Getting a clean cut on Latigo leather... A question for the leather craftsmen

I have a good problem... too many strops. My 3" SRD Latigo has been hanging unused for a long time and I finally have found a way to put it back in service. I want to cut it roughly in half to mount on a travel loom strop. More accurately, I want to trim about 3/4" off of both long sides and about 1/4" off the ends. Rarely have I been able to cut leather as thick as the Latigo strop in just one pass and the result is real amateurish edge once cut. I want a nice clean, finished edge that will be appealing to the eye. I am considering taking it to the local shoe maker. I am a DIY kind of guy and would love to do it myself, so I am hoping for suggestions on getting a nice, clean, one pass cut.

Thoughts & suggestions appreciated.

I've no experience but this comes to mind:

Attachment 199784

I've had success making clean and uniform cuts on strop leather using a tool I have from when I was a pro carpet installer. A loop pile cutter with a slotted blade installed. Probably not worth the $ it would cost you for this one off application, but it will do the job if you understand how to use it. Use a chalk line to mark your cuts, adjust the cutter to the proper height, and follow your line. With a new blade it is like butter.

Attachment 199785

I use one of these to cut strops etc.

Tandy Leather - Craftool Strap Cutter

I am sure you could rig up some sort of homemade version.

Anyone around here know how to get a nice sharp blade???;)

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Originally Posted by 32t

I use one of these to cut strops etc.

Tandy Leather - Craftool Strap Cutter

I am sure you could rig up some sort of homemade version.

Anyone around here know how to get a nice sharp blade???;)

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Have made alot of strops,the above tool works perfect.

Level on top of the strop, c-clamped to hold it and a cheap snap exacto (sp?) knife?
Like cutting drywall.
Don't know....seems like it would work!

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Originally Posted by Hart

I've no experience but this comes to mind:

Attachment 199784

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If it weren't a 20" cut, that might work. Because of the length, I see this making a jagged cut..

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've had success making clean and uniform cuts on strop leather using a tool I have from when I was a pro carpet installer. A loop pile cutter with a slotted blade installed. Probably not worth the $ it would cost you for this one off application, but it will do the job if you understand how to use it. Use a chalk line to mark your cuts, adjust the cutter to the proper height, and follow your line. With a new blade it is like butter.

Attachment 199785

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I once had a knife like this.. back when I was laying carpet. Long gone at this point and I would bet a pricey item these days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 32t

I use one of these to cut strops etc.

Tandy Leather - Craftool Strap Cutter

I am sure you could rig up some sort of homemade version.

Anyone around here know how to get a nice sharp blade???;)

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Yes, hard to beat a purpose built tool. That's what I figured my local shoe maker would use. paying him to make two straight cuts couldn't be $30.. could it?

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Originally Posted by Chevhead

Level on top of the strop, c-clamped to hold it and a cheap snap exacto (sp?) knife?
Like cutting drywall.
Don't know....seems like it would work!

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That's exactly what I would do if left to my own ways. However, Latigo is pretty thick. Even the sharpest of my snap blade knives wouldn't get through it in one pass..

Well the carpet cutter blades do fit the DurhamDuplex Razors.. double up and shave!
~Richard

Cut the leather with it and then shave? Now THAT would be a serious pre-shave stroping!!

Yea, the strap cutter is the tool for the job, but have also done it with a metal straight edge clamped to a table top and a well stropped utility knife or Exacto knife. Don’t try to cut through thick leather in one pass. Multiple lite cuts will make a nice cut and prevent mistakes.

You can bevel the edge for a finished look, with a leather edge beveler or a sharp block plane, strop the plane blade on chrome oxide or diamond paste and take a lite cut.

You can smooth the edge with edge dressing or thinned hide glue and an leather edge dressing tool or a small nylon or metal pully wheel, like from a screen spline install tool. The tool burnishes the edge and the dressing glues the fibers smooth.

Buy once cry once,get the proper tool,If you have a Tandy near you they will cut it for free.
If a shoe maker wanted to charge me 30 bux to make two cuts I would tell him to pound sand up his Butt.
Aircraft tin snips will not work.
A straight Edge,A carpet cutter or Roofers knife with a new blade well serve you fine.

