Gather around gather around.....

[Darren Henry]

ya ennnnnnnnnergizer bunny

If you came up here you would become the dur-dur,dur,DUR,R,RR,RRR,RRRRR,A SELL  8) ! spokes person every winter. LOL  ( those of you don't know frost -- just disregard, for the rest -- sound it out). 

You could probably cold start a D9 Caterpillar with that much energy at forty below.

[CKKC]

Wow....hey everyone!

   
Um...just wondering with all the changes here....erm  do I post skanding leather here or how to section?  Ya I said skanding....lol...let me know and I will post.

    Karenergizer................................................okkkkkkkkkkk Im going....gosh :D

Ummm, does that mean you skive by sanding?   I have a belt sander that might do the trick!
Dust mask time!!

[NDAV8R]

Working with leather is always a challenge when it comes to clearances. In the aviation interior upholstery environment, I am always under scrutiny in a professinal job. I do own a Fortuna leather skiver than will thin it down 2" from the edge. But when I want just a small area skived, I will take it down with my 90 degree air angle die grinder and a 2" Rolock 80 grit disk.
  1st I place the finished side of leather face down on a board and sand or grind with the rotation of the grinding disk going out to the egde. HOLD on tight, you will get a few slips so practice on scraps! A dust mask is a must. Your results is up to a 1" or better back taper to the egde. In addition you can cut the leather fibers at the egde with a sissors. 
  You then can back fold, glue and hammer after sewing with virtally no back salvage showing. Or take one back skived and one FRONT skived piece to make a continuous cording welt cord or what ever.
   If I get time, I will try to get some pictures posted.

Gale.

[Moparman]

What do you guys do when you need larger pieces (in excess of 12" wide split down to about 1/2 thickness)?  Johann at Coachtrim can split pieces up to 11" wide I believe.

[Darren Henry]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/djh_64/th_tinaknife.jpg

I'm old school. I still use a tina knife and a slab of granite/marble/glass/whatever. If your local cobbler won't get you one from his supplier you can make one from a piece of power hacksaw blade (not belt). The business end is on the right in this photo, not on the long side. They are sharpened only from one side. The beveled side goes against the leather.

Maybe it's because I'm an orthopaedic shoe maker and spent all these years working on finishers; but I find it a lot easier to take the leather to the sand paper when I do it that way. I've used a belt sander clamped into a workmate table, sanding drums mounted to a bench grinder, what ever moves sandpaper (in a downward direction ) that I can then do as Gale suggests and support it on a half sole or a piece of thin plywood etc. and move the leather instead of the machine. I have much more control and more finesse. With a bit of practice you can even thin out leather working this way.

[Darren Henry]

Sorry about the itty bitty pic. I'm doing something wrong on photobucket I guess. That little box under the photo that you click and then you can select "generate clickable thumbs" has been replaced with a " you want this on face book or twitter ... banner.

[BCKC]

OOOoOOoo I too use an itty bitty(a)ngle but I use what is like a scotch bright pad as not to take down the leather too quickly.

I always place my leather on a board covered with soft fabric so I dont mar the face of the leather while working on it.....not pretty when the sander gets a bite ;D

I stretch my (leather) ((((((left that word right on outa there)))))) over cut(e) leather really tight and staple the edges so the staples are about an 1/8th " off the leather for easy removability.
Grasp sander in both hands and smooth eve(r) (n) passes over the the leather till I get what I want. If I use a sanding disk I (det) (get)  burns no matter how hard I try :D....so slower take off is what I have to dooOOooooooo.......gosh...Im sure I left some things out but there is most of it...lol.....OOooOOoo yaAAAaaa screw the board down first!  

Gotta run and you all have one blessed dayyYYYyyyYYYyyy!!!

My my my   I have just got to cut these nails....talk about spellooOOOoooOOOo sheesh! hehe  

Karen

[ragtacker]

Karen, I'm STILL jealous that you actually HAVE nails!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[BCKC]

Oh Jan.....they are my take anywhere and everywhere tools ;D



dont know what I would with out them...lol......well.....i would spell better!!

Karen