Tools of the Trade

[dw]

Judy,

I've never seen nor heard of the Esto. Where, and when was it made? That information could be a big help in finding parts. If you can take, or already have pictures, please post them.

In the meantime, have you tried Pilgrim? I've never seen anything regarding an Esto in their catalogue but they still might yield a lead.

Pilgrim Shoe
Neil Firestein
21 Nightingale Ave
Quicy, MA 02169
main voice (800) 343-2202
fax (617) 773-9012

Also...

Melanie Machine
Mr. Arnold Kay
4371 E 49th St
Vernon, CA 90058
(323) 586-2090
fax (323) 586-2097


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[jonathon]

Nice little gimping tool Janne.

A quick question though. How thick is the cutting board your using and how does it affect the feeding mechanism on your machine.

Thanks mate.
Cheers.
Jon.

[gaid]

Jonathon,
The cutting board is of 3mm thick plastic and if the machine is properly adjusted for the tool it does not affect the feeding mechanism at all. I use my flat bed Husqvarna just for making notches.
I heard from a friend in London that one closer make his own notching tools out of old awls. The same guy use carton as a cutting board.

[carlcorbeau]

All

How do the clamps on the crimping board work?

Is the convex part threaded with the top concave part having a through hole and the wing nut is tightened to clamp the leather.
Is the "L" shaped screw then drawn up as needed?

Carl

[dw]

Carl,

Not sure what you mean by "the 'L' shaped screw"...but the rest you have correct.

There are several types of crimping screw out there. I was taught on the old "pyramid" type. But I kind of developed a different stye with a knurled half round "anvil" that was threaded onto an "L" shaped or "T" shaped rod. The half round "cap" is not threaded and I usually make this concave piece a little bit smaller in inside diameter than the knurled anvil's outside diameter. This allows the screw to get a bite on thin leathers such as kangaroo. The wing nut will tighten down on the cap and lock the leather in place. That really helps with greasy leather. And believe it or not, you can still turn the screw and pull the leather.

Of course the whole thing must be socketed in a bushing embedded in the board.

Dick Anderson and I got together some time ago and the screw he sells is essentially my design. With his improvements and his workmanship--which probably counts for more than the design, come to that.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[carlcorbeau]

Yes.... I was wondering if you could still tighten it.

The "L" referred to the handle on the end of the screw.

Can you display the Dick Anderson version, and give me his address?

Thanks
Carl

[dw]

Carl,

Here's a couple of Dick's irons. The brass bushing is custom fit to the end of the iron and he included a bushing for every iron as part of the deal.

When I started making these irons I used a .38 shell casing for a bushing (that's what Mike Ives used) and...well, it worked...but it wasn't ideal. Dick has taken the whole apparatus several steps forward. I highly recommend his irons, and his crimping boards, and his awl hafts, and his inseaming jacks and anything he makes, actually.

2284.jpg

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[dw]

Oh...Dick's address...

ThornApple River Machine Works
Dick Anderson
N. 8566 Winter Rd.
Ladysmith, WI 54848
main voice (715) 532.6301
E-Mail: thornapple.boots@usa.net

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[jake]

To All,

Forgive me on the quality of the photo, but I've misplaced my mount for my tripod, so the shadow is my big, fat head!

What is this?

2287.jpg

2288.jpg

[carlcorbeau]

Yes ....what is that....I have one too?
I thought it might be used to incise a sole to bury the stitching.

D.W. ....Thank you for the pictures and info .....Appreciate it

Carl

[paul]

Carl and Jake,
That would be my guess too. Looks like very cool tool!
Hey, I'd like a suggestion on how to cut a bottle in half. I have a gallon cider jug I want to use as a skiveing dome, but have no clue how to cut it. Who would do that kind of thing?
Thanks, PK

[gcunning]

Dick
Have you had a chance to turn any of the Mesquite or Pecan??
Show some Pics if you have.

[dw]

Paul,

When I suggested cutting the bottle, I had been reading about cutting glass by dipping a string in oiil and then wrapping it around the glass where you wanted the cut and lighting it on fire. There may be more to the technique than that but if there is, my memory fails me at the moment. If you don't mind paying, any glass cutter can probably cut the jug for you. But there's yet another low cost alternative...simply cut a rectangular hole in your bench slightly smaller than a true cross section of the jug and seat it in the hole. You never have to cut the jug at all! and it won't slide around on you, either. That's what I'd do if I didn't have my side panel windows.

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frommer@bootmaker.com
http://www.bootmaker.com

[jake]

Carl & Paul,

Can't give you the correct name (jump in here Al), but it is indeed used to cut the diagonal groove on the bottom of the outsole to cover your outsole stitching.

If you have one without the cutter, Danny Marlin from Blanket, TX can make you one.

[jake]

Paul,

First, I would try to take it to a glass company who handles cutting glass to customer's dimensions. Secondly, D.W. has stated a marvelous idea to eliminate cutting the glass all together. Thirdly, I know a place who sells the corner glass of antique 5-window pickups. Just let me know if you want their phone number.

