Author Topic: Leather Splitter?  (Read 20648 times)

Offline Pelallito

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Leather Splitter?
« on: March 10, 2010, 09:18:11 AM »
Hello,
Does anybody know of any leather splitter plans out there? I want to make something similar to the picture that hopefully will appear. I have asked on a couple of leather working websites without any luck.
This one is a simple hand pulling one. There are some that use a crank to pass the leather through rollers against the knife blade to thin the leather.
Thanks for the help.
Regards,
Fred

Online Brass_Machine

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2010, 09:35:31 AM »
Don't know of any, but that shouldn't be that hard to replicate.

How wide would you want it? How thick of leather needs to pass through it?

Eric
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Offline Bernd

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2010, 09:48:31 AM »
Kind of reminds me of a wood planner, except it looks like the blade is stationary and the roller helps get the leather through.

As Eric said, shouldn't be to had to build one from the picture.

Bernd
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Offline andyf

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2010, 09:59:21 AM »
Fred, I think that the process is also called "skiving". Googling "skiving leather" produces a lot of results. I don't know if combing though them will produce any useful information.

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Offline Pelallito

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2010, 11:11:00 AM »
Brass_Machine , Bernd , and andyf,
Thanks for the replies. It should not be hard to replicate, but I don't have access to one to make some drawings after getting some measurements. The one I posted is supposed to work on 6" wide leather, but I have been told that anything over 4" is a two man job to pull it through.
The roller adjusts up and down to set the thickness of the cut.
I am home with a cold and bored so I wanted to do something to pass the time. :bang: I can't go into the shop, but I can make a mechanical drawing.
I have done several searches, but I have to admit not for skiving. I will try that now.
Thanks again,
Fred

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2010, 07:55:40 AM »
First bit of advice is find a leather work store or on line supplier and buy a blade and work from that. The one in the pictures is sold by Tandy. It will save you a lot of headaches, as the blade must be razor sharp to work correctly. And are hard to get sharpened at home with out some luck and fixtures. Even as rusty as that blade looks it took some top layers of skin off.

It also must be firmly clamped or screwed to a bench in use.
To use it you flip the leather so the finish side is against the roller with an inch or so out to grab and pull.  There are special purpose pliers made to hold and tighten the harder you squeeze the handles. They are called Lasting pincers

I use the vise grip sheet metal or welding duck bill style. if it is wide material or regular if strap, belt or laces.

The widest cut is about 5" but generally it is less hassle to buy the leather at the thickness you need if wider than 4"

Some conversion info for leather, 1 oz leather is approx 1/64" thick
                                               4 oz            "            1/16"
                                               8 oz             "           1/8"
                                              16 oz            "            1/4"

At most places it is sold by the oz weight, or irons but that has fallen out of favor.

You must also remember to check the leather for any scars or brands or imperfections before you start to pull it through the skiver, As it will send you flying if it lets go or parts, Had a friend that had a piece let go and he hit his head on the bench behind him.

It is also better to take two or more pulls through as it is difficult to get a even thickness. Due to the nature of the product.
Here is their website it sucks really bad find a local store to you and see about the replacement blades they have changed the design some and increased the price. Mine is about 25 years old

If you need more info I will be back late this afternoon and take more photo's etc.









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Offline Pelallito

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2010, 02:01:24 PM »
PTsideshow,
I have a Tandy store about an hour away from where I live, so I have only gone there once. I have a friend that does leather work closer to me, but since I have been sick, I have been unable to see him. The last time I saw him was when he pulled out his splitter and showed it to me. That was the first time that I saw one, I immediately decided that I needed one and that they did not look that hard to build. ( We should have an emoticon of someone with a swelled head.) ::)
The blade does have to be razor sharp from what I have read. They want a arm and a leg for them. I had thought of making one out of O1 and heat treating it. Is there some reason why that would not work?
You mentioned the roller is 2.5" high. What is the roller diameter? I was thinking of using 1" SS pipe as a roller. It would not be hard to turn the outside smooth and bore the ends for some plugs or bearings.
Sorry to hear about your friends injury. I will track down some of those pliers.
Thank you for posting all of those photos and explanations, that took a lot of work.
Regards,
Fred

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2010, 03:08:56 PM »
The total height of the splitter/skiver is 2 1/2" from out side of the base plate to the top of the blade.
The roller is about 3/4" in dia. anything would work as long as it will roller as you pull the  leather thru.

The thing with the blade is that it has to be very sharp and the cutting edge the same angle across the full width. Not something most could do with out a fancy set up. They regrind them on a surface grinder type sharpening machine.
When I bought mine I bought an extra blade at the same time in case they quite selling them.
The pieces of the base and two sides and the other bits are all welded together.

He knocked him self pretty good, or as they say rung his bell! Told him at the time that he needed a motorcycle helmet.

The SS pipe would work as it is a fairly sloppy fit on the pin axles it turns on.

The Vise grips works pretty good, for pulling the leather, Plus they are a lot cheaper!
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline Pelallito

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2010, 05:27:36 PM »
I will get a price on that one from Tandy. The spare blade for the one I posted is about $200 or more, if I Have been told correctly.
I do have a surface grinder along with a couple of belt grinders. I could rough in the angle with the  belt grinder and finish it on the sf.
I will get the pliers at the same time. Perhaps I should add a motor cycle helmet to the list. :D
Thanks again.
Fred

Offline Pelallito

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2010, 08:58:47 AM »
PT,
I am following your advice and getting a blade. My friend showed me an advertisement of a 6" Landis blade for a reasonable amount of money. I asked him to order it for me, since you have to have an account with them to order.
Hopefully it will be here soon.
Thanks,
Fred

Offline B. Patrick

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Re: Leather Splitter?
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2011, 04:07:11 AM »
I found when looking for plans on something (as long as your not trying to re-design the wheel and you don't want to sell it) then patents are the way to go. Ive been looking for plans for a simple leather splitter myself, thats how  found this forum... and now Im a member. Anyways heres the link I found... http://www.google.com/patents?id=EW5BAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&dq=%22leather+splitter%22&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q=%22leather%20splitter%22&f=false
-B. Patrick Hair