Taking a look at a rare shoelace cutting and rounding tool. I am sharpening the blade and cutting some shoe laces before rounding them with the end of the tool. Its similar to a rein rounder in terms of making round laces.
Love seeing old tools identified (and put back to use)...we have all forgotten soo much but this year hopefully makes us all more appreciative of past knowledge. Keep it up Harry 👌
My modern lace cutter works on a similar principle, a sharp blade just over a channel, but it is used differently. Instead of cutting straight across an edge, a round hole is made in a scrap, you start the cutter into the leather, and as soon as you develop a tail you grasp the tail to pull leather through the cutter instead of holding the uncut leather. Go all the way around the circle and keep going into a spiral. Very long laces can be made this way, and moderate laces can be made from fairly small scraps.
Replying to Denise Skidmore's comment.. cutting a lace using the spiral technique.. Are the laces as strong, considering that when cut from a spiral one side is shorter than the other, albeit marginally?
Oh so that's what that is ! I think my gran had something similar in her cutlery drawer when I was a kid (She used to mend shoes in the 1930's / 40's). The one I saw was a little thinner in width and I cannot remember it having the holes at the top like yours. I will have to have a search among her boxes of cutlery the family have still squirrelled away.
A similar tool is used to make tubes and wire in jewelery making and also tubing for silk flower making. The draw plates for jewelery come in many sizes so may be a substitute for this tool. When I made tubes for silk flower making, I always heated the tool before drawing .
I have seen a few lace cutters of the type used for braiding and whip plating but never one like this . With your woodworking skills this nice little tool deserves a new elm handle. I wonder if once started the lace could be secured on a nail and you walk away backwards you might take some of the floping around out of the equation. All the best.
OLD LEATHER SMITH here, yes Weaver leather has 2 rounders 1 U clamp 2 UR bench the other 1 U screw or bolt 2 UR BENCH, Suggestion, instead of water try virgin olive oil, it seams 2 upsorb better, lasts longer, and works GREAT AS A DYE, with multiple coats, PLEASE HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR, GOD'S BLESSINGS ✝️⚾🙃
Seems to me after you put the lace through the cone side, you should put the lace through the other way & it would cut the corners (if the tool is sharp).
Thanks Laddie I will give that a go...I suspect having reread Bruce Johnson's rein rounder instructions I should also have rounded the edges first. Happy Christmas.
i was hand cutting laces by hand last week and looking at my treadle belts just yesterday wondering how they used to do it...thanks kindly friend...Yah bless...doug (kanada)
Ha ha...I like to know how to fix stuff, but I often have the experts do it!!...but yes I have over the years worked on a few cars!! Happy Christmas to you.