In this video I quickly show you how I go about sharpening my swivel knives. A sharp swivel knife is key to a successful tooling session and is more times than not the reason for poor results. I also take a minute and show you the difference between cuts made in leather with a dull or rounded knife blade compared to a sharpened blade.
If you are wanting to insure that your tooling sessions go as smoothly as possible, check out this video and see if it helps you to get a good edge on your blades.
*I apologize for the audio quality in this video… I am not sure what happened to it.
Many leatherheads make the claim that the swivel knife is the hardest tool in the leather shop to learn and master. I would agree with that statement, but I also believe that anyone can master it with the right amount dedication and practice.
When I say the word “practice,” I don’t mean practicing on the orders you have or faking it till you make it. I mean actual practice! This is not a tool that you will just bump along with and then one day it will magically become your magic wand of art.
This tool can make or break the final quality and beauty of your artwork. In order to start a project off in the right direction, take the time to put in the hours of practice with this tool. I recommend taking at least 15 minutes at the start of your day or at the end of your day to do nothing but play with the knife. You don’t have to layout a complex pattern in order to practice. Just grab a piece of scrap leather and go to carving and playing around. If you do this everyday for two weeks, I promise you will see improvement within your patterns that you carve.
The simple techniques in this latest video will get you comfortable with the fundamental elements that are required of you in virtually every pattern you will carve into leather. Give this video a look and try practicing them in your shop now.
Thanks so much and I hope you find this video useful and informative. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and if you have any questions or comments send us an email and I would be glad to help.
