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Anyone have a solution for sharpening my Tandy splitter blade?

P

paneraica

Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
303
It was sharp enough to split a special leather and then suddenly it decided it didn't want to anymore. I try to remove as little as possible, but at a certain point. It breaks the pattern on the top of the leather

I been trying to sharpen the blade and it does shave hair, but it's still not working with this leather. Cuts other leather fine.

It also discolored for some reason as you can see.

There is a small warp on the underside. Flat on top. Someone mentioned on a leather forum that the blades are like this and flatten out when clamped it.

I'm using Japanese water stones. I sanded the faces to make sure they're flat and still won't remove the shaded area.

Was thinking about have someone grind the underside to flatten it, but not sure what to do

Picture of the blade and what it did to the leather (which is quite old by about 230 years)

Can't proceed with a customers order until I get this sorted

blade.jpg


mettarip.jpg


Thanks

DON
 
Don, I'm far from an expert on things like this, and looking at photos is also far from the best way to assess a situation, but it appears to me that the leather is the problem and not the blade. If the leather is as old as you state and based on the dried and degraded condition it appears in the photo I doubt that even a brand new, unused blade would do the job.

It's probably time to look for "plan B" for your project, because I don't think anyone could split that leather successfully.

Paul
 
sheathmaker said:
Don, I'm far from an expert on things like this, and looking at photos is also far from the best way to assess a situation, but it appears to me that the leather is the problem and not the blade. If the leather is as old as you state and based on the dried and degraded condition it appears in the photo I doubt that even a brand new, unused blade would do the job.

It's probably time to look for "plan B" for your project, because I don't think anyone could split that leather successfully.

Paul
Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

Leather is old, but semi preserved in water and restored. I've owned the hide since 2009 and keep it wrapped in plastic.

I just made a strap a couple of weeks ago and it split the areas I needed done with no problems, but a few days ago I tried and it cracked the leather.

mettaN24.jpg


Case side fold over for spring bars and area by the loops to fold over split fine

Maybe it was the area of the hide I took it from. Bit stronger

Going to pick up some wet/dry paper and re-sand and then try to polish the blade up

Thanks

DON
 
Two separate problems. A warped blade is no good for anything except giving you a headache, the sharpening pattern on that is not usable. If the leather cannot take being rolled through a splitter how is it supposed to stand up to whatever use you are building it for? It's old, really old actually, and the top grain is brittle. I certainly would not be selling anything made from it.
 
Skystorm said:
Two separate problems. A warped blade is no good for anything except giving you a headache, the sharpening pattern on that is not usable. If the leather cannot take being rolled through a splitter how is it supposed to stand up to whatever use you are building it for? It's old, really old actually, and the top grain is brittle. I certainly would not be selling anything made from it.
Click to expand...

I had about 100 straps made by a supplier I used from the previous hide and no problems and I've hand made about a dozen.

Leather is also used for custom hand made shoes

Leather is not stiff, but problem may be with the pattern that weakens it. I have another new leather with a patterned design that also doesn't like the manual splitter

Will buy some rougher grades of wet dry and try and flatten the underside and work on the face

Thanks

DON
 
Just heard from Tandy and they don't sell replacement blades. Just what comes with the splitter.

Tried 220 grit and did nothing

Going to have to call around and see if I can get it surfaced ground and trued at a reasonable price.
 
I have that splitter and had essentially the same problem. Skystorm is correct about the bow being a problem for a couple of reasons. The biggest is that you are not getting it sharp there when sanding on a flat surface. It will also cut a curve and will tend to go deeper. To fix mine I taped sand paper on my surface plate and sanded by hand until I had uniform marks across the surfaces (top and[/U bottom)]. It took quite awhile and a lot of various grit paper but eventually came out razor sharp and cut well. Since then I obtained a surface grinder for my folder work and use that to sharpen now when needed. Usually, a simple stropping after every few jobs keeps it sharp a long time. If a shop will do the grinding for you I would jump at it and then just keep it stropped to make it last.
That said, dry leather will not split well period. Some conditioning might help.
Randy
 
Weaver makes a nice small hand crank splitter about 8" or so, not sure but it may be possible to adapt one of their blades to the Tandy machine. I want to pick one up and throw a motor on it.
 
Skystorm said:
Weaver makes a nice small hand crank splitter about 8" or so, not sure but it may be possible to adapt one of their blades to the Tandy machine. I want to pick one up and throw a motor on it.
Click to expand...

Sure it's nice, but it's 4 grand in Canadian funds

I make watch straps, so a little out of my price range and widest I need to split is 1 3/16" as that's the widest piece I need

Have to look around for someplace close so I don't have to ship it

Thanks

DON
 
Robber58 said:
I taped sand paper on my surface plate and sanded by hand until I had uniform marks across the surfaces.
Randy
Click to expand...

I tried it with 220 wet/dry, but didn't do much. As the blade isn't flat wasn't getting a uniform sanding. Didn't do much to the center of the blade face

Was also rubbing my fingertips a bit raw also if they slipped down against the paper

Thanks

DON
 
I've never used a splitter before but that blade resembles a planer blade. I sharpen my planer blades and jointer blades in my own shop.

You may have a local wood worker who sharpens their own planer blades. They may be able to sharpen yours.
 
Don is that some of that Russian leather that sunk off the coast of Cornwall? I use a buffer on my splitter blade when it needs touch up. I have the same Tandy one.
 
Horsewright said:
Don is that some of that Russian leather that sunk off the coast of Cornwall? I use a buffer on my splitter blade when it needs touch up. I have the same Tandy one.
Click to expand...

Hi Dave,

Same leather. Bought about 16 sq. ft. back in 09 and still have about 6 sq. ft. or so left

As I mentioned. It cut fine a couple of weeks ago and didn't cause a single problem

Took it over to a shop that surface grinds and going to cost $100 to true it. I'll finish it on my water stones to hone the edge.

No buffer. 1000 and 6000 grit stones

Hopefully it will work when I pick it up at the end of the week as the guy only grinds s/s. He said he's never done tool steel

Thanks

DON
 
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