Tungsten Carbide cutter.

[Iain]

Sod off Tel!!

 

It hurts man, nearly cut meself

 

I had another go tonight and it sems easier now Rick's been at it with some rubber but it's still mega-sharp.

 

If they last for nearly four years then it's well worth the money.

[Lee]

Speak for yourself sonny!!

 

That Tungsten-tipped ring of evil hates me! I can hear it whispering 'give us ya fingers ya big-chinned sack o lard!!'

I swear it can smell my fear!!

 

Looks like i'm off the machine till it eases up on me. Damn it's powerful though. Can those things be sharpened?

finally I'm smiling reading something on the forum again!

 

I took mine of the machine about 3 days after I got it & never put it on again!

 

Lee

[Auto Key Wizard]

I took mine of the machine about 3 days after I got it & never put it on again

will invest in a new one soon

So if it's surplus to requirements how much you wanna sell it for?

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Yes they can be sharpened, but dont let it get too bad otherwise you have to remove too much of the Tungsten tip and each segment may be of a different size giving rise to vibration.

Not a recommendation and I'm not advising you to do it, but I used to hold a file against a new one to take off the leading edge. then they were much easier to use.

Sharpening is not able to be carried out with the standard dark brownish grinding wheel.

Look under Saw sharpening in your local Yellow pages may be worth a try for you.

[kobblers]

Not a recommendation and I'm not advising you to do it,

but I used to hold a file against a new one to take off the leading edge. then they were much easier to use.

.

 

i thought about that, may give it a try on sunday

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

A little at a time until you get it to the sharpness required without it snatching the shoe out of your hands.

 

One thing i can remember about having shoes ripped out of my hands is,.... a lack of concentration at the time.

I never liked them and only used them for trimming substances as thick or thicker than, a Gents Top-Piece.

Individual Trimmers for me, kept sharp.

A blunt trimmer generates heat.

[Iain]

I've given it a little more of my time today. It is getting easier especially with the gently gently approach. PU's are still definitely a no-no for now.

 

I can't believe just how sharp they are. Tungsten RULES!!

[Auto Key Wizard]

PU's are still definitely a no-no for now.

So you ain't gonna trim Metaltops on it like I do

 

A little at a time until you get it to the sharpness required

Don't ya mean bluntness required Hugh

[kobblers]

keith was bang on about the lack of dust floating about

 

it's definitely gotta be more healthy!!!

 

 

rick.

[Iain]

Tel,

 

I have no intention of using it on metal. I prefer the fine band for that. I know it can do it but it's something i've never done so i'll not be bothering.

 

You still think i'm scared don't ya man??? Come on, call me a girls blouse, i dare ya!!

 

 

While we're on the subject, I have a couple of blunt cutters which might just benefit from a re-sharpening. Can you recommend where I might send them?

 

Iain

[Auto Key Wizard]

it's definitely gotta be more healthy!!!

rick.

For you maybe Rick, but not for Iain's fingers

[Auto Key Wizard]

You still think i'm scared don't ya man??? Come on, call me a girls blouse, i dare ya!!

Girls Blouse

While we're on the subject, I have a couple of blunt cutters which might just benefit from a re-sharpening. Can you recommend where I might send them?

well the blunt cutters must be HSS ones as the new one you have now is a TC one, Send um to me and I'll grind them for ya \:D/

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Sharp Cutters=Less Dust.

The same is true for all Cutters not just Tungsten.

Tungsten did have 16 segments as did HSS Cutters unlees there has been a change in the making of the tungsten cutter.Same segments =Same substance removal if both elements are of the same degree of sharpness.

Sharp cutters cut similiar to chippings, but blunt ones cause much finer particle as dust and smoke, whether HSS or Tungsten.

Blunt Cutters also dramatically slow down production in a busy fast moving shop.

By Blunt I am refering to rounded edges, not Tungsten purposely made less sharp.

[elfman]

while tungste cutters are good i would not purchase one as i feel it is an unwarrented expense ,yes the may retain there edge longer than the hss ones but they are also more expensive to be sharpened ,now please bear in mind i have worked in the engeering trade for a number of years and know full well what the qualties of tungsten are but i must warn you that even though we had are own machine shop for making all the cutters that we needed including tungsten carbide tip ones we still needed to send them out for sharpening, also bear in mind that in some cases rather than wering away it can also chip off like slate chips off,hss cutters can finish steel heels just as well as tungsten ,they can snatch just the same as tungsten if the are over sharp and to much pressure applied when offering the sole or heel for trimming , there is also another couse for snatching and that is if the sole or heel being trimmed has not been trimmed with the knife to remove all the round in one smooth cot as this will couse intermittent edges similer to the cutter thus giving the cutter blade something to bite into

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Incorrect or a slack grip around the Toe is also responsible for loss of contact.

As is oversharpening of the cutter, leaving the gap between the segments too wide as Keith has mentioned.

