Skivers

[JDTomba]

I.m a retired Corporate Chef who worked in and managed Hotel Kitchens nationwide. I have sharpened really COUNTLESS knives of different kinds, shapes and uses in my 35 year career. I have been a hobby Leatherworker since beginning to learn it at 14. I'm now 66 and make a sell Custom leather from beaded horsetack to personalized Key Fobs. I cannot for the life of me sharpen my edge skivers and it drives me crazy. I have some from Tandy , Owden and up  to Barry King . What is the method? I.m missing. Please help.

 

[mike02130]

Do you mean French edgers?  I don't know what exactly an edge skiver is.

[zuludog]

Let's assume you mean the tool that is variously known as a French Edger or a French Shave or a Skirt Shave - the sort of shovel shaped tool that is typically 5mm to 12mm wide that you push along to skive leather

You sharpen the bottom on a fine stone or abrasive paper followed by a strop; then sharpen the inside by pulling through a strip of leather loaded with stropping compound

You can also make a raised strip of leather that is narrow enough to fit inside the tool, rather like a narrow sharpening stone, and use that to sharpen the inside edge 

Search YouTube, there are several videos, such as those by Leathercraft Masterclass; Leathertoolz; and UK Saddlery; and a few others

You could also try varying the angle of attack - try skiving with the handle held very low down so that it doesn't cut into the leather at all. Then gradually raise the handle so that the angle becomes steeper and more aggressive, eventually reaching a point where it either cuts all the way through the leather, or jams. somewhere in between there will be an optimum angle

The cutting edge should be straight across the end of the edger, between the arms. If it isn't you might need to straighten the cutting edge with a needle file, followed by careful sharpening & polishing

Edited August 15, 2021 by zuludog