Skiving without a Skiver

[Leather20]

So I've done a couple projects that really could have used some skiving done on the edges, but I don't have a skiver and I don't do those projects a lot right now so i'm not sure i want to by a skiver. Is there any way to skiver leather using just a knife or other common tool?

[billybopp]

Yes you can.  It's a bit fiddly and takes some practice, but certainly do-able.  Many kinds of knives can be used, some use a round-knife, but they do make specialty skiving knives which aren't terribly expensive - anywhere from < $10 for a Japanese style knife on ebay to better ones at $35 for very good ones from Lisa Sorrell (a sponsor here), to $100 for really pretty ones from the likes of Vergez Blanchard and Chartermade.  The big key is making sure they are VERY sharp, and work on a smooth hard surface!  There are also "safety skivers" from Osborne and others with replaceable blades, but many find these particularly fiddly to use.  

There are a number of videos available on the subject, and the following is a reasonably good one.

 

- Bill

[Hardrada]

Those Japanese skiving knives are just what the doctor ordered. Get them from goodsjapan.com. Don't bother with knock-offs, they're not that expensive.

You can also use a round knife, which is just what the surgeon ordered.

[zuludog]

A Japanese leather knife can be used for both cutting and skiving leather. Search YouTube for 'skiving leather by hand' and 'japanese leather knife'; there are several videos, those by Chartermade and Leathertoolz are good, but the more you watch, the more tips you will pick up

I assume you are in the USA; Rocky Mountain Leather Supply lists Japanese leather knives, or Search Google for 'Etsy - Japanese leather knives' , or go to www.goodsjapan.com, or there may be other American stockists

I have two of these knives; one I use for cutting with the sharp right angled corners, and on the other I have rounded & sharpened the corners for skiving, similar to the Chartermade, but mine was not as expensive 

You will, of course, need to get them as sharp as possible, and work on a hard, shiny surface like polished stone or a sheet of glass; that way when the blade comes off the leather it slides over the surface and is not blunted

You should apply about 75% of the pressure downwards and about 25% forwards. It should not be a simple push, rather a sort of stroking or slightly sideways motion as well. But only practice will help you develop the best technique

Sometimes marking a starting line with a scratch awl or dividers helps; also dampening the leather slightly

Bevel up or down? I think bevel down is more controllable, but try both and find what suits you; could use either depending on the type of leather and the work you're doing

Make a sheath/case/simple slip cover for the knife. It will protect your fingers from accidental cuts and the blade from damage

Edited November 28, 2020 by zuludog

[Danne]

I see a lot of people who struggle with skiving, and have problems getting a good clean result. I have been there too, i'm not an expert on skiving, but I think my skiving is quite good.

There are a couple of things I think is important.

1. A sharp knife, it should cut VERY easy through your leather.

2. Using a sawing motion and not trying to push the knife through the edge.

(3.) This is my opinion, I find it a lot easier to skive with the bevel down, that way I get a "fulcrum point" and if I need to skive feather thin, I can do it in two skives.

 

[Hardrada]

Sharpest than sharp?? Definitely.

Point in fact, the side purchase should be a set of honing stones if you haven't them already.

These are mine: https://www.danswhetstone.com/product/bench-stones/

Soft and Hard should be all you need.

After the stones, don't forget the strop and the green honing compound.

[johnv474]

One of clicky razor knives with the snap of blades is both sharp and flexible.  Extend the blade a little extra and skive away.  These cost about 79 cents at tool or craft stores.

 

Otherwise look around for the skiving knife sold by Russell.  It should cost about $8.  The blade is round on the end, flexible, and about 5 inches long and 5/8” wide.  

 

Osborne also sells their skiver made of stamped steel with a replaceable razor blade and they are about $9.  

 

You can also buy a “razor plane”, which uses shaving razors and is limited to 1/16” depth of cut so you can skive without ever cutting too much.  These are on eBay for about $15.

You can—kind of—skive by sanding but it’s a pain.    You need to increase the grit until it is fine. For a small wallet or something, an emery board can work.  Set the leather on the edge of your table, place a ruler across it so ypu don’t sand outside the lines, and sand-skive away.  When done, moisten the sanded fibers and slightly compress with a bone folder or anything smooth (Bic lighter, shot glass, back of a spoon).: You may still need to recut the edge to eliminate the little fuzzies.

I thinned a piece of elephant leather to make my wallet, and just used a safety razor and lots of blades, 

If you do not buy a disposable knife then you will need to learn to keep the edge sharp.  That is far more important than the tool you use.  It does not have to be expensive or difficult to get an edge sharp enough that it glides through the leather and never catches or stops.

 

[Hardrada]

6 hours ago, johnv474 said:

Osborne also sells their skiver made of stamped steel with a replaceable razor blade and they are about $9.  

I got one of those and is it ever a pain to use! Plus, the blades go dull very quickly, so in the long run it's a more expensive solution than one of the Japanese knives, which can be honed and stropped again and again and again and again.

[johnv474]

For a little more money ($20-30 from Landwerlen in Indianapolis), Osborne sells a japanese style skiving knife.

 

The advantage of the stamped steel skiver is that, once you learn the right angle, it works like a sharp knife.  Because you don’t need to sharpen them, and it’s only a $9 investment, and because blades are 0.35 apiece, it’s cheaper for a beginner to learn how to skive instead of learning to sharpen and also learning to skive.

 

A non-serrated steal/kitchen knife can work also.  The key point for a skiver is the sharpness and not the shape or brand.

[zuludog]

To confuse things further, apparently you can skive with a French Edger, though I've never used one. Search YouTube for 'french edger tool' and there are several videos

Search for the usual suppliers, including Etsy, and as you might expect, there is a range of prices

[Hardrada]

 

 

 

The Japanese style knife is not quite as her preferred, angled knife in video #2, but it can be angled to use it in a similar manner.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Hardrada