One of the best tips you have shared with us. Very valuable for myself. Now I have some leather scraps and ruined project to practice what I just learned. Thanks for sharing.
If you don't mind taking the time, you can strop your skiver blades to keep them sharp longer. I do the same with my utility blades as well. It's a bit tedious, but better than always needing to buy replacements.
@DanielReach-TheLeatherVerse I guess it boils down to whether or not you can afford to pitch a blade and have dozens more sitting around. Back when I was ordering from Tandy, it was too expensive, and shipping took 5-6 days. It's not like that anymore, but I still try to get the most life out of my blades as I can. I wouldn't put them on a stone or anything, but stropping regularly has saved me from having to replace my blades so often. It also helps with utility blades to get smoother, cleaner cuts. A few passes on white jeweler's Rouge and a cheap Stanley blade will sail through 8oz veg tan like butter.
Wish I would have known these tips when I was skiving the outer edges of the petals and leaves for the 25 leather roses I made for my mom's birthday party. My wrist was crud for a week after. 😅
Leather shoemakers do tons of skiving on pieces thick and thin. Many of us do exactly the opposite of the recs here: buy or make a steel flat stock knife or Japanese leather knife, strop it rather than constantly chucking disposable blades, and temper (not soak) thicker veg-tan leather to soften for smoother skives and less blade dulling. It helps to skive on a chunk or tile of marble in your lap, brushing off scraps at the end or onto the floor as you go. Some representative videos: th-cam.com/video/teBjsAZ-rAw/w-d-xo.html (straight flat-stock knife) th-cam.com/video/n-NNUCgyeA8/w-d-xo.html (curved flat-stock knife) th-cam.com/video/LHkUOozu1Do/w-d-xo.html (Japanese and curved) th-cam.com/video/ip-40ym0cxw/w-d-xo.html (push-style flat-stock)
All great info tends to make people a lot smarter. Thanks Daniel.
Good tips, Daniel. Thanks for posting this. I will definitely try this out the next time I need to do some skiving.
One of the best tips you have shared with us. Very valuable for myself. Now I have some leather scraps and ruined project to practice what I just learned. Thanks for sharing.
If you don't mind taking the time, you can strop your skiver blades to keep them sharp longer. I do the same with my utility blades as well. It's a bit tedious, but better than always needing to buy replacements.
Definitely! And yes, its definitely tedious. Given how inexpensive they are, I tend to just toss them and get a new one. But yes, you definitely can.
@DanielReach-TheLeatherVerse
I guess it boils down to whether or not you can afford to pitch a blade and have dozens more sitting around. Back when I was ordering from Tandy, it was too expensive, and shipping took 5-6 days. It's not like that anymore, but I still try to get the most life out of my blades as I can. I wouldn't put them on a stone or anything, but stropping regularly has saved me from having to replace my blades so often. It also helps with utility blades to get smoother, cleaner cuts. A few passes on white jeweler's Rouge and a cheap Stanley blade will sail through 8oz veg tan like butter.
Super thanks! Just watched your vid, tried again and instant improvement!
That's awesome to hear!
Thank you for the tips. I would like to know when you need to skive and when you don't. I mean edges, bends, folds, etc.
Thats a great idea for a video! I'll add it to the list. Thank you!
@DanielReach-TheLeatherVerse Thank you, Daniel. I look forward to seeing this video.
Thanks for the video
Have you ever used the razor looking skyver? That is what I have. Which one do you like the most and why?
I have! I know a lot of people love it, but I don't find it as easy to control.
Hello Daniel, I have a question. How to repair cracks on old leather? Thank you for your answer. Regards
That's a tough one. Conditioner will probably help, but it's hard to say without seeing it.
@@DanielReachCreations THX I'll try
@@wojciechcylwik952 test it in a small inconspicuous area before you go big.
I need a few more "thereFORE!"s in my Weaver Leather videos.
But seriously, good tips and good video
45 degrees off perpendicular. 🙂
Wish I would have known these tips when I was skiving the outer edges of the petals and leaves for the 25 leather roses I made for my mom's birthday party. My wrist was crud for a week after. 😅
Thanks good tips. I hate skiving. I think my biggest problem is dull blades and my failure to replace often enough.
You could have mentioned how to dispose the blades.
I recorded it, but it didn't make the cut. No pun intended. I use a blade bottle. It's just a soda bottle that I drop all my blades in. 🙂
45 deg laterally or vertically?
Leather shoemakers do tons of skiving on pieces thick and thin. Many of us do exactly the opposite of the recs here: buy or make a steel flat stock knife or Japanese leather knife, strop it rather than constantly chucking disposable blades, and temper (not soak) thicker veg-tan leather to soften for smoother skives and less blade dulling. It helps to skive on a chunk or tile of marble in your lap, brushing off scraps at the end or onto the floor as you go. Some representative videos: th-cam.com/video/teBjsAZ-rAw/w-d-xo.html (straight flat-stock knife) th-cam.com/video/n-NNUCgyeA8/w-d-xo.html (curved flat-stock knife) th-cam.com/video/LHkUOozu1Do/w-d-xo.html (Japanese and curved) th-cam.com/video/ip-40ym0cxw/w-d-xo.html (push-style flat-stock)
👍🏻🤝🏻
Wish you would have gone a bit deeper into skiving tips and techniques.
ALWAYS STROP YOUR SKIVER BLADES - Just like every other cutting tool used in leathercraft!
I suggest getting a bunch of blades, they get dull fairly easily. I folded my skiver like you've got in frustration. I bought a better one.