Leather Swivel Knifes

[esevato]

Hello All,
Wondering about your guys's experiences with swivel knifes.
Would like to know your experiences with ceramic blades or steel?
the 3/8 to 1/4? hollow ground edges what are they used for?
angled edge or straight edge ?
Which ones and why are the best to use?
Getting back in to tooling leather.
any info would help
thanks guys

 

[sheathmaker]

If you are just beginning again and may be a little rusty I think the 3/8" straight blade would be the most user friendly for you. 1/4" is for finer work or figure carving and is not as easily controlled for the novice or less experienced. I have never liked the ceramic blades, period. Hollow ground is, in my opinion, mostly hype. I don't see any advantage at all to hollow ground blades on a swivel knife. Great for other applications, but not needed on a swivel knife. Angled edge is for the finer work again and I can do anything with a 3/8" straight that I can do with a 1/4" angled.

So my recommendation for you would be A 3/8" straight steel blade not hollow ground, in the best quality knife you can afford. I feel sure that other opinions may vary.

Paul

 

[helmar4578]

I have never found anything that Paul says or recommends to be other than the best advice you can receive. Hollow grinding on a swivel knife blade is all hype! Ceramic blades are a novelty, doing nothing that a properly sharpened and maintained steel blade can not achieve. Drop a ceramic blade on a concrete floor and you will suddenly be aware of how much it costs to replace. When I first began to carve leather, the swivel knife blade was usually a half inch wide and I continue to use them in preference to the narrower widths. Old habits and old practioners are hard to separate! ---Sandy---