cutting leather

[GinnytooU]

Would cutting a piece of leather on my band saw do harm to the blade? We have a leather shop here and I purchased a large piece of scrap for 6 bucks to make my own strop. So I cut it with the band saw to the size I wanted and then glued it to a board. Works good too. So would you cut leather on a band saw? Ginny

[Guest]

Re: cutting leather

Shouldn't be aproblem, Ginny!

Al

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Re: cutting leather

Only if you placed it on a piece of unsawn wood to keep it from being pulled down through the blade slot. Actually, I just wouldn't do it as that's not what the bandsaw was meant for. Whats wrong with just cutting it with a utility knife. A sharp blade should go right through it.

[Sam]

Re: cutting leather

I wouldn't use the band saw because of what Lynn said. Could bind in the slot and snap the blade, or stall it. I cut leather all the time with a utility knife. I also use a metal ruler to guide the knife straight. I think a utility knife would give a cleaner cut.

[GinnytooU]

Re: cutting leather

Thanks guys. Now I know. Ginny

[Bob K.]

Re: cutting leather

Ginny, I've always cut my leather with a utility knife or exacto knife and a ruler or yard stick.

[gtech]

Re: cutting leather

Believe it or not, I cut a piece of leather with a utility knife just 5 min. ago...

I'm am in the process of doing a leather case for my knives and I use 7 oz leather.

But I wouldn't use a saw, for the same reasons mentioned before.

Make sure you use a metal ruler to guide the knife.

Gilles

[Sharon of the Dell]

Re: cutting leather

Ginny, sounds like it was great idea and didn't damage your saw, so what the heck, it worked for you!
I thought about cutting up wild game on the band saw my family shoots and kills, but my husband reminded me that that would be one heck of a mess! LOL

[Guest]

Re: cutting leather

I'm gonna adjust my advice...the stuff I cut on the bndsaw was almost 1/4" thick and very stiff. Made several strops out of the stuff. If it was this flexable leather, I would NOT use a bandsaw for the exact reason Lynn mentioned.

Al

[Brian T]

Re: cutting leather

Even a real meat-cutter's band saw is a mess to clean up.

Not that I'd consider using soft leather, ever again, for a strop, sure. Staple the leather to a junk board and have at it. It would really benefit from the added support to prevent tear-out along the underside of the edges.
Instead of buying custom-cut grocery-list pads of paper, I buy pads of 8 1/2 x 11 and run them through the bandsaw. No biggie. Used to be wood, anyway.

[GregGerard]

Re: cutting leather

Frozen meat cuts pretty good.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Re: cutting leather

I just use a utility knife.

[MustangA1X]

Re: cutting leather

G
I thought about cutting up wild game on the band saw my family shoots and kills, but my husband reminded me that that would be one heck of a mess! LOL

Go ahead, it isn't that hard to clean up. Usually a sawzall works better on game.

[Stan Curtis]

Re: cutting leather

Quite frankly I abuse my bandsaw by cutting a lot of things that are "not on the approved list" of wood only. So far I have not broken a blade by any means other than kinking it.

[gtech]

Re: cutting leather

Just cutting a hair in half here... maybe...

But I always heard that cutting paper with a knife was not good. In fact, we can hone a knife with paper.

Now, knowing that straight blade razors owners use leather to hone (they use another word...) their razors, I have the feeling that it can dull a knife when you use it to cut leather.

So what does it do to the bandsaw blade?

Anyway, I would be more concerned about the leather getting stuck in the bandsaw if it was too thin, but thick leather would not be a problem, except maybe dull the saw???

Gilles