hi there, just wondering if people thin leather themselves? i don't have room at the moment for a bell skiver, but have an osborne splitting/skiving machine, which is ok for veg tanned up to about 100mm.
but was wondering about other ways of splitting. i bought 2 old dixon spokeshaves, hoping to make 1 half decent one out of them.
but they are both different sizes, so they are not interchangeable. i spent ages getting the blades sharp, but unfortunately the shape of the blades do not follow the shape of the sole on either of them, so they are not great.
Reading up on bookbinding etc, they use modified stanley 151 spokeshaves, so having bought a vintage one and a new one (the angles of how they sit are different), i think i will try and modify one.
just wondering if anyone else has done this? found a guide on hewitts website and also something on youtube from DAS bookbinding.
both of these seem easier than watching haku-handmade on youtube thining leather with a skiving knife - although interesting as he uses a japanese one bevel down.
if anyone has done anything like this, be good to hear as i think i will be doing it this week/weekend. i now have 4 stanley 151's to go at, just in case i mess up.
hi there, its been a while, but here is the finished spokeshave. managed to get the blade to 13 degrees, and is very sharp. i had a quick go on some scrap calfskin. seems to cut very easily with very little pressure. think it will be better if i use quick clamps on my paring stone, but couldnt wait to try it.
seemed to take it down to from 1.2 to .6mm very quickly and easily. will have a play with it over the next few weeks. thinking it might be very good to thin the edges of lambskin/calfskin/suede for linings, also the angle of the blade can be altered, so will definitely try that and see how it goes.