[Mike Strong]

Paul,

I use a gallon glass jar like they used for milk and tea way back when. I built a cradele that I place the jar on. It holds it in place and I can move it when not in use. Again you don't have to cut the glass. Hope it helps.

Mike

[bultsad]

All,
If you would like a cheap alternative that is readily availible try some bubble glass from Van Dykes restorers.It comes in quite a variety of shapes. I buy them two at a time because they will get things dropped on them occasionally. I think this one I am using now is two years old, so they are not overly fragile if you are careful. I glue some lining leather around the edge to make it slide around easier and not be so apt to nick me when I pick it up to move it.This link will take you to the glass page. Van Dykes
Jim

[Sharon Raymond]

Greetings, I am gathering that it is preferable to skive on a rounded surface than flat - right? And is it possible to buy a tool that will make a diagonal cut a fixed distance from the soling edge so that stitching can be hidden inside? Would it need to be cemented shut afterwards? What tool would you use to cut a perpendicular groove at a fixed distance from the edge? Thanks

[dw]

Sharon,

No, not quite. Not everyone prefers a round surface. But I do. And my teacher did. And many of my students do.

The advantages are that with a curved skiving knife...such as a Tina...it is much more accurate and controllable than skiving on a flat surface. Even with a flat skiving knife (and Tina makes some of those, too) it's more controllable. What's more, the skivings...the scraps...fall out of the way and you are less likely to accidently try to skive over a wayward paring and thus "chunk" out the edge being skived. With any practice, a maker can control the width and the depth of his skive to within one-sixteenth of an inch and do it around complex curves, never taking the knife up--the paring itself ending up all one unbroken strip.

With regard to the angled channel knife...as far as I know they are all antiques and they were all designed originally for harness or saddle work. For my part I think you have to be as skilled with them as you would have to be with a free hand knife to use them successfully. And at that point you actually have less flexibility than with the knife, freehand. The upside is that you have the illusion of control that you don't have with the free knife.

There are many ways to make the vertical channel...and even some fairly modern tools that can do the job. For instance, the Landis curved needle stitcher will cut the vertical channel as you are actually stitching around the sole--and do a really clean and credible job of it. But there is a tool that was built specifically for channeling by hand--the American Channel Knife. Salaman shows an illustration of one his his book, in the section on saddle and harness. They are pretty common as antiques and nearly indestructible. I use one to channel the insole prior to inseaming.

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[danfreeman]

Sharon, I use both. I started with only a flat glass skiving surface, and I use the curved, handle-less knives. But I sometimes use a marble cylinder (refugee from an old lamp base) for small,or deeply curved pieces. Sometimes a flexible knife helps, but most prefer a medium stiff one.The emery (or stone) and the strop must be your constant companions.

[tmattimore]

The worst cut I ever had making shoes was trying to use one of the pictured tools as a channeler. Even the surgeon admired the depth of the cut. I belive you would be better off with a free hand knife as there is no illusion of control.
Tmattimore

[jonathon]

G'day all,
I for one skive on a flat piece of glass with a curved knife. The opposite of Jake D.W. and others I'm presuming. The glass is rested with one edge on my thighs and the other edge resting on my chest.This allows the scraps to fall away from my work. (nothing worse than that tiny piece you failed to brush away sneaking under an expensive piece of leather).
As far as preparing to sole stitch I use the same said knife to firstly cut a "lip" into the sole.
Entering the sole approximately 3mm from the edge and at quite a shallow angle. I use the back edge of my welt knife to then lift this "lip" to a 90 degree angle.At the base of that lip I then use a simple handmade tool to gouge out the channel and stitch. (Now close your eyes Tex,'cause I know you don't like this stuff) I then use Dextrin to close the "lip".I should point out all those steps are done with the leather damp but not wet.
Glassed,sanded,stained and polished you can barely see a mark.
Probably a bit different to how its done over there Sharon, but I hope it gives you another perspective.

Happy new year to you all.
My new years resolution is to try and post on the colloquy more often in 2003.

Cheers.
Jon.

[bct]

Flat Skiving is what I like best. The disposable knifes seam to do as good a job as the flexible Skiving knifes. Tomestone/marble or even a mirror can be used.

"Skiving For The Brand"
Brian C. Thomas

[cmw]

Jon

The first time I cut/made the channel to sew in I was given a hand made tool. It was just a handle with a bent nail, which was sharpened at the end. It worked just fine. Is this what you mean when you write a hand made tool.

Have you tryed making a wooden tool to lay the lip back. I saw one and made a copy of it, it works great. You can also put other curvs on it that help lay the lip down, etc.

By the way I hope all of you have had a good holiday season.

CW

[jonathon]

Chris,
I dare say our channeling tools would be very similar. I make mine from broken welting awls. The brocken tips are heated over a flame and then bent to approx. 120 degrees. Once cooled I then sharpen and shape to what is required. Really easy to make, and a very valuable tool. Just bung 'er into any old handle you have lying around and away you go.

Cheers.
Jon.