

A little handle work.

[battlemunky]

Can't wait to see how this is going to turn out.

[Bert51]

Did you heat treat the handle area to make it easier to work?

Bert.

[DaveP]

No...I used my belt grinder...small, tiny even... a 1"x30". It cut fairly easy as only the teeth of the bandsaw are really hard. Tomorrow it will go into my brick forge to harden then oil quench. Then in oven to temper...2 cycles of 400 degrees F. Pic is another knife in brick forge.

Edited April 19, 2020 by DaveP

[bikermutt07]

Sweet.

[DaveP]

Did the heat treatment and a little hand sanding. Grey coating is an anti scale compound.

[DaveP]

After heat treatment. Then hand sanded awhile. Not as pristine as a Chartermade but I made it. Next will be glue up and handle finishing. 

[DaveP]

Epoxy setting up. 

[DaveP]

Little sanding the handle scales. What do you think about the shape?

[battlemunky]

I like it. I think that nicely tapered handle will allow you to get a nice steep angle unlike my $10 Amazon Japanese skiving knife. It's pretty too  

[DaveP]

One more coat on the handle tomorrow and thinking it's just about done. Then sharpen it.  

Thanks everyone's help !

[DaveP]

It's finished.  

[Bert51]

Nice knife, very nice.

Bert.

[battlemunky]

Good job!