Horsewright
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2011
- Messages
- 13,265
Can I make another suggestion?
I do some leatherwork. Why not get the knife and learn to use it, that leather workers use? Its called a roundknife or a headknife sometimes. They've been around for centuries and used in that trade because they work. Tight curves, inside or out, large curves inside or out, straight lines it will cut them all and work on light leather to the heaviest saddle leather. I also do almost all my skivving with one. It is literally the only tool on the bench that is never put away. I use mine daily and I probably put it on a stone every 3 or 4 months. Strop a good one often or a quick pass on the buffer (what I do) as soon as it starts to drag and literally I can cut for hours a day, day after day, week after week well ya get the idea. Cheap ones suck, good ones will cut and cut and cut.
These are a couple of mine:
10-12 oz saddle leather, cut with one pass and the knife is stuck in the hydroma cutting board its that sharp.
To cut tight curves flip it over and use the long point that is up in this photo, trimming a sheath:
About the tightest curves I cut in actual use are like the throat and trigger guard area of this holster:
The wife's:
Working on some Leatherman sheaths:
I made all the ones pictured BUT I"M NOT trying to sell ya a roundknife. I don't even have the steel to make one right now and no thoughts on getting any for a while. What I'm trying to do is steer ya down the right path on your leatherwork. Think about getting the tool that is designed to do what you are trying to do. There are lots of good ones out there for just a few more bucks than your upper limit. There are cheapies out there for about your lower limit. Don't get one of those.
I do some leatherwork. Why not get the knife and learn to use it, that leather workers use? Its called a roundknife or a headknife sometimes. They've been around for centuries and used in that trade because they work. Tight curves, inside or out, large curves inside or out, straight lines it will cut them all and work on light leather to the heaviest saddle leather. I also do almost all my skivving with one. It is literally the only tool on the bench that is never put away. I use mine daily and I probably put it on a stone every 3 or 4 months. Strop a good one often or a quick pass on the buffer (what I do) as soon as it starts to drag and literally I can cut for hours a day, day after day, week after week well ya get the idea. Cheap ones suck, good ones will cut and cut and cut.
These are a couple of mine:
10-12 oz saddle leather, cut with one pass and the knife is stuck in the hydroma cutting board its that sharp.
To cut tight curves flip it over and use the long point that is up in this photo, trimming a sheath:
About the tightest curves I cut in actual use are like the throat and trigger guard area of this holster:
The wife's:
Working on some Leatherman sheaths:
I made all the ones pictured BUT I"M NOT trying to sell ya a roundknife. I don't even have the steel to make one right now and no thoughts on getting any for a while. What I'm trying to do is steer ya down the right path on your leatherwork. Think about getting the tool that is designed to do what you are trying to do. There are lots of good ones out there for just a few more bucks than your upper limit. There are cheapies out there for about your lower limit. Don't get one of those.
