You can’t deny the fact that there is something about leather that just feels premium. Also, a leather product makes for a great gift. It screams quality. There is something rustic and raw about it.
Leather goods work great as a gift, but sometimes they do not always play well. If you own a leather shop, you might know what we are talking about. You probably needed to skive leather many times.
To make the process easier, we rounded up the best machines for leather skiving you can buy. Whether you want to buy a machine for a personal project or commercial reasons, we have you covered.
Top 8 Best Leather Skiving Machines
Just like all leather isn’t made the same, all leather skiving machines aren’t made the same either. To help you make the right choice with your hard-earned money here is an in-depth explanation of the best machines out right now.
01. Gdrasuya SM-801 Industrial Leather Skiving Machine
Every time we see ‘industrial’ in the name of a product, we get quite excited. No, not because we miss the industrial revolution or something crazy like that. It is because we get to test its bold claims.
Fortunately, this leather skiving machine from Gdrasuya is worth the ‘industrial’ badge, thanks to its robust tank-like build. We have a feeling your leather product will give in before this one does. The body is made from stainless steel and feels just as solid as it looks.
We Recommend You Use a Servo Motor
It has a fast 1200RPM servo motor. In fact, we recommend you only use a servo motor with this one. You can use this to easily work on wallets, bags, jackets, and more.
There is no point in getting a machine that damages the leather it is working on now, is there? That would be quite ironic. This is a non-issue with this one, though. It works on the leather without actually damaging them.
All in all, we are off to a good start, it seems.
More Features
The cutter is sharp, very sharp. It can go through leather with ease and leaves the edges smooth as ever. Whether you want to open a small leather workshop for yourself or just use it personally, you won’t be disappointed with this one.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Robust build ensures it lasts a long time
- Powerful 1200RPM motor makes quick work of leather products
- Thin and sew products just to your liking to make them fit your taste
- Sharp cutter cuts through leather like melted butter
02. Eapmic Manual Skiver Leather Paring Device Machine
This time we take a step back from technology and go retro. This is a manual leather skiving machine. Does it fit in our explanation of the best leather skiving machine? Turns out it does, surprisingly.
It is a versatile little tool. If you need to work with hard leather, this will make sure you can do it without much hassle. It isn’t a one-trick pony either. Throw some horse leather, sheepskin leather, or even tanned leather, it will work on those with ease too.
Since It is Manual, you naturally do not have to deal with a lot of moving parts. This, of course, makