hi there, just wondering if people thin leather themselves? i don't have room at the moment for a bell skiver, but have an osborne splitting/skiving machine, which is ok for veg tanned up to about 100mm.
but was wondering about other ways of splitting. i bought 2 old dixon spokeshaves, hoping to make 1 half decent one out of them.
but they are both different sizes, so they are not interchangeable. i spent ages getting the blades sharp, but unfortunately the shape of the blades do not follow the shape of the sole on either of them, so they are not great.
Reading up on bookbinding etc, they use modified stanley 151 spokeshaves, so having bought a vintage one and a new one (the angles of how they sit are different), i think i will try and modify one.
just wondering if anyone else has done this? found a guide on hewitts website and also something on youtube from DAS bookbinding.
both of these seem easier than watching haku-handmade on youtube thining leather with a skiving knife - although interesting as he uses a japanese one bevel down.
if anyone has done anything like this, be good to hear as i think i will be doing it this week/weekend. i now have 4 stanley 151's to go at, just in case i mess up.
hi there, its been a while, but here is the finished spokeshave. managed to get the blade to 13 degrees, and is very sharp. i had a quick go on some scrap calfskin. seems to cut very easily with very little pressure. think it will be better if i use quick clamps on my paring stone, but couldnt wait to try it.
seemed to take it down to from 1.2 to .6mm very quickly and easily. will have a play with it over the next few weeks. thinking it might be very good to thin the edges of lambskin/calfskin/suede for linings, also the angle of the blade can be altered, so will definitely try that and see how it goes.
hi, thanks for the pictures, the sole looks in better condition than the dixon ones i have. hopefully have my new one finished at the weekend, just the blade to alter to a 12 degree angle and to camber the edges of the blade. hopefully that will work.
got the sole flattened and to the right angle. compared to a standard one on the right, a lot of metal has to be taken away.
i now have to alter the angle of the blade to between 10 and 15 degrees. hopefully have it finished by next weekend, as a bit of it has to have some 2 part epoxy on it, so will be a couple of days to set. hoping it goes ok and i can thin leather with it
thanks for the picture, looks really well made and useful
i do thin leather for watch straps for example, i dont have a bell skiver either. I made a Strip thinner, really simple design. i dont have a picture handy because i am at work now, but you can see it on my Instagram profile : https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rRqzNBydF/
mine can be adjusted in height and angle, to find the perfect skive