| Author | Message | ||
| Susan Downs (Volvochick)
New member Username: Volvochick Post Number: 4 Registered: 3-2004 |
Does anyone know a good place to order a skife? The local place, where I was sure they would carry them, didn't pan out. | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 230 Registered: 1-2004 |
Susan, Are you talking about a skiving knife? If you are you can get them from Southern Leather co in Dallas. But a little suggestion. I use the narrow break off box cutters you can get from Wal-Mart. You only need a ceramic stone to keep the edge. With the regular skiving knife, you will spend days or weeks learning how to sharpen the thing....TR | ||
| Tom O'Sullivan (Tomo)
New member Username: Tomo Post Number: 7 Registered: 3-2004 |
Susan they use to call those pressed metal things that took a 'Schick' injector razor blade skifes. they had a black three sided hollow handle, and the business end was flattened out with a lip that held the blade in a curve. I don't know many people that use them, they aren't very durable (my opinion) but if this is what you want I think Tandy or Leather Factory would have them. T. | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 231 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tom, You should see my work benches. There is a saying Sweden that a messy bench shows you are doing something and a clean one shows you have nothing to do! I have one of the skivers you mentioned but I am not sure where. It is a most insignificant tool that doesn't even do what what is was supposedly designed to do...I will try to find it. Nice profile, Tom. Welcome! Susan, You need to learn to skive with a knife. It will take a while but can be mastered in time. I have used a regular thin bladed American flexible skiving knife and I have used the stiff English-European style. I have found the cheap 1/2 in wide box cutters with a 45 degree ceramic stone and a steel(butchers sharpener) works the best. You must be careful though to not bend them too much as to break the sections off and you should always use safety glasses to be sure. Skiving has always been a problem for the beginner as you must mater the sharpening of the KNIFE. If you can't learn to sharpen a knife, making boots or shoes is very difficult.....TR | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 45 Registered: 1-2004 |
Here is the knife Tom mentioned. I must admit I got this one before I realized a pull shiving knife worked 10 time better for me. I use a tine brand at work on toe boxes and heel stiff. and my own swedish knife on skin (Side stiffeners and the such). You can get the Tine in left and right hand versions. )I must admit that Tex is right on the money with the practice statement. I feel at home with it now but I was slow in the beginning. I do it on a piece of glass that is held in my lap. Once you get the feel of it it’s very easy. You should be able to see a tine brand here: www.sl-online.dk/default.asp?Action=Details&Item=3979 A trick when it comes to keeping it sharp, make your self two sharpening-boards with different corn sizes and one wax side. In the worst case it takes 60 sec. to fix any possible damage to the blade. I can try to remember to take a picture for you if you like. Tex do you ever push shiv? I like those big saddler’s round knife. Just because of the look!!!! I’m a tool nut. I promised myself to learn to use it one fine day.  | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 46 Registered: 1-2004 |
next  The knife in the middle is a straight swedish knife I have here at home CW | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 232 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I never push skive. That is like being left handed! I always use a fixible knife and pull skive. I have only heard of one bootmaker that teaches push skiving. No one I know does it. When I was in Sweden teaching a seminar I had to use a Swedish knife and didn't like it. I was afraid to take any knives on the plane. I did mail my lip knives ahead though.....TR | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 233 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I do have an English Sheffield skiving kinfe that Richard Gjelstein graciously sent me but I have not been able to overcome my pull skiving to use it. Old dogs....TR | ||
| AJ Medeiros (Sidetrack)
New member Username: Sidetrack Post Number: 14 Registered: 2-2004 |
All, I hate to admit it I push skive, a lot not, always but mostly! I'm so ashamed! Just kidding! Being a lefty it just came that way. And you are right on the money Tex I couldn't agree with you more! That is exactly what I was taught in the begining. If you can't skive you can't build Nice boots or shoes. And along with that comes the care and feeding of your knives, ie. "sharpening" That in itself is an art! Each blade is different and takes an edge in it's own way....AJ | ||
| Tom O'Sullivan (Tomo)
New member Username: Tomo Post Number: 10 Registered: 3-2004 |
Hey Christopher, AJ, Tex because of my saddlery background, I am partial to a round-knife. If I'm skiving straps then I push away from me slicing sideways as I go, but if I'm skiving light weight leather then I slice sideways with one continuous push - this movement mimicks the action of a bell skiver (machine). I would suggest that the round-knife came before the bell skiver though : ) | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 47 Registered: 1-2004 |
Susan I was thinking that you might want to see what I was writing about so I brought my swedish knife home from work. With two boards like the one below it’s easy to keep your knife sharp. Note that the back side of the knife is as flat as it can be. I’m not sure where you could get the corns for the boards over there. We buy it in little cans from the local orthop. supply. The wax is a polishing wax that you rub into some leather or use on a wheel made for the job. Tom I never did get around to saying welcome. You seem like you are very interested in the group. It’s great to have you with us. I’ve made a few belts and that type of thing. I can see situations where a push knife would make it easier. I’m going to order one from Barnsley when I have the extra money. When I think about it, if the push knife if flat on the back side, I think I could pull it and make it work. If I had to! I remember the first heel stiffener I made. That was not purty!  | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 48 Registered: 1-2004 |
2  | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 49 Registered: 1-2004 |
3  | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 50 Registered: 1-2004 |
