Knives for leather: types and selection rules

A leather cutting knife is a rather unique tool that must meet certain requirements. However, some of the tools we are used to are also suitable for this business. What knives are available for cutting, scouring, fleshing and embossing? Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Timbering is a type of leather processing during which the edges are trimmed so that later this area can be used for products. The name of this word comes from the German "sharpen", and it reflects the essence of the operation. In the process of beaning, which is also called grinding, all unnecessary is cut off, and a piece of skin is brought into proper condition.This operation is an indispensable part of working with any skin.

The most important thing in this business is to choose the right tool. And in this case, the knife used for processing should have a characteristic feature - sharpening only on one side.

There are such varieties.

• German. This is considered to be the usual form of a triangular-shaped instrument. Its handle is strong, the point is sharpened on one side. In general, it resembles a hunting knife. It is most often used for grinding, and this shape is very important. It allows you to conveniently make cuts and remove irregularities in the material.

• French. This variation is special because it resembles something like a lemon wedge or half a month. Correctly this knife is called saddlery. Such a tool is used for the same beams.Some craftsmen find it more convenient, however, the shape of the blade is not so important here, the main thing is that it is very sharp.

• Turning. This type has unique small blades. It is also called an embossing machine. Judging by the handle, this tool looks like a large razor, however, the blade is covered with a cap and is somewhat like a marker. Knives like these are often used specifically for carving figurines on a sheet of leather. If you need to get the result in the form of a heart, clover or something else, such a knife will perfectly help you in this matter.

• Vyrubny. With it, you can make the sheet curly and depict something on its surface.

• Furrier. This tool is unique in both form and application. First of all, the master will use it for the manufacture of products related to fur. It looks like a flat metal shaped plate, at one end of which there is a very sharp blade, sharpened on one side. This tool is made of brass.

To obtain a similar result in the absence of the necessary tools, you can use the most common knife - a clerical knife.

If you are working with thick leather and do not want the edges to be rough, you can cut them off with a cutter. It goes without saying that it is very sharp on the inside and incredibly thin on the outside. Outwardly, this device resembles a tuning fork, since it is represented by two dense parts, the inner surface of which is incredibly sharp. It is irreplaceable in the matter of cutting roughness and irregularities along the edges and therefore is actively used by masters of their craft.

In a professional environment, it was designated as an edge descent tool.

There is also a roller or circular cutter. This type is most like a pizza cutter because it works on the same principle.... Thanks to the rotating cutting wheel, cuts can be made very smoothly and comfortably without much effort. Again, the shape of the instrument is not important, but this option will be convenient for someone.

By the way, there are also toothed discs, they allow you to leave holes along the edge of the skin, similar to those left by a sewing machine. It will look aesthetically pleasing and easy to do. In this case, the master is also provided with safety, because the handle is made in such a way that to access the disc it is necessary to press the lower part of the structure. In the free state, the knife is completely safe.

However, workers know that after skinning an animal, the material is not immediately ready for use. It still needs to be carved, separated from the rest of the skin. And it is in this that the described device is an assistant.

So, from the above it is clear that a real professional does not do with a straight razor or a clerical knife. In his arsenal there should be a variety of knives that help to successfully solve various, sometimes very difficult, tasks. Of course, they are unlikely to be useful in the household, but if you decide to seriously engage in furrier business, then the information gleaned from this article will be useful to you.

See below for an overview of leather knives.