*FULL REVIEW* Vergez Blanchard Skiving Knife- Leathercraft Masterclass

[@gustgatt]

Hola, tengo una cuchilla Blanchard antigua, de acero al carbono, no es tan dura pero tiene un gran filo. Se mantiene muy bien asentando su filo. Efectivamente es para cueros cutidos al cromo. Para cueros de curtido vegetal o cueros crudos (en Argentina son cueros vacunos pelados, tratados con sal y grasa) utilizo una cuchilla japonesa de acero duro, teniendo cuidado de asentar su filo permanantemente. Saludos. Gracias por tan detallado video de su experiencia.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

You're welcome!

[@msrvfx]

The issue with many edged tools is the metal choice. Many talk about the metal hardness related to edge retention, but not realizing you’re going to have a half dull edge for a long time. Many users don’t Thames the time to develop the skill of quality sharpening. A high carbon Japanese Blue steel will out perform most steels for wood chisels. In sharpening an edge there is “shaping” if there is a Nick, “sharpening”, then “polishing”. If you are serious about your craft learn the skill up to polishing. Polish your edge every start of work, and as you sense a reduction in cutting. Simple.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thank you for sharing Mark

[@rondumontier1187]

This is a very good video. I too hate the handles. I got a bookbinder knife. Works great.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thanks for sharing Ron 👍

[@randomscandinavian6094]

Good video and impressive technique! This inspired me to give my right-handed oblique Blanchard another go. I have a lot of sharpening experience from woodworking chisels and planes but I am still completely unable to get this one to work for me. It’s like trying to skive with a spatula. With shipping and high import taxes to my country and VAT I paid double of what you did. I keep hoping that it’s me and not the knife because then I can do something about it. But my hatered for this thing keeps growing. The site where I bought it has customer reviews on most products but not on the Blanchards.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

I have a woodworking background myself. Skiving knife sharpening is a bit of an art. When you get it to sing, you'll fall in love, so keep practicing. Just take a little longer to nock of that burr, it's not as quick as a 25-30 degree angle seen on chisels / planes etc

[@nubarm3610]

Great video and a very detailed review. I actually just bought the knife and thought it would come shrapened out of the box. You breifly touched on charpening it but do you have detailed instructions on how to get a really sharp edge on it?

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thank you! Yes, I produced a video course 'Techniques Of The Blade' where I blunt a skiving knife and sharpen from scratch before teaching you how to use it on leather. It is available on my website.

[@pequodexpress]

I'm thinking of getting a knife similar to that one but made of M42 steel (at the suggestion of the knife maker) and a flat handle, but I don't see much written about M42 HSS used for leather skiving knives.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Probably harder to machine I would imagine. I would definitely recommend diamond plates for sharpening if you go that route, so factor that into costs unless you already own some. Close to 70hrc won't be fun on stones.

[@pequodexpress]

@@LeathercraftMasterclass I do have diamond plates. The knifemaker said that M42 is easier to sharpen than M390. He seems to prefer M42 over DC53, RWL34, D2, M2, and M390.

[@gravydogg1]

I love sharpening .. I actually sharpen my xacto blades instead of discarding them... as far as price goes you will pay for premium steel, I have a bushcraft knife that cost around 450$ and I didnt think twice about purchasing it !!!

[@michaellopez5960]

Wishing every day of the new year to be filled with success, happiness and prosperity for you and your family! Thank you for your video. I have about five skiving knife's, one like the one that show here in this video, but my problem is sharping the knife.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thank you Michael! Very kind of you to say. Sharpening this knife in particular is best done with diamond plates or even wet/dry sand paper stuck to a flat surface. Harder steels like this one take a very long time to sharpen on most whetstones/water stones.

[@michaellopez5960]

@@LeathercraftMasterclassI shared this video in Twitter and wrote a nice comment about you of what I see of you. Best

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Much appreciated. Thank you for your support and happy you found the video helpful.

[@arusa3963]

thanks

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

You're welcome!

[@mahmutgurell]

Leather wranglers vs vergez blanchard who is the best?

