You can just get teflon tape to wrap on your existing foot and test that. its cheaper and if you feel like its something helpful and always in use then you could get the teflon foot.
Hi Peter, do you think it’s worth adding the Teflon feet to a skiving machine. I’m looking at the ones from Mando. I’m hoping I can skive bridle a bit easier.
Guess the best alternative is the hand skiver! But even hand skiving can't replace the bell knife skiving machine. Some things would be extremely difficult or time consuming to do it all with the hand skiver.
I use about one to two of the regular blades for a 30cm sized bag, with skives on outers, linings and also on the reinforcements. I am generous with the blades because the cost of the leather exceeds the cost of the blades by far.
With narrow skives, you can turn the blade 180 degrees and use the other unused side.
Thanks David, very useful info. I'm also thinking about one, due space constraints (flat). Indeed there are some youtube videos of how this mini skiver machine is working, but I neeed a feedback of somebody which use it, as I was/am, concerned about the blades sharpening and replacement. I'm sharpening, on strop, my skiving knives for manual skiving, almost after each cut, so I was bit skeptical of this machine. But, yes, one/two regular blades for a bag, is not so bad. Just unscrewing/ screwing the 4 screws to replace the blade, might create some issue. I've seen they are offering a high grade blade, which may be take out and sharpen on a leather strop. Do you have one? thank you
Hey @Liviu Moruzi , regarding these 4 screws, I would definitely invest in harder cross-head screws. The screws from the manufacturer went through quickly. I have no experience with stropping the high grade blade. It would certainly be worth a try.
I use an atom which they don’t produce anymore. I recommend camoga or fortuna if you want to make an investment. These are great machines and well worth the money. Cheap machines can just be a headache and frustrating because your can’t get the results like with the good machines. You can also find used or vintage machines that can be refurbished. These old machines can be really great!You also have to decide if you want suction or just the off-cuts fall onto the floor or a tray. I have suction and I think it’s a nice luxury to have if you are working a lot on the skiver.
I recently purchased TechSew SK-4. I am extremely happy with.
You can just get teflon tape to wrap on your existing foot and test that. its cheaper and if you feel like its something helpful and always in use then you could get the teflon foot.
Hi Peter, do you think it’s worth adding the Teflon feet to a skiving machine. I’m looking at the ones from Mando. I’m hoping I can skive bridle a bit easier.
Guess the best alternative is the hand skiver! But even hand skiving can't replace the bell knife skiving machine. Some things would be extremely difficult or time consuming to do it all with the hand skiver.
is there any alternative to a bell skiver?
I use an atom which they don’t produce anymore. I recommend camoga or fortuna if you want to make an investment. These are great machines and well worth the money. Cheap machines can just be a headache and frustrating because your can’t get the results like with the good machines. You can also find used or vintage machines that can be refurbished. These old machines can be really great! You also have to decide if you want suction or just the off-cuts fall onto the floor or a tray. I have suction and I think it’s a nice luxury to have if you are working a lot on the skiver.