4 inch or smaller head knife around $150 or less? Is a "French" knife a good alternative?

[Brigg]

Why are oil stones so popular for sharpening leather knives? Maybe they are most common in the UK? I use Chosera stones and diamond plates to sharpen my various knives (haven't sharpened leather knives yet).

[zuludog]

6 minutes ago, Brigg said:

Why are oil stones so popular for sharpening leather knives? Maybe they are most common in the UK? I use Chosera stones and diamond plates to sharpen my various knives (haven't sharpened leather knives yet).

I think it's because they're traditional. My Dad was a carpenter so I inherited his (but not his skill!), and I bought one from the secondhand tool stall at my local market. They both needed cleaning up, see YouTube videos

There is no reason why you should not use water/ceramic/diamond stones, it's just what suits you. I've tried water stones and diamond stones, but just couldn't get the hang of them. On the other hand, Paul Sellers is an excellent woodworker, on YT, and he uses ceramic stones

Once you've got a good edge on a leather knife, most of the time you only need to sharpen it on a strop, with a very occasional touch on a fine stone

[Hardrada]

Thanks for the educational explanation/link, @jcuk & @zuludog. I'll see if I can make my knife click-click when I use it to cut from now on.

I prefer oil stones simply because that's what Al Stohlman's Leathercraft Tools book said to use. I read that book when I was starting out in leathercraft so I stuck with its suggestion; sometimes you just go with what you learn first and if it works fine you see no reason to try something else.

[Brigg]

On 1/26/2021 at 3:52 AM, OLESKIVER said:

 i will offer this bit. it meets at least some of your criteria, but price wise, well, but you would wind up giving it to your kids and them to their kids. Knipschield knives. yes they are custom, but quality, don't have to sharpen them much, just strop them. the one that is in your stats is a chan geer knife. 3 1/4 '' from point to point. 5 1/2 from top to bottom. $245.00  He aslo has Texas Rosebud, 4  1/4 from point to point . $245.00 the blades are rc 60. Bob klenda loves his. just thought I would throw this out there for you. Remember, after you have been in this for a little while, you are not buying a tool, you are making an investment. that will last a long, long time. hope this helps.

'

$245 is definitely a possibility if I like this style of knife. What would you stay makes his knives special? Finishing? Geometry? Steel? Forging quality? Bob Dozier also makes smaller head knives for $250.

From dozierknives.com

[jcuk]

13 hours ago, toxo said:

Thanks dog. I have no problem hanging on to old names even if they're redundant. Where I struggle is when they put £50 on the price because "It's a Clicker knife". LOL

Got mine from Abbey around £15 with two types of of blade and its a George Barnsley. 

[jcuk]

7 hours ago, Brigg said:

$245 is definitely a possibility if I like this style of knife. What would you stay makes his knives special? Finishing? Geometry? Steel? Forging quality? Bob Dozier also makes smaller head knives for $250.

From dozierknives.com

This is my Texas Rosebud with pen for scale.

 

 

[Hardrada]

8 hours ago, jcuk said:

This is my Texas Rosebud with pen for scale.

 

 

How's it?

I'm sure the handle's got perfect fit. My Don Carlos has a bit of play: the metal wiggles a bit in the wooden handle.

[jcuk]

15 hours ago, Hardrada said:

How's it?

I'm sure the handle's got perfect fit. My Don Carlos has a bit of play: the metal wiggles a bit in the wooden handle.

Yes it is, i am the first say i prefer old tools from days gone by, but this is a new Knife made by someone who knows and understands how to make quality tools and cares which is a great thing to still have around now. Feel a bit guilty you got the link from me for the Don Carlos no way you can tighten it up yourself i know you should not have to.

[catskin]

On 1/24/2021 at 11:14 PM, Hardrada said:

BTW, I don't think the French knife would profit you much, certainly not as much as the half-moon one. I've never handled a French knife but by the looks of it I can infer it uses different techniques. Cutting curves with the half-moon is quite easy, but I don't see how I could use the same technique with the French one.

See here:

 

 

I watched these vids and the knives sure seem to take a lot more pressure to cut with than I thought they should. Judging from the bulge of arm muscles and the way the board underneath moves in the first one. From what I have read and been told they should cut with very little resistance. To the point of being able to shave with.  If that is as sharp as they get mine are as good or better. While I thought I was failing on getting them sharp enough.

[OLESKIVER]

ok, sorry for the lag in responce, but am out of state 5 days a week. if you look at the knives, as in comparing them, the kulp knives just reek with quality, everything you asked about but geometry for the knives. the texas rose bud is pattered after a rose round knife but scaled down. bob klenda knife is one he designed and had made for him and the guy got his permission to use the pattern and make them for sale. for sharpening, I watched a video on it put out by SLC that was quite an eye opener for me. you just need a bench grinder and a big soft buffing/polishing wheel on it and some compound. they used white. basically it is power stropping. do this before using it and it should stay as sharp as the day you bought it. kulp does recomend using black compound on the round knives. hope this helps and good luck with what ever one and style you choose.