[@BornIntoThis20]

Thanks for this review. I’m thinking about buying the Blanchard angled one but without handle for smaller work like watch straps, wallet panels etc. Do you know if it’s same steel / quality of edge retention/ needs for sharpening as this one? or do you recommend another one without handle more maybe ? I don’t mind if it doesn’t come ready to cut my hairs.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Hi Bielle. I'm not too sure, I have wondered the same thing. I heard that they lasered the logo on the HSS version as the steel ruins the hand applied stamp you see on the other knives they produce with softer steel. That may be worth checking. I prefer without handles mostly.

[@billwessels207]

A very nice video, Sir. And I do understand the need for the Crafstman to hone and sharpen and polish tools in exchange for a reasonable price point and high-quality tool steel and quality handling.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Absolutely Bill. Thanks for tuning in 👍

[@mnamous9823]

OKAY❗️

[@ИльяБогданов-т4в]

who is preferable? Vergez Blаnchаrd VS GEORGE BARNSLEY ?

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Depends on the tool more than the brand, but overall I'd say Blanchard

[@alessiocai9952]

George Barnsley used to make one of the best tools out there in IX-XX, now lately their toolmakers are producing bad tools, alot of inconsistency, but they offers very good knives for the price, the only problem is their factory Finish sucks alot, if you are handy and don't mind these things you can fix it and the tools can give very good results for nice price, i have 9 paring knives from them and paid like 100€, last week I ordered some Blanchard paring knives to try, they cost 30€ each aprox, a difference of 6 knives, that's a lot.

[@zaa2892]

may i know what kind of steel made?

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

High Speed Steel (HSS).

[@MaxKOdu]

£55-60 is great for a tool that can be maintained! The steel also looks beautiful. I assume you go into much more detail in your Techniques of the Blade for actually using these, I'm eager to reach that video now! Thank you for the video Philip!

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thank you SanDrone. You assume correctly, I created that course specifically for sharpening leather skiving knives, blade maintenance and practical use of the knife in leathercraft.

[@pequodexpress]

@@LeathercraftMasterclass Does your course go into sharpening splitter blades? I need to do better at maintaining mine.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

@@pequodexpress It doesn't I'm afraid, but the principals of sharpening are still the same. You will however need larger sharpening stones or diamond plates (8''+) to deal with the longer blade length.

[@dianedecrane5813]

What do you think about their round/head knives

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

They are good, just not the best steel out there.

[@jthepickle7]

Treat yourself to a natural slab of marble - not the granulated/epoxied faux marble. You only buy it once! After only a short while the knife gouges through the epoxy. With subsequent cutting the knife's edge is ruined. This does not happen with a real slab of pure, polished stone. (good tools at every stage!)

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Thank you. I'm using polished granite here. For more paring stone tips check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJiWZGeNi9l2bMU

[@Mulgogileathercraft]

와우

[@airnashville3883]

Beautiful knife and a great video. At $80USD, I expect a knife to be sharp on delivery.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

I'm lucky as I love sharpening! Probably be $120+ if it was sharpened and honed by hand I would expect.

[@dannylin5342]

To be honest, tool maintenance is a must for any type of blades, whether it be S30V to S100V, 20CV, HSS. Sharpening these blades on diamond stones from 1200 grit to 800 grit and onto stropping with green compound take at most an hour to get to better sharpness than most out of box sharpness. It's well worth learning.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

@@dannylin5342 Absolutely. It's a skill that's important to develop when purchasing these knives 👍

[@dmitriyobidin6049]

I should be able to use any tool out of the box, no ifs or buts. Otherwise, it's just a poor craftmanship. It's like asking you customer, that bought a belt(for example) from you to apply finish to it before use... It's not acceptable.

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

Absolutely, as long as you are prepared to pay the extra costs associated with hand finishing and testing within a European country. Many aren't I'm afraid. I would say that poor craftsmanship is when something has been done badly, not when something hasn't been done at all, i.e. hand finish a blade. China can do it for that price with its low labour costs.

[@woogaboogawiththegreenteet8436]

thanks

[@LeathercraftMasterclass]

No problem