Knife for skiving

[joet]

I felt the class could have been an hour longer as there was still a lot of things to do when it came time to close. Yes, I got my monies worth and then some and she is a great person. Informative, funny and full of knowledge. I'll be going back (didn't make it this year) and when you go, bring a list of things you want and a lot of money or plastic. A lot of the vendors take plastic.

The battlefield was very stirring. I have heard a lot about how, it being wide open that Custer should have been aware of what was to happen, but one has to know the history and be aware of the feelings of the time. Also, we are looking at the event from hindsight and we were not there at the time to get a true feeling of what was going on. And things happened rather quickly. Some people put estimates of the battle at a little over 30 minutes from beginning to end while others say that it took most of a day for the battle to be fought and won/lost depend on which side you are rooting for.

While I was there I ran into Tony Laier, so a lot of leather people go there to see the battlefield.

What does this have to do with leather? Nothing, just that I have a wide interest in not just leather, but history also. Check out the leather shops at Williamsburg, VA sometime.

[Billsotx]

I felt the class could have been an hour longer as there was still a lot of things to do when it came time to close. Yes, I got my monies worth and then some and she is a great person. Informative, funny and full of knowledge. I'll be going back (didn't make it this year) and when you go, bring a list of things you want and a lot of money or plastic. A lot of the vendors take plastic.

The battlefield was very stirring. I have heard a lot about how, it being wide open that Custer should have been aware of what was to happen, but one has to know the history and be aware of the feelings of the time. Also, we are looking at the event from hindsight and we were not there at the time to get a true feeling of what was going on. And things happened rather quickly. Some people put estimates of the battle at a little over 30 minutes from beginning to end while others say that it took most of a day for the battle to be fought and won/lost depend on which side you are rooting for.

While I was there I ran into Tony Laier, so a lot of leather people go there to see the battlefield.

What does this have to do with leather? Nothing, just that I have a wide interest in not just leather, but history also. Check out the leather shops at Williamsburg, VA sometime.

What does this have to do with leather? Heck Joe, leather runs deep in our history and always will. For instance, fifty years from now there's gonna be an ol' 2006 Chopper with a veg-tan hand tooled seat by Bad-A** Seats sitting in a museum and some two kids are going to be checking it out and oooing and awwing and one of them is gonna ask, "Why's that old naked lady carved on that seat?" ... lol ... now that will be history, but I won't be around to see it. [How long will it be 'til Shirley finds this one? ... lol!] Now I better cool it before she Armor-All's my seat ... lol

[joet]

Good point. What I like is knowing that, at this time, the leather industry is going great. Or maybe it's just that I am finding more and more people every day who are doing it. I look at all the web sites that are out there and find a warm glow in my stomach; gee it is almost like Christmas to open a web page and see all the good things that are being done.

Your right though, 200 years from now people will see all that has been done by us and wonder how it was finished. Places like Williamsburg and other living history museums keep the interest going as well as all the people that are presently at work pounding leather. There are many items that are not normally found in leather, like the 30 Christmas decorations I am currently working on. We need to educate the public more so they will see that motor cycle seat with the naket lady long before it gets put into a museum case. Got any pictures?

[Romey]

Jim, I posted a similar question on another forum several years ago, as I recall. Sandy Morrissey, a sheathmaker of high regard, recommended the Skife as the best all-around skiving tool (and one of the least expensive, too).

I got mine from Tandy (they call it a "Safety Beveler"), and it's served me well.

http://www.tandyleather.com/products.asp?number=3001-00

I think there's a good chance your custom blade will still outperform the tool listed above, but at least there's a lot less worry associated with nicking the edge of a $4 Skife. Good luck, -Alex

Sandy is a close friend of mind, infact i just posted a sheath of his in the sheath section if anyone is of interest

[JAFO]

I made my own skiving knives out of old straight razors. Pick them up at flea markets for $8.00 to $24.00 each, depending on age, maker etc. I prefer the older ones from high carbon steel rather than the newer stainless. I just replace the handles with bone or antler.Just make sure you have an edge protector for it. Makes them also period correct when I'm at an 1814 event and want to do some leather work.

[esantoro]

I've been using the safety beveler mentioned and it works fine, except when I have a partially stitched gusset and I need to get into a small area to skive, especially if I need to reduce bulk around corners.

I'm in need of another method for my skiving needs. Have any of you used the paring machines that book binders use. It's a vise-like device with a razor blade that allows you to skive up to 2 inches from the edge. Binders call it a paring machine, even though it's all manually operated. I've seen them on Ebay for no less than $450, but I keep telling myself it's got to be something you can get for $50, if you just wait and look around.

I did, however, just order an Osborne 479 skiving knife from Siegel, though I need to learn how to keep such tools sharp. Speaking of sharpening tools, do any of you know good methods for sharpening edge bevelers?

Ed

Edited February 21, 2007 by esantoro

[The Major]

...... I need to learn how to keep such tools sharp. Speaking of sharpening tools, do any of you know good methods for sharpening edge bevelers?

Ed

Pick up the book "Leathercraft Tools" from Tandy or Hidecrafter. It goes into the care and sharpening of most tools including bevelers.

[esantoro]

Pick up the book "Leathercraft Tools" from Tandy or Hidecrafter. It goes into the care and sharpening of most tools including bevelers.

Thanks, Major.

The book is one the way. I ordered it from Tandy a week ago, but UPS lost it.

Ed

[whinewine]

esantoro:

hidecrafters also has vhs videos on sale for $5.00 till the end of the month. there is a video called 'use and care of handtools' by andy stasiak, #0050-00. it is an excellent audio-visual that supplements any book-type sharpening guide. i bought it & learned a lot, especially about head knives & swivel knife blade sharpening.

for $5, you can't go wrong. they have lots & lots of other titles at the same price, too. their # is 888-263-5277

[esantoro]

esantoro:

hidecrafters also has vhs videos on sale for $5.00 till the end of the month. there is a video called 'use and care of handtools' by andy stasiak, #0050-00. it is an excellent audio-visual that supplements any book-type sharpening guide. i bought it & learned a lot, especially about head knives & swivel knife blade sharpening.

for $5, you can't go wrong. they have lots & lots of other titles at the same price, too. their # is 888-263-5277

thanks, Whine,

I will order that video. What do you think of these other videos?

#0052-00 Secrets of Lacing and Stitching by George Hurst

#0049-00 Basic Assembly Techniques by George Hurst

#0017-00 Rolled Edges with the French Knife by George Hurst