At the end of the day it's Horses for courses but I would have only used Tungsten where no other Trimmer would suffice.

[keithm]

Hugh, in an earlier post, you mentiond 'individual cutters for you every time. Do not confuse a Tungsten HEEL cutter with an adjustable forepart cutter

 

'Individual Trimmers for me, kept sharp'.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Hugh, in an earlier post, you mentiond 'individual cutters for you every time. Do not confuse a Tungsten HEEL cutter with an adjustable forepart cutter

 

'Individual Trimmers for me, kept sharp'.

I may be confused here Keith (it dont take much).

By adjustable forepart cutter do you mean the ones sold in stepped sizes that were marked in Irons Now Metric?

What my findings are Keith are that the wide Tungsten cutter is being used as the only cutter in use.

They are using it for trimming just about everything from top pieces to micro wedges to goodyear welted.

I prefered the Louis Heel cutters sharp' but they did have limitations due to the width. Just a few mill wider to trim gents top pieces and I would never have used a tungsten one other than for Gents Heel Base trimming.

Of course everyone has their favourite method and favourite trimmers, there are some who scour almost everything in sight.

I am not saying that one is better than the other here, just my preferences. There is a downside to my method and that is the time sharpening trimmers every day, the cost of replacing as they wear down, and the danger in relation to H & S in sharpening them.

 

So many machines have just the one TC trimmer in place to trim everything Keith and I dont like it. I like to see profiles although manufacturing is turning away from it.

[keithm]

Hugh, check out the link below, the picture on the right shows a two barrel head, heel/hob cutter at the top and an AFT below it. The AFT is a fully profiled tungsten cutter that is adjustable from 2mm to 12 mm for forepart trimming

 

http://www.standardgroup.co.uk/shoe-rep ... ipment.htm

 

We also offer, uniquely, a three barrel head with a small scouring roll at the top, a heel/hob cutter below and an AFT or bayonet fitted forepart cutters below that. How much more trimming would you want?

 

Look at this link below at the bottom of the page

 

http://www.standardgroup.co.uk/shoe-rep ... nisher.htm

 

Keith

 

Note to self, Im supposed to be on holiday

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Your 3 head unit is catering for every taste Keith.

It is when just the tungsten cutter with the sliding adjuster for size is fitted that would be of concern to me.

It is this that I see used on everything to give flat edges with no profile. Personal Choice here Keith.

Dont like the H & S aspect where the trimmer can be used on its widest setting to trim material less than half its width. It should not happen but it does and when a "grab" takes place then fingers can be damaged.

 

I would like to see a Spring Loaded Guard that wouls ensure that no part of this cutter was exposed when the shoe is removed and is self regulating to width needed for the job.

Niether do I like that end Sheild, incorrectly adjusted it exposes the end corner of the cutter, I prefer the floating Sheild with central bearing race so that when touched it stops revolving but is not able to be adjusted so that the cutter is exposed.

 

I have Trimmed shoes for 50 years Keith and as a very experienced operator of finishing machines I have to say that these TC cutters put the fear of God in me. It must be terrifying for trainees.

[petercoulson]

We fit Tungsten heel cutters on all machines leaving our factory, new or reconditioned.

 

Keith

 

Interesting, the 3 trimmer section shows the fluted heel cutter, steel not tungsten

 

Niether do I like that end Sheild, incorrectly adjusted it exposes the end corner of the cutter, I prefer the floating Sheild with central bearing race so that when touched it stops revolving but is not able to be adjusted so that the cutter is exposed..

 

this is the same with most heel trimmers, repairers need the expertise to adjust this shield correctly as not all repairers trim on the same angle/point of the cutter. The revolving shield with the bearing inside is great but not many people know about them or ask for them anymore. perhaps they will now? We can supply them through HARDO.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

The revolving shield with the bearing inside is great but not many people know about them or ask for them anymore. perhaps they will now? We can supply them through HARDO.

 

I first used one when they emerged at the time Corfam by Dupont was starting to be used for shoe uppers.

This must have been 40 years ago. Plastic or mam made materials have been with us for those 40 years so why is a Free Floating Shield not promoted? Dread to think how many uppers are getting damaged.

[kobblers]

shame trimmers aren't designed more like the flush triiming router bits used to trim laminates and the like flush with a surface in woodworking, it's virtually impossible to overtrim and marking/damaging the surface you're trimming to has never happened in my extensive experience.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Ah now you see........ that's how the floating sheild works... the bearing is the sheild, as soon as it comes into contact with the material it stops revolving allowing the cutter to continue to cut where required.

[kobblers]

it stops revolving .

 

never even seen one hugh but wouldn't it be better for the bearing to rotate to make swivelling the heel around smoother and to also prevent the bearing marking the upper part of the heel?

 

got any pics of the floating shield device? wouldn't mind having a look.

 

rick.

[keithm]

The fluted cutter picture was taken before we started fitting the Tungsten as standard Pete Perhaps I should update it