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Cutting thick leather?
Can anyone offer me any adivce on cutting thick (belt thickness) leather? What sort of knife is best - in terms of ease of use and getting nice clean lines?
Many thanks for your responses.
you can use an exacto knife (try using one that has a wider blade and thick handle for gripping-the traditional kind with the slim metal handle and the super narrow blade work better for stiff surfaces like foamcore and the tip will likely snap off if you use it on flexible surfaces like leather) if you do go with an exacto, make sure you have a fresh blade (you might have to replace it a couple times) and it is also important to lay down a flat, even, very hard and sturdy surface first (such as chipboard) and then put a rubber mat made for leatherworking (found at most craft stores) on top of it. this protects your blade from getting stuck on your flat surface and keeps the blade from getting nicked up and dulling. you'll have to have a steady hand (use of a straightedge such as a ruler is recommended) and apply consistant pressure stroke after stroke to get all the way through the leather. sometimes it helps to dampen the entire piece you'll be cutting, as leather tends to be easier to work with when wet. or you can go get yourself (if you don't have one already) a pair of good quality heavy duty kitchen shears. these suckers are designed to cut throw bone and the toughest, most stubborn cuts of meat. try to avoid getting a pair of shears with removeable parts (some come apart for cleaning ease) as depending on the thickness of the leather, the shear force of you clamping the shears down could result in the shears falling apart. make sure to open the shears as wide as they go and start by placing the material to cut all the way to the point where the two blades meet, and keep moving the material down to that point as you cut--this gives you more control and delivers the cleanest cut. again, make sure the blades are nice and sharp (you might want to consider buying a new pair of shears instead of using one that you might have hanging around the house that has a lot of wear on it) if these two methods fail, try consulting your local craft store. good luck to you!
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