Japanese leather knife?

[zuludog]

Does anyone know a supplier of Japanese Leather Knives in the UK, please?

[jcuk]

Have you looked at these knives look very similar i think.

 

https://www.blackmountainsleather.com/collections/tools/products/large-handle-skiving-knife

https://www.blackmountainsleather.com/collections/tools/products/skiving-knife

 

Hope this helps

JCUK  

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by jcuk

[chrisash]

With a short blade and large thick handle, they do not look like you can do a low angle skive very easily with either of these

[zuludog]

2 hours ago, jcuk said:

Have you looked at these knives look very similar i think.

 

https://www.blackmountainsleather.com/collections/tools/products/large-handle-skiving-knife

https://www.blackmountainsleather.com/collections/tools/products/skiving-knife

 

Hope this helps

JCUK  

 

Yes, that's the sort of thing, but although I'm sure they are very nice,and good quality, they're too expensive for me

I was thinking more of the sort of average looking models from Craft Sha, Kyoshin Elle, and Seiwa that you see on Goods Japan's website, costing around $30

But thank you for finding them

[zuludog]

44 minutes ago, chrisash said:

With a short blade and large thick handle, they do not look like you can do a low angle skive very easily with either of these

For Japanese leather knives you skive with the bevel down, so that makes the angle of the cutting edge lower. Even so, I think the cheaper, simpler models would be better for skiving

'HAKU - handmade leatherworks'  has a good YT video or two showing this; even though it's in Japanese, the video and the diagrams are clear enough. You can see that he uses a simpler knife, though I suspect the steel would be better and more expensive than the $30 ones

[fredk]

just a question first - is this style you are looking for?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Craft-Skiving-Sharp-Handle-Knife-Leathercraft-Handwork-DIY-Tool-New/283394645450?hash=item41fba31dca:g:~jAAAOSwBz1cc0LX

[zuludog]

2 hours ago, fredk said:

just a question first - is this style you are looking for?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Craft-Skiving-Sharp-Handle-Knife-Leathercraft-Handwork-DIY-Tool-New/283394645450?hash=item41fba31dca:g:~jAAAOSwBz1cc0LX

Well, I think that's the other end of the price range

I am still thinking of the Craft Sha, Kyoshin Elle, or similar, but at that price I may as well see what it's like

[mike02130]

One is too expensive and the other is too cheap.  Maybe the internet works differently in the UK but in America I just googled Japanese leather knife UK and received a load of results.  

Edited May 18, 2020 by mike02130
added info

[jcuk]

Have a look at this yes i know its in France but not a million miles away.

 

https://www.vergez-blanchard.fr/boutique_us/fiche_produit.cfm?ref=3_1003D&type=31&code_lg=lg_us&num=2

 

JCUK

 

 

 

 

[Spyros]

On 5/18/2020 at 10:35 PM, zuludog said:

For Japanese leather knives you skive with the bevel down, so that makes the angle of the cutting edge lower. Even so, I think the cheaper, simpler models would be better for skiving

'HAKU - handmade leatherworks'  has a good YT video or two showing this; even though it's in Japanese, the video and the diagrams are clear enough. You can see that he uses a simpler knife, though I suspect the steel would be better and more expensive than the $30 ones

I don't have much leatherworking experience, but I'll tell you one thing about these particular knives that I know for sure: they are about the easiest thing in the world to sharpen.  It's just the shape of it, it's so front heavy and small, and it has this giant bevel that makes it easy and safe to really press down on it while sharpening without ever losing the angle.  I've sharpened hundreds of irons, for woodworking, and that knife was easily the quickest thing to bring to a razor sharp edge. I'm talking a minute.  Which, at this point, makes the ability of the steel to hold an edge pretty much irrelevant to me.  And it's also so small that it wont bend anyway, so hardness is more or less irrelevant as well.  Having said that both those things seem plenty adequate in the one I bought (a cheap-ish Wuta one, the one with the plain light wood handle).  I'm thinking of upgrading some of my tools but this is out of the list completely, I just don't see the point at all, I can see myself keeping it for years until I sharpen it down to a nub.  

Edited May 24, 2020 by Spyros

[zuludog]

Well, I've got one -- it's the type shown by FREDK , and I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised at how good it is

Once you starts Searching you'll find this knife all over the place - Amazon, Etsy, Ebay, and a few leathercraft suppliers. The prices vary quite a bit, between about £4 and £15. I saw one at £3-83, and thought that at that price I might as well try it

Import duty brought it up to just over £5, say $6-50. Stated delivery time was 4 to 6 weeks but it arrived in 7 or 8 days

The blade is polished, aligned properly with the handle, and is not wobbly or loose. The finish on the handle is a bit rough, which is fair enough at that price. I sanded it but did not strip off all the varnish completely, and oiled it, which improved things; in fact as the grain is partially revealed, it looks quite attractive

It was sharp from new. I gave it a brief touch up on a fine stone and than a strop; now it's very sharp

So far I've only tried it on scrap, and to make its own slip cover, but it works well enough for both cutting and skiving. There is a noticeable secondary bevel but I'll probably grind that out as I resharpen it

If you're interested or have never used a Japanese style knife before I can recommend it