Which swivel knife blade do you use?

[Toadflax]

I was wondering what swivel knife blades other leather carvers use.

I found that the original one that came with the swivel knife from LePrevo was just too chunky for the detail work that I do, and very difficult to go round tight corners, with a pretty steep bevel (must be close on 45 degrees) and, I think, 3/8” long.

I then tried the 1/4” blade, though this was much the same, and have finally settled for most of my work on the filigree blade (a slanted blade with a much lower bevel angle), which allows me to cut much finer detail.

I wondered why the standard blades had such a steep bevel angle – would it be to help prevent the knife cutting too far through the leather? Perhaps the standard blade is primarily for the typical US carving patterns developed by Al Stohlman, et al., which tend to have fairly big sweeping curves, more suited to the chunky blade? Maybe also the steep bevel produces a more open cut, for when decorative cuts are being applied to the pattern?

Any thoughts?


Geoff

 

[Bardster]

As far as I understand it, yes. The wide bevel is to stop the cut going too deep. I use a 1/4" fine angle blade rather than a 3/8" flat one, this allows me to use either just the point or the whole width of the blade. I think you are also right in that they are more suited to American style carving. The Sheridan style does tend to be long smooth curves.

 

[sasquatch]

I just have the bog standard big bevel one, I'd like to try one for finer work as you described. So far I've only done the sweeping floral Stohlman type stuff but I like to work small and intricate and the standard blade isn't much help. Looking forward to seeing the replies to this post as I really enjoy carving leather but want to spend more time doing it...

 

[g4ghb]

have yet to pluck the courage to try tooling....... but the info in this thread is helping to get my head round it more, thanks guys!

 

[Toadflax]

Unashamedly showing off o)...I couldn't have done this without the very fine blade...although you can't see from here, I managed to include the rider's 'naughy bits', which are very evident on the original stone carving of Odin riding Sleipnir.

Geoff

 

[g4ghb]

That's cracking Geoff! - sounds a silly question but do you think of your self as 'arty'? ie able to draw etc....... I'm not but can trace so have been trying to convince myself that is all I require

 

[Toadflax]

That's cracking Geoff! - sounds a silly question but do you think of your self as 'arty'? ie able to draw etc....... I'm not but can trace so have been trying to convince myself that is all I require

A difficult one - I tend to consider myself more of a draughtsman than an artist - i.e. i can copy stuff fairly well - though I think I must have a bit of art in me. However, when I see the sketches that my daughter draws, I think that I am not arty.

Without giving away any trade secrets, the outline of the design in the picture was traced onto the leather - not done freehand - so I'd say that you can do some decent designs without being able to draw well.


Geoff

 

[g4ghb]

Without giving away any trade secrets, the outline of the design in the picture was traced onto the leather - not done freehand - so I'd say that you can do some decent designs without being able to draw well.

I see, cunning! I can get my head round the process to cut round an 'object' ie the outline of a leaf for example but how do you cut something that 'crosses' like your Celtic weave? where do the cuts stop or do you just cut one line into the other and the the tooling sorts it out?

I can see me having to have a 'play' this evening at this rate then annoying swmbo again when I end up buying more 'toys'.......

 

[Toadflax]

I see, cunning! I can get my head round the process to cut round an 'object' ie the outline of a leaf for example but how do you cut something that 'crosses' like your Celtic weave? where do the cuts stop or do you just cut one line into the other and the the tooling sorts it out?

It's the tooling that sorts out the 3-D effect. The sequence was: cut (on the weave, the cuts stop where the line goes 'under'); edge bevel the short bit where the lines cross; edge bevel the background all around the shape, then texture the background.

When tracing, I got myself some decent tracing paper, as greaseproof paper stretched when placed over the wet leather. However, Eric Methven suggested a much better way, after casing the leather, cover it with clingfilm before tracing.


Geoff