Quote from: Bowjunkie on June 05, 2021, 05:28:40 PM
Leather grips... I usually use deer leather and skive the top and bottom edges of the leather on the glue side, so it fades in thickness to almost nothing at the edge. When installed, it appears to roll or fade into the wood.

How do you do it ? I have tried but Not good
Can you show is what tool you use and how to?

Quote from: Bowjunkie on June 05, 2021, 05:45:45 PM
Like this

Very nice. Skiving Deer leather is an impressive skill
I have only done it with a knife and on much heavier cow leather!

There are lots of good videos on leather working, this guy makes good ones.

https://youtu.be/ZKwoGWddOro

I could Max. I could take some pics, but I'll try to explain it first. It only takes an additional 3-4 minutes. I use a razor sharp knife. Did it for years with a fillet knife, but that's kind of big. Now I use a little old Kutmaster muskrat knife, better control... carbon steel blade, gets sharp... whatever knife you use, it has to be very sharp. I like to strop them scary. And sometimes stop to strop it a few strokes as I'm working when I feel it needs it.... on a 3-4 minute job.

Lay the leather glue side up, on a hard smooth surface, like a piece of planed hardwood or cabinet grade plywood. I then lay that on my bandsaw table... good working height, shop light, and good access. With deer leather, which is thin, I start 1/8 to 3/16 back from the edge, and with the edge of the blade parallel to the edge of the leather, slice down at an angle in strokes, shaving the leather so that ultimately it looks sort of like the cutting edge of a single bevel broadhead.

It should be done so that if you look directly at the edge of the leather, there is virtually no flat edge left... it's 'sharp'... you've skived it to nothing, like a perfect fadeout.

Trick/tip: if in bringing it to the finest 'fadeout', the edge becomes uneven or has a tiny ragged spot or two, you can usually straighten the edge up with judicious use of a pair of very sharp scissors.

If you still think it'll help, I'll take some pics. No problem.

By the way, I also skive the arrow rest and side plate. Takes about a minute... and adds one more tiny touch of refinement. They add up.

Quote from: Bowjunkie on June 05, 2021, 08:23:20 PM
By the way, I also skive the arrow rest and side plate. Takes about a minute... and adds one more tiny touch of refinement. They add up.

When I tried it I got the scalloped edge, I do have some sharp knives and will strop them like you said and see.
I have Pig and deer leather.  Thanks

Quote from: Mad Max on June 05, 2021, 08:28:47 PM

Quote from: Bowjunkie on June 05, 2021, 08:23:20 PM
By the way, I also skive the arrow rest and side plate. Takes about a minute... and adds one more tiny touch of refinement. They add up.

When I tried it I got the scalloped edge, I do have some sharp knives and will strop them like you said and see.
I have Pig and deer leather.  Thanks

Scalloped edge... hmmm, maybe the knife edge, or trying to get too close too quickly in too small an area, or using too curved a blade? I notice my 'scallops' tend to come when I use too much of the curved portion of the blade. My slices into the leather are as much longitudinal as they are downward. Like thinning a thick area of a hide if you're familiar with that.

I'm sure the really sharp knife will help

Well I made it to 73 today...

And all the parts still work...

Happy birthday kiddo !

Thanks Kenny

Hey, Happy Birthday Roy! 

And keep those parts to yourself

Good on yah... Happy Birthday...

Happy birthday Roy

Gratulerer med dagen. Pretty soon you will be as old as I.

Thanks guys.

I'm creeping up on 74, Bue:)

Tested a light weight recurve today. 37 lbs at 28» 185 feet. 9.7 gpp. That is okay.

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That's pretty decent, Bue..

Happy birthday Pappy!
Dave.

That's purty good for a light weight bow... Did you change the design because of the light weight??  I have put tighter radius in the reflex to help the performance and since the limb is thinner I know it can handle the tighter curve...  I will be testing my target bow soon... it is also around 37#...

Thanks Dave