Did I do okay on this purchase?

O

Omega Leather Works

Joined
Jun 13, 2007
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I won the bid on this head knife.

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Cost $50 and it's new, or possibly very slightly used. I looked at the pics of it unsheathed and it looks new.

I've been cutting with a utility knife and wood carving knife since I started and I'm tired of it. I can never seem to cut an entire piece with one go and I'm willing to learn the proper use of the new knife. Not sure how these cut around corners, but it can't be any worse than what I'm used to.

Just wondering if the price is okay, and if anyone has any experience with this model. I could have bought a brand new knife (Tandy) for the same price, I'm just hoping this knifes tool steel is good. The new ones come with a mystery stainless and I'm always weary of that.
 
Good deal buddy. Learn to cut with this one. You've got one coming soon that will cut circles around it but get going on your technique. Get your scraps out and practice. Skivving too.
 
Strig, these things need to be "scary sharp", and if that one is brand new I doubt that it will be. Sharpness is the key to satisfaction. Get in the habit of stropping it often when in use. Once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why you ever used anything else. You may also have to adjust the handle length if it's a bit long for you. When holding the knife straight up in the leather I like for my index finger to be able to touch the leather for better control and straight up down cuts with no angle. Oh, if the steel and heat treat is good, you made a very good buy.

Paul
 
Horsewright said:
Good deal buddy. Learn to cut with this one. You've got one coming soon that will cut circles around it but get going on your technique. Get your scraps out and practice. Skivving too.
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Well dang, sounds like I should have spent that money on some hydroma! :D Gonna buy some anyway because I know the green mat and plastic and wood cutting boards aren't gonna work.

I have been watching videos on how to use and sharpen these things. I'm pretty sure I won't have any problems with it, but who knows. I wish I had a Rockwell tester to see what it specs at. What do you have yours hardened to again?

Thanks Paul. I wonder if it'll have some date somewhere on the packaging that might give more clues about its quality. They claim its "for professionals by professionals" but that don't mean much. I do like that it was made here in the states. I did go back the other day to find the thread that you'd posted about the Blade Show maker and his prices are fine, but I'm still putting everything together. Taking some time, but then I've only been at this for a few months.

I'm trying to only buy high quality at this point (and stay away from most of the Tandy stuff and anything from China) but I couldn't resist putting up a starting bid. I was surprised to find that I'd won, then I wondered if I'd made a stupid move. :D
 
I got those 4 back from HT yesterday and they are 63RC. The originals were 60RC.
 
Woah, I had forgotten that aeb-l could walk away that hard. I went back and looked at the pics of your head knives last night. I've looked at a lot of them since you'd emailed the pics. Yours are very nice looking. I kinda got an appreciation for the difficulty in grinding the pattern after reading some of the threads on how to grind head/round /ooloos. Way above my pay grade!
 
So the knife arrived today. I can say that it was sharp for a pocket knife, it would cleanly slice copy paper, but the edge is a tad more obtuse than I thought it might be.

I thought these would be ground on a platen from handle (spine) to edge, but there are grind marks that follow the arc horizontally (in an arc actually) so I was surprised there. The stock is pretty thin and the secondary bevel is tall enough to nearly end in a zero grind. There is a primary bevel that looks to have been applied with a belt (stone?).

After some stropping it is sharp enough that I can cut through 4 or 9oz leather using the knife as described in the well written and illustrated instructions.

For obvious reasons I cannot comment on edge durability or the steels retention. For now I'm using a crappy plastic dollar store cutting board. I don't think my Olfa mat would survive using this.

I'll just say right now that this is a HUGE improvement over using a box cutter or snap off knife. I really like that it can make really tight cuts around corners and cut super clean by using either of the tips. I'm still getting used to rolling it to make long straight cuts, but can already tell that they are cleaner than my old standbys.

I've done just a little skiving and thinning because I don't have a suitable piece of glass to do it on. I'd hate to snap off one of the ends because I was messing around on the wrong surface for the job.

Anyway, I don't know if this was a great buy yet, but I can tell you I won't be going back to the box cutter. If this knife ends up being junk I'll be looking for another one.

I'd definitely recommend trying one of these if you are dissatisfied with your current means of cutting your leather.

Random pics.

Instructions-

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Thin blade stock-

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Terrible sheath (will remedy this of course)

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Blade markings w/ a little oxidation, no real pitting

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The factory sheath probably would have been okay when new but having been snapped closed for years, it's stiff and dangerous. I know if I use it I'd cut myself. Luckily I happened to have a piece of leather and a knife to cut it. ;)

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The factory sheath didn't have a welt. Didn't like that.

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My first time making a strap, first time using a stud. I like it. :)
 
Good deal. Use your tooling stone for the skiving, don't need a separate glass surface. Nice job on the sheath.
 
Thanks guys. :)

Dave, I'll give it a go. Everyone seems to like glass but from a functional perspective I can't see why granite wouldn't work just as well.
 
I bought a tempered piece of glass 20 years ago. Don't know what happened to it. Don't need it as long as your granite is polished. No difference in use.
 
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