4  That it, ya'll take care | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 235 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I am not sure what you are talking about with the word,"Corns". It looks a little like grinding compound you get at the automotive supply. I have used it on my sharpening strap and I usually use the fine grit. I also use a grit I get from rubbing two old sharpening stones together with some oil on my strap. Do you put leather on the stick?.....TR | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 51 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex Sorry about the Danish use of English. I mean grit. The two boards that I use have leather on both sides, then you put a good thick layer of glue on it and poor the grit on. Let dry over night! If most people use 220 grit (fine) 180 and 120 That is what I have on mine. You push the knife flat and drag it along the board. And finish off with the wax. Then be carefull where you point that darn thing! I refuse to use other methods on my swedish knife. it was a gift from my old maste rand they are only found after alot of looking around. By the way the 220 and wax board is more than enough in most situations CW | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 236 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I don't have a dansk dictionary, only svensk och norsk! Dansk är förfärlig språk till lära. Now you can get a swedish dictionary! But you probably understand.. I suppose you use all-purpose cement before the coating of grit? I will try that. It will probably work better than the Wd-40(thin oil in a spray can) I have been using. Thanks...TR | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 52 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex If there is a Swedish word I don't understand I can always ask my wife. Who needs a book. Norsk er let, det er bare gammel dansk! Bortset fra nye norsk, PUUUUUUhaaaaaa! I need to patch the holes on the 220 board then I can send the remainder of what I have in a bag to you. It will explain itself better than I can. I can always get some more from the bag at work. If there is a name on it I'll post here in the group. I looked at a piece of 500 grit and 112 grit sand paper. it's not like the stuff on the paper. I'm not the grit scale is the same. Once you have the leather on the board and have glued the grit to the leather with a thick layer of glue you will not need anything else. I'll try to look at the supplier that was posted with the Tine knifes. He might have some. CW | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 53 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex look here this is the stuff. http://www.sl-online.dk/default.asp?Action=Details &Item=4004 CW | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 237 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I think you said that Norwegian is like old Danish and for the new Norwegian...Poooeey!...TR | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 238 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, I looked and I am almost sure it is the same ginding compound that mechanics use for grinding and polishing.....TR | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 54 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex That's was what was written. About the grinding compound, should I send some to you to make sure it's the same material? it's quite now, the little fart monster is eating an orange CW | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 239 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, If you insist you can send me some of the compound...I am pretty good at translating the written Swedish and Norwegian but understanding most of the spoken word is very difficult. I guess all three of the Scandinavian languages are similar. What is funny is to hear a Swede and Norwegian talk to each other. They both understand each other. Ha det så bra. Vad är det på dansk....TR | ||
| AJ Medeiros (Sidetrack)
New member Username: Sidetrack Post Number: 15 Registered: 2-2004 |
Tex, Got a breakaway safety knife today to try out what you told that gal in your post. I will be d*#6ed but it works very nicely! I can pull skive a whole lot easier than with my knife, it seems that I have more control over my skive, can bring it right down to that fine feather edge without the little holes! Thanks Pal!!!AJ | ||
| Lee Miller (Lee_miller)
New member Username: Lee_miller Post Number: 48 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, Love the photos that you posted of your knives. It's very interesting that process of sharpening that you use. Thanks. Lee | ||
| Christopher M Williamson (Ttex)
New member Username: Ttex Post Number: 55 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex I’ll send some to you. It would be shame to waist time with the wrong material. It is funny how most scandinavians understand each other. Ha det så bra = have det godt eller Ha’ det godt. These are close to each other, you’ll find some that are miles apart. The funny thing is there are so many dialect that some Danes have subtitles when they talk on TV. It must be the same with the other two. The New Norwegian is a challenge for most people to understand. The swedes have an old and a new version to. I forget which is hard for me understand when they talk. Lee my new master/forman/teacher at work uses what we call a BIMPS. I think ya’ll call it a Naumkaeg? I can’t do it because the edge becomes to round not flat like it should be. I have to go, the family calls or more correctly the fart monster needs to get some air. Ya’ll take care CW AKA The big fart monster | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 243 Registered: 1-2004 |
Chris, Yes, there is old and new Swedish. I have two letters from my Great Grandfather written in 1885 and 1888 in old swedish and they were written with a turkey feather. I had a time getting them translated but finally did. It was very interesting what he had to say in that time period. They were written to his brother and were found in sweden by a cousin there. And yes, in each village they have their own dialects. They sound abreviated like pig latin with the words being shortened. I am going to try the glue(cement)and the grinding compound on my finishing strap and see what happens....TR | ||
| Brian C. Thomas (Brian_c_thomas)
New member Username: Brian_c_thomas Post Number: 51 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tex, I think the little people are playing a prank on you, moving your the skiver knife around the shop? Last time I saw it was on your top cutting bench top right hand corner. Hey I know a left handed Bootmaker that is very proficient with right handed tools, but his Uncle Sam does let him do very much lately. "Riding For The U S Brand" Brian C. Thomas That should catch Carrlyn's attention! | ||
| Tex Robin (Tex_robin)
New member Username: Tex_robin Post Number: 247 Registered: 1-2004 |
Brian, The AF has been working you too hard...I have one on every bench.....TR |