What is a shoe knife used for?
What is a shoe knife used for? |
||||
Shoemaking |
||||
 |
These knives were originally designed for use by cobblers, who keep a whole range of different blades for use in various stages of the process.
They use a sharp blade for cutting out the shape of the uppers, and also for trimming excess leather from around the sole and heel. |
|||
 |
A thin flexible blade is used for skiving the leather. Skiving is the process of scraping and cutting away layers of leather to gradually thin the edge and leave a smooth finish. | |||
 |
Shoe knives are also used to scrape away and smooth over any lumps and bumps in the heel as it’s built up layer by layer.
By laying the back of the knife across the heel you can see if the surface is completely flat all the way across. |
|||
Bookbinding |
||||
 |
Making or repairing hand-bound books is another area where shoe knives are widely used.
Ones with pointed blades are handy for trimming pages and cutting through leather, string and paper, while the flat-bladed knives can be used to prise off the spine and covers, and scrape away old adhesive in readiness for repair.. |
|||
Cutting rubber and plastic |
||||
 |
Shoe knives are often found in factories producing rubber and plastics, where they’re used for jobs such as trimming excess material from the rollers, removing flawed pieces and cutting items to size.
You can also use them to cut out rubber flooring and mats. |
|||
 |
||||