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

I have a good problem... too many strops. My 3" SRD Latigo has been hanging unused for a long time and I finally have found a way to put it back in service. I want to cut it roughly in half to mount on a travel loom strop. More accurately, I want to trim about 3/4" off of both long sides and about 1/4" off the ends. Rarely have I been able to cut leather as thick as the Latigo strop in just one pass and the result is real amateurish edge once cut. I want a nice clean, finished edge that will be appealing to the eye. I am considering taking it to the local shoe maker. I am a DIY kind of guy and would love to do it myself, so I am hoping for suggestions on getting a nice, clean, one pass cut.

Thoughts & suggestions appreciated.

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If you have access to an old school paper shear it should give a nice clean cut.

I can attest for the Tandy strap cutter, it even works on 1/8 rock hard felt ( if you want to make your own felt strop) if you don't think you'll be cutting any more leather straps i did a quick search on google and there are some ideas on DYI strap cutters(though i can't vouch for the functionality of any of them). might give you some ideas.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

If you have access to an old school paper shear it should give a nice clean cut.

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No, it won't cut well or straight. Only the sharp wheel type paper cutter may cut the leather without torquing it to one side.
Leather guys seem to like a round ended blade with about a one inch radius...like an uloo. My little experience cutting leather says it should work because it has about the same cutting shear at most any angle held.
Here is a link to one company's knives and uses thereof:
Leather Tools | Leather tools and how to use them
~Richard
Leather guys and gals take their work seriously as a precision machinist!.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

If you have access to an old school paper shear it should give a nice clean cut.

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No way in hell can you cut proper strop Leather with an old school paper cutter,sorry,not gonna happen.
Attachment 199796

Straight edge and razor blade to cut. You will need the proper size edger and a slicker if you want to do a nice job on the edge. You may get away with just the slicker but.....

Start this vid at about 25:00 to see the edge work.

https://youtu.be/YpEmkRlv1Uo

I think that I used a straight edge and a Stanley knife (box cutter?) To cut my first edge, then I used a set square to mark the two short sides, cut them in the same manner, measured and marked my desired width across both short ends and used these marks to align the straight edge for the other long side.

Edit: I was only cutting fairly thin roo leather so the blade creating a perfect 90 degrees to the face wasn't really an issue but it could be with thicker material.

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Originally Posted by Euclid440

Yea, the strap cutter is the tool for the job, but have also done it with a metal straight edge clamped to a table top and a well stropped utility knife or Exacto knife. Don’t try to cut through thick leather in one pass. Multiple lite cuts will make a nice cut and prevent mistakes.

You can bevel the edge for a finished look, with a leather edge beveler or a sharp block plane, strop the plane blade on chrome oxide or diamond paste and take a lite cut.

You can smooth the edge with edge dressing or thinned hide glue and an leather edge dressing tool or a small nylon or metal pully wheel, like from a screen spline install tool. The tool burnishes the edge and the dressing glues the fibers smooth.

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Thanks so much for the details. Sad thing is that I used to have all of these tools as well. We had racers, prick wheels, edge shavers, burnishing wheels, sewing awls and more.. As a child, my dad and I made non-folding knives and eventually migrated to making custom leather sheaths for them. We weren't very good, but we did tool up for the tasks. Sadly, that was some 40+ years ago. I don't see much leather work in my future, and I am reluctant to buy more tools (Did I really say that?). I think a trip to the shoe maker is in order.

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Originally Posted by 10Pups

Straight edge and razor blade to cut. You will need the proper size edger and a slicker if you want to do a nice job on the edge. You may get away with just the slicker but.....

Start this vid at about 25:00 to see the edge work.

https://youtu.be/YpEmkRlv1Uo

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Good stuff in there.. thanks so much!

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Originally Posted by tintin

I can attest for the Tandy strap cutter, it even works on 1/8 rock hard felt ( if you want to make your own felt strop) if you don't think you'll be cutting any more leather straps i did a quick search on google and there are some ideas on DYI strap cutters(though i can't vouch for the functionality of any of them). might give you some ideas.

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I'll dig into the DYI strap cutter idea. As much as I am all for DIY, I may let a pro do this one..

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

If you have access to an old school paper shear it should give a nice clean cut.

