Leather work #2: Leather strap cutter - make your own.

Leather strap cutter
make your own.

This is basic leather tool you can buy, but so easy to make, that anyone can make one, so I decided I wanted to make my own.

This blog is a mess, as I don’t have all the pictures, I made mistakes and I did not take pictures to make a how to, but just for joy.

I’m sorry but we start here…
I can’t find the pictures of me drilling two 5,5mm holes into a piece of ash (scrap from my workshop floor) and then making a saw cut app. 2/3 down the one side…
So start by imagine this, you will see the position of the holes as we go. Smiles.
Then mount a piece of threaded rod in your drill and drive it in to the wood.

Like this and now on the side.
Notice the outer hole is drilled larger in the part with the saw cut, just the part that are able to spring.

Mix epoxy, unscrew them, fill epoxy in the holes and screw them back in.

Hmmmmm my side hole were a wee too big… So I drilled through the side and trough the bolt. (The truth is I made the block of wood months ago and were laying on my workshop table, so I forgot the hole size I drilled back then were 6mm for some reason).

Then a bamboo stick through and it’s fixed.
You might also note other stuff happened, we will get back to this.

Here we are on the top.
Where I drilled a hole next to the threaded rod hole and put in a loose dovel.

Without dovel.

With another small piece of ash, where I routed a long hole / slot, so the strap width can be set.

A washer.

Wing nut, so it can be fast and easy adjusted.

Also washer and wing nut on the side, that will hold the blade.

Rounding the edges for comfort.

Using a small size standard Stanley blade.

Unscrew the wing nut.

Put in blade and tighten.
It will now be easy to break of blades to get a sharp fresh blade.

We have a tool.

You can hold it by hand.

Or mount it on your table.
Here starting a cut.

Then pulling the leather through.

A strap is made.

That’s it, another tool born and ready to use.
You can choose the width of the top, after the strap widths you need, I am planning to make a wider version also, so I have up to 15cm in width.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or even some straps.

Best thoughts,

MaFe

-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.