[OLESKIVER]

By the way? The French knife is a different design, it is a little longer on one side. just thought you might want to know.

[toxo]

On 1/24/2021 at 10:18 PM, fredk said:

I shall no longer be posting any advice or help on this website. Its a bluddy waste of my time

Take a chill pill Fred. You know we luvs ya! Go lay down in a darkened room for half an hour.  This lockdown and uncertainty has us all jumpy.

[toxo]

On 1/26/2021 at 2:05 PM, toxo said:

I think I might like the action of the quarter moon in the first pic so I've just ordered one of these,  firstly, I know the edge is probably crap but it will let me know how well I get on with the action before buying a proper one and secondly I had a thought that the gubbins that comes with it might work as an upside down version of the two nails lace maker.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Welding-Flooring-Crescent-Trimming/dp/B08LBFX1YQ/ref=asc_df_B08LBFX1YQ/?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583520393551512&psc=1

I spent a while putting an edge on this knife and I'm not finished yet but this knife is educating me each time i use it. The reason I wanted to try this shape is becauswe I don't like the high hand hold of almost all of the other in this thread. I don't feel comfortable with a high wrist position plus I find it difficult to see the line that way. I know there are so many people liking head/round knives so I know it must be me but I've learned two things. Firstly I'ved never used a push knife and with the low wrist hold I'm liking it a lot. Secondly, it cuts like a bitch in that low position using the portion of the blade that's just at the center of the curve and along the long edge. And I won't be doing it but I guess you could even put an edge on the inside curve and use as a pulling knife like a cobblers sole knife. Quite a versatile piece of kit.

[Brigg]

On 2/5/2021 at 12:07 PM, toxo said:

I spent a while putting an edge on this knife and I'm not finished yet but this knife is educating me each time i use it. The reason I wanted to try this shape is becauswe I don't like the high hand hold of almost all of the other in this thread. I don't feel comfortable with a high wrist position plus I find it difficult to see the line that way. I know there are so many people liking head/round knives so I know it must be me but I've learned two things. Firstly I'ved never used a push knife and with the low wrist hold I'm liking it a lot. Secondly, it cuts like a bitch in that low position using the portion of the blade that's just at the center of the curve and along the long edge. And I won't be doing it but I guess you could even put an edge on the inside curve and use as a pulling knife like a cobblers sole knife. Quite a versatile piece of kit.

I bought the "French" knife I first posted in this thread as well as a head knife from Bruce Johnson and one from Terry Moore. Off the bat the head knives feel more comfortable in my hand but of course they came super sharp.

I am going to work on sharpening the outer part of the French knife today. I am definitely fascinated by this knife...I have no idea how to go about sharpening the inner part of the knife...I also am not sure how to make a good sheath for it.

[billybopp]

3 minutes ago, Brigg said:

I bought the "French" knife I first posted in this thread as well as a head knife from Bruce Johnson and one from Terry Moore. Off the bat the head knives feel more comfortable in my hand but of course they came super sharp.

I am going to work on sharpening the outer part of the French knife today. I am definitely fascinated by this knife...I have no idea how to go about sharpening the inner part of the knife...I also am not sure how to make a good sheath for it.

A round "slip stone" works nicely for sharpening inside curves.  

- Bill

[Brigg]

3 minutes ago, billybopp said:

A round "slip stone" works nicely for sharpening inside curves.  

- Bill

Thanks Bill. I did not know that there are rounded sharpening stones.

[toxo]

I'm not sure you're supposed to sharpen the inside curve . There's no edge of any kind on mine but of course there's nothing stopping you. I imagine it's a bonus for people that like to pull.

[billybopp]

41 minutes ago, toxo said:

I'm not sure you're supposed to sharpen the inside curve . There's no edge of any kind on mine but of course there's nothing stopping you. I imagine it's a bonus for people that like to pull.

Most of the old ones that I've seen are sharpened on the inside, but I've seen newer ones that are not.  You do need to be careful when sharpening, as that makes the point very slender and a bit fragile.  But when it is sharpened, it can be used like a curved clicker knife for cutting tight curves..

- Bill

[Brigg]

Mine has a beveled edge on the inside and it is factory "sharp". RM Leather sells a Blanchard one and their description says

Quote

One side of the knife is a half round knife used to skive down your leather and the inner half has a blade with clicker point to cut our your leather patterns.

 

[toxo]

1 hour ago, Brigg said:

Mine has a beveled edge on the inside and it is factory "sharp". RM Leather sells a Blanchard one and their description says

 

Good to know. I'm liking mine so far but haven't used it in anger. If it doesn't hold an edge I'll be looking for an upgrade.