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I thought about that, but I have a hard time cutting paper straight so leather would just bind up. I think it would have to be securely clamped to the cutting board or it will slide. And even the slightest amount of drift will look like crap.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Buy once cry once,get the proper tool,If you have a Tandy near you they will cut it for free.
If a shoe maker wanted to charge me 30 bux to make two cuts I would tell him to pound sand up his Butt.
Aircraft tin snips will not work.
A straight Edge,A carpet cutter or Roofers knife with a new blade well serve you fine.

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Sorry, I wasn't clear... What I meant is that the shoemaker likely won't charge the same $30 for two cuts as I would spend for the strap cutting tool. I've used the same shoemaker for years. He could probably cut the leather, burnish, die and bevel the edge in a blink, for a lot less than $30.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

I think that I used a straight edge and a Stanley knife (box cutter?) To cut my first edge, then I used a set square to mark the two short sides, cut them in the same manner, measured and marked my desired width across both short ends and used these marks to align the straight edge for the other long side.

Edit: I was only cutting fairly thin roo leather so the blade creating a perfect 90 degrees to the face wasn't really an issue but it could be with thicker material.

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Thanks.. Getting it parallel and square isn't the problem. I don't want nasty cut edges. From experience with cutting belts to size, getting through the Latigo in one pass is going to be a bear and getting multiple passes cleanly done is a big challenge as well.

I used to cut a lot of leather for production quantity of military gear, saddle blanket trim and PPE (gloves, sleeves, hand pads, etc.). My go-to cutting tool for leather was always a 20-ton clicker and a heavy steel production die. I think you could get what you need, a used clicker and a 12-18" straight edged cutting die, for under $4000. http://www.sigmapackaging.com/Equipm...095/2_6095.jpg

Biggest trouble with making lines on leather and then cutting with Exacto (too light) or a quality box-cutter/razor knife is that leather makes blades wander; getting a clean cut with some experience isn't a problem but getting a clean straight bevel is another story. I like the Tandy tool second and the local shoemaker guy (for a one-off) first. Good luck.

If you ever need 50+ Beretta 92F-, flashlight-, handcuff- or MACE holsters please call me first. :D

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Originally Posted by MisterMoo

If you ever need 50+ Beretta 92F-, flashlight-, handcuff- or MACE holsters please call me first. :D

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I don't own a Beretta, handcuffs, or MACE, but I may have 50 flashlights.....:D I will keep you in mind!

I use that

https://www.google.bg/search?q=%D1%8...D%D0%BE%D0%B6+


or im very fond of this psrticular blade

https://www.google.bg/search?q=%D1%8...h&q=opinel+12+


I aways use lineal to cut straight and when the blade is very sharp , make few pasess . It makes a perfect straight and clean cut.

I suppose a box cutter and a straight edge are out of the question? That is what I used to trim some leather the other day for a board strop.

@MikekiM: are you serious about destroying a 3" SRD latigo strop? Heathen, you deserve to burn in hell.

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Originally Posted by Kees

@MikekiM: are you serious about destroying a 3" SRD latigo strop? Heathen, you deserve to burn in hell.

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Yes.

It's all relative.

Hanging in my closet are a Tony Miller Heirloom Artisan Horsehide, a Scrupleworks Oil Tanned Horween Horsehide, a Kanoyama Cordovan board strop, a Strop-it Tensio loom strop with English Bridle leather and a Stropman Horsehide paddle strop, and on the way from Europe is another Scrupleworks Norwegian Bridle and flax linen. Waaay in the back is my first strop, the 3" SRD Latigo with poly web, complete with nicks and cuts. I prefer flax linen over the poly web. Horsehide over Cordovan. Cordovan over Latigo. 2.5" over 3".

When the smoke clears, the Latigo gets no use in it's current configuration so, I can toss it, sell it, PiF it or re-purpose it. Seems like giving it a shot on the Tensio loom strop is a good choice and is a far cry from 'destroying it'. Unless someone wants it..

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

Yes.

It's all relative.

Hanging in my closet are a Tony Miller Heirloom Artisan Horsehide, a Scrupleworks Oil Tanned Horween Horsehide, a Kanoyama Cordovan board strop, a Strop-it Tensio loom strop with English Bridle leather and a Stropman Horsehide paddle strop, and on the way from Europe is another Scrupleworks Norwegian Bridle and flax linen. Waaay in the back is my first strop, the 3" SRD Latigo with poly web, complete with nicks and cuts. I prefer flax linen over the poly web. Horsehide over Cordovan. Cordovan over Latigo. 2.5" over 3".

