Cutting tools for leather working?

[JimmySharp]

Greetings all,

I've got a friend who is getting into entry level leather working. Starting out he'll be making simple things such as belts. He came to me for advice on what cutting tools to get for cutting the leather. This is an area that I'm a bit green to and I'm hoping that some of you might be able to recommend some blade shapes or metals that I can advise him to look into.

At the moment he is looking at a blade that looks like a half circle with a handle in the middle. This particular one is made out of Damascus and I'm a little leery of it as I don't have first hand experience with Damascus edge holding.

If any of you can advise me on blade shapes or metals to look for my friend and I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

 

[1066vik]

when I started, I used my SAK and an exacto knife - but I don't do any tooling.
now my favorite tool for cutting out pieces is a Warren handle with a 6 pack of different blades for different cutting tasks. (the really pointy on with a fairly deep curve is great for curves, the blade that looks like an exacto on steroids is good for long straight cuts, etc...)

 

[rayban]

Zorr, what you are describing is called a round knife or a head knife.....I use mine to cut longer cuts off a side of leather......I also use a pair of shears i bought at Tandy several years ago......I also use good ole utility knives with those changeable razor blade...Exacto knives.....and sometime, any knife that is within reach.
The important thing to me is that, if you're gonna make a knife, start out with a pretty thin steel, since it has to act as a slicer of leather.....I have several cheap Moras laying around, mainly because they are thin, and very easy to keep sharp.

 

[Old CW4]

The best pro leather craftsman I know, an old guy in Belen, NM, makes all his leather knives from used up commercial hacksaw blades he gets for free from a local metal fabrication shop. He makes everything from tooled cowboy boots to fancy presentation saddles, tooled dress belts, gunbelts, holsters, mag holders, rifle and knife scabbards, etc. It's fascinating to watch him work leather with his hacksaw blade 'knives' with tape wrap for handles. He told me he's used hacksaw blades for 50 years and they hold an edge better than anything else he's ever tried or used. Hard to argue with success.