Swivel Knife Primer

[Chris623]

When I was but a wee laddie, my Dad's Aunt gave me a Christmas present that hurt my feelings deeply.  The Christmas before she gave me a gift (sorry but I don't remember what it was) to which I responded with a handwritten thank you note.  My handwriting was probably unintelligible at the time.  So the Christmas gift that hurt my feelings the following year was a book on hand writing.  (a great, but unwelcome gift for an 8 year old!)  Anyway, this book showed you how to improve your cursive handwriting by starting with many repetitions of each letter and then combinations of letters until you wrote on paper as beautifully as the author.  Long story short, it never happened and I print in block letters all of my handwritten correspondence to this day.   But in all honesty, probably the reason my handwriting never improved was because at that age I refused to go through the tedious process of duplicating over and over those individual letters.

Now, I'm trying to learn what many call the "most difficult leather working tool to learn how to use"..........the swivel knife.  I've outgrown my unwillingness to take the time to learn things and I tackle new skills with a fervor.  I'm thinking there must be some sort of primer out there, similar to the old handwriting book, geared toward the swivel knife.  Oh, I know....................cut circles, or curves, or spirals, etc., etc., etc.  But surely there's some sort of seriously helpful regimented practice routine other than me just striking out on the journey in no specific direction.

Am I dreaming, or is there such a book, or leather workers website with that info?

[Dwight]

Chris . . . I've personally never seen that book . . . but there are a lot of things I've never seen . . . and won't at age 76.

But that is not the point I want to make.  

THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of information you need to know about a swivel knife is simply this . . . KEEP IT SHARP.

A dull swivel knife is about as useful as a teaspoon with a hole in it.

Personally . . . I hate using the darned thing . . . but there are times it has to be done . . . so I bite the bullet . . . sharpen it up and go at it.  I also have two styles of knife, . . . a straight one . . . and one cut at a 45 or so degree angle . . . 

Learn the process of sharpening them to the point they will cut you badly if you slip . . . and you will find the whole process is tolerable . . . if not enjoyable.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Stetson912]

The leather crafters and saddlers journal sometimes has some swivel knife finesse patterns in them that are nice. Ive googled line art or swivel knife patterns too. And the leathercraft library has a variety of interesting doodle pages for free download that could be useful. While freehand practice is needed for confidence and learning basic cuts, this repetition gets boring. You can interlace some more fun n practice by tracing a design from one of these sources and cutting it in. Focus on tapering your cuts etc. It will help build that familiarity with the tool and your basic cuts will improve. Eventually, you will want to try and freehand copy a design or "doodle" your own freehand design in the leather. 

[Stetson912]

This bird is an example of copying i referred to. The rest was on the spot freehand work. This piece was rather small for me so, a lot of the scrollwork got away from me a bit and wasn't well thought out, but I think it demonstrates the type of source material to look for and copy either freehand or by tracing it to the leather. 

[chrisash]

I feel you should not practice repetition but just keep picking a new design each day to practice on, google will give you lots of sketches to copy along with many leather related web pages

Sitting down doing scrolls all day is boring and just learning to copy one or two designs

Please note, I am still crap with tooling, and with a swivel knife, but having tried the scroll way, i soon got bored trying and went to a new simple design each day, and have seen a improvement, but a 74 i think its a bit late to expect great improvement on my skill level  

[buzzardbait]

There is lots of information out there on the basic use of a swivel knife.  There are only a few basic moves and rules in the proper use of a swivel knife. Skill is the factor that determines the quality of your cuts, and skills are honed to perfection only by practice and repetition.  Learn the basics, practice a lot and try to learn from each project to make the next project better.  With enough practice and time it will become second nature to you, but it will never happen if you don't put in the work. I have used a swivel knife for 45 years, and I still see room for improvement in my work. Good luck.

[Chris623]

10 hours ago, Dwight said:

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of information you need to know about a swivel knife is simply this . . . KEEP IT SHARP.

Dwight

Thanks, Dwight.  Believe me, I know how to sharpen and my blade is sharp. 

8 hours ago, Stetson912 said:

The leather crafters and saddlers journal sometimes has some swivel knife finesse patterns in them that are nice. Ive googled line art or swivel knife patterns too. And the leathercraft library has a variety of interesting doodle pages for free download that could be useful.

Thanks for those tips.  I'll check'em  out.

8 hours ago, Stetson912 said:

This bird is an example of copying i referred to. The rest was on the spot freehand work. This piece was rather small for me so, a lot of the scrollwork got away from me a bit and wasn't well thought out, but I think it demonstrates the type of source material to look for and copy either freehand or by tracing it to the leather.

Think I've seen that bird before in my searches.  Appreciate your showing it.  I can see why things like that would be both rewarding to carve and instructional at the same time.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the comments and suggestions.  I'm still at that "tender/frugal" stage ($$$) and can't see myself sitting down at a piece of leather and just hacking away at it.  Danged stuff costs money.  But I did pick up what I thought was a good tip recently.  (don't remember where I read it, though)  A leather worker mentioned he melts enough paraffin to fill a cookie sheet (one with sides) and puts it in the fridge long enough to harden.  Uses it to practice swivel knife work.  After he's run out of space on the surface, he pops it back in the oven long enough to melt and get rid of the cuts.  Puts it back in the fridge and he's got a new surface to work with.  Don't know how practical the process is, but I thought it made sense.

[chrisash]

"Melts Paraffin" seems a strange thing to do when in the UK it only comes in liquid form, and heating that would be a dangerous job

Off-cuts are often sold and can work out a chap option for practice

Edited December 17, 2020 by chrisash

[Chris623]

Well, in the US, we have liquid paraffin in liquid form for lanterns, but also in solid form used to pour on top when canning home-made preserves.

[chuck123wapati]

That canning wax idea is a pretty good one, i might have to rob the wife of a couple pounds lol.

[CindyCLewis]

Are there some swivel knifes that are better than others? I have two rather cheap ones (they came with my cheap Chinese stamps) they are sharper than when I got them, but still not getting the desired affect. I can’t cut myself with them like Dwight said. So do I keep sharping? Or buy better quality? 

[Chris623]

Keep sharpening.............and polish until you can see the food stuck in your teeth in the reflection.  A kitchen table butter knife can be sharpened well enough to carve wood with.....................the edge won't last long, but it'll carve.  Better quality helps, but isn't the deciding factor.