When the smoke clears, the Latigo gets no use in it's current configuration so, I can toss it, sell it, PiF it or re-purpose it. Seems like giving it a shot on the Tensio loom strop is a good choice and is a far cry from 'destroying it'. Unless someone wants it..

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Seems logical, what do you make of the tensio? They look fairly small.
You could always give away the rest of it and whoever gets it can just buy themselves a replacement piece of leather.

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

When the smoke clears, the Latigo gets no use in it's current configuration so, I can toss it, sell it, PiF it or re-purpose it. Seems like giving it a shot on the Tensio loom strop is a good choice and is a far cry from 'destroying it'. Unless someone wants it..

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It could always go to "Contests and Giveaways" .

;)

The tool you want is called a Head Knife. Its a round blade with an apple seed profile to the edge, so it will cut through thick leather in one pass, but the edge won't fold over. The round blade profile lets it cut in a constant slicing motion, rather than straight down like a utility knife. Your shoe repair guy is probably your best bet to get it done locally.

Have you cut the strop up yet?

28 posts on cutting a pce pf leather.You got a straight edge and a sharp blade? will take you 3 mins.
Attachment 201047

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

28 posts on cutting a pce pf leather.You got a straight edge and a sharp blade? will take you 3 mins.
Attachment 201047

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He probably does, but the old school washer might be a problem.:)

It's been suggested a couple of times but I think the fear of the cutter wandering, despite the straight edge, or guide moving is the worry for an inexperienced hand.

Some latigo is pretty hard - the mexican stuff feels like it is some sort of board when you cut it, and draw gauges and plough guages wander and even head, half round or french half round knives need more than one pass.

Some latigo on the other hand is very soft and almost any craft knife, stanley knife, head knife, etc will do the cut in one pass.

Paying attention to what is under the leather is important - steel or glass will blunt the knife whereas timber or rubber mat will not. I use a very long self-healing cutting matt, but along with specialist gauges and knives, it is quite expensive, so I suppose timber will be best in this situation.

If you are using a steel edge as a guide, you do not want something that has high sides as the body of the knife will contact it. You do not want something with handles that the knife handle will touch, or any protuberances. A simple steel rule is best, better if you stick some anti-skid to the bottom of it. Clamps can hep if you have an extra long straight edge, but make sure the bottom is cushioned with anti-skid mat and that you do not tighten the cramps too much, else the body of the straight edge will get imprinted in the leather. The cramps should be just out of the range of the knife, else they will get in the way - a soft touch in the middle of the rule is all that is needed then.

It really is a simple matter, like Pixelfixed says - don't over-complicate it and just go for it, as you say the strop gets little or no use anyway.

Regards,
Neil

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

28 posts on cutting a pce pf leather.You got a straight edge and a sharp blade? will take you 3 mins.
Attachment 201047

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Yep, I have a few good straight edges and a couple of knives. The Latigo is pretty thick and hard. No way I am getting through it with one cut. More than one cut is going to look cheesy.

I am sure we're likely to get another 28 posts about using the not-so-flat top of your washing machine as a backer board...

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Originally Posted by MikekiM

Yep, I have a few good straight edges and a couple of knives. The Latigo is pretty thick and hard. No way I am getting through it with one cut. More than one cut is going to look cheesy.

I am sure we're likely to get another 28 posts about using the not-so-flat top of your washing machine as a backer board...

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Am not very smart but I did not fall out of my Mamas Bottom yesterday.
Using a washing Machine as a backer is insane.
I have cut 12 oz leather with that Knife,No problem (one clean cut)
My backer board is a pce of 1in. thick Honduran Mahogany,Which is clamped to my bench,straight edge is 4 ft long,1/16 thick,you only need one straight to begin to get a perfect pce,scribe the other side,than clamp the straight edge in place,cut it,bevel the edges with the proper tool.
Your done,is truly easy no brainer work.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Am not very smart but I did not fall out of my Mamas Bottom yesterday.
Using a washing Machine as a backer is insane.

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We had a giggle over it but nobody took it seriously :)

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Originally Posted by Hart

We had a giggle over it but nobody took it seriously :)

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WE???????????????????? who is we?