My Story of Bookbinding Knives

My short story regarding my experience with bookbinding knives, paring leather and sharpening.
An absolutely excellent video of sharpening a French-style paring knife by Arthur Green: • Close To The Edge: Sha...
The supreme scholar of bookbinding knives and sharpening knowledge Jeff Peachey: jeffpeachey.co...
Making Paring Knives for Bookbinding from West Dean College: www.westdean.o...
See a true master in practice, specializing in leather mosaics - Gilber Saint-Jean: • LEATHER MOSAIC - PART ...
You can find my other pieces of work in my shop here:
www.iostopan.c...
www.etsy.com/s...
If you wish to support my work and help me produce more content for aspiring bookbinders please consider contributing to my Patreon page:
/ stopan
I've also opened commissions for the months ahead. Check out my custom order form on my website here: www.iostopan.c...
Be up-to-date with upcoming projects, commission availability and when new collections go live for sale. Subscribe to the mailing list:
tinyletter.com...
Website and other social links for more information:
Website: www.iostopan.com
Facebook: / iostopan
Instagram: / iostopan
Clean Soul - Calming by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
#Bookbinding #Leather #Knives #Stopan #ContemporaryCraft #Craft

[@Stopan]

A key note I forgot to mention in the video is what surface to use. It should be hard and smooth. As you can see, in the beginning used a glass plate, until I found a nice marble slab with rubber legs. Some people also use a large litographic stone. The important thing is for the knife to glide over the surface and not sink into it, so cutting mats and wooden boards aren't suitable for the job.

[@nigelwylie01]

6:25, 7:25. Stopan, I am in awe. Your skill with words approaches the heights of your skill with books & leather. Somehow you express things ‘just right’. Thank you.

[@Stopan]

Thank you for being so kind and watching for so long! Have a great week!

[@samrodian919]

@Visions Nigel,I thoroughly agree with your comments. Stopan's English is excellent and his comments make so much sense when coupled with watching him actually using the knives, and the sharpening of them is a revelation.

[@Turgon92]

i noticed the same thing at the 6:25 mark. that dude-and his family-is an artsy spirit,the thoughts and ideals that go behind his works manifesting here in his words. plus,the awesome mustashe!

[@GrandmaGaye]

Attention to details let's the true artist fly into realms no other can attain. Keep on keeping on

[@juanitabonita717]

Love, love, love this video, the artist and his work !

[@Stopan]

Thank you!

[@phoebebaker1575]

Very nice video! You are a good story teller, as well as an excellent craftsman.

[@cynthiaeaton2342]

Thank you for this bit of information. I too tend to be intuitive in sharpening my edges. I am glad you are well, I wish you and yours continued health.

[@Stopan]

Wishing you all the best too, Cynthia! Have a great week!

[@bombadillo2]

Awesome info, thanks!

[@bearcub4472]

You are amazing. So precise in movement, style and speech. I am so grateful for you and your work. Thank you! I wish I could learn directly from someone like you!

[@Stopan]

Wow, thank you! I still have a long way to go though. I'll probably be ready for quality teaching a few decades down the line.

[@rondumontier1187]

Cobblers knives are a talent in and of their own. You did yourself a great deed getting better knives. Nice work. I go from 1000g to 5000g then ceramic then strop. I say I have a great handle on things young man. Love your videos, always.

[@Stopan]

Thank you, Ron! I appreciate your feedback!

[@Chep680]

So glad I found this channel. Greetings from Kenya!

[@cmedicinehorse]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and art...Colin

[@Stopan]

My pleasure!

[@khalilullah9929]

Really awesome

[@-----REDACTED-----]

BTW thank you for showing how to use an English paring knife to cut the foredge flush when one has no access to these massive block cutters by using two boards, one as a guide and the other as the backstop! I never got a useable result with cutter knives but now I have a Kiridashi knife and it works reasonably well to trim the edges.

[@Stopan]

Glad you found it helpful! What block cutters do you mean? There are some small machines like the Scharf-Fix that pare the leather evenly but I never considered their price worthwhile.

[@-----REDACTED-----]

Stopan I meant these big guillotines (that was the name) for trimming text blocks. They are a bit expensive and bulky for me... So far I am still using book cloth and elephant hide paper, I don’t think I am ready yet to try myself on leather. Too much love and respect for that material! 😅

[@suziegem]

Such dedication and learned discipline. Thank you for this video.

[@Stopan]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@scr5051]

Greetings froom Colombia south america. Great channel

[@Stopan]

Thank you! Have a great week!

[@danielrowsey7667]

Thank you for such an insightful video. I've missed hearing from you!

[@Thiscouldbeyou]

Great video! I just picked up my first English style paring knife, but I suspect (Based on how often I switch hands) I should get a French one as well.

[@Stopan]

Thank you, Chris! It's a great addition, I'm sure you'll fit it right in your habits.

[@andrewmyers7131]

How old were you when you started bookbinding, and what made you start?

[@Stopan]

I was 21 years old, I think. My journals were falling apart and I took matters in my own hands, haha.

[@Vezi-ti_de_treaba]

Hey Stopam. Can You make some videos for starting bookbinding.Or can You recomand some books,or other chanels about this subject? I wish You all the best!

[@nigelwylie01]

This is a good channel for learning bookbinding: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nISThZ6kfZmAi8U

[@Vezi-ti_de_treaba]

Thank you so much :)))

[@konstantinoskarasavidis6036]

Thx for sharing your experience stopan. Can you recommend a shop in europe for buying a french knife? Or a producer? In the wild there are tons of knifes from 5€-300€

[@Stopan]

And thank you for watching, Konstantinos and for your long support! I bought my knife from Hewit's here: www.hewitonline.com/French_Paring_Knife_p/tl-075-frc.htm It comes sharp and has been serving me for more than two years now. I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It can take some time getting used to using it and even more how to sharpen it properly. It does an excellent job and I prefer it more and more over my English knife. Although I still use the English one for longer pieces that need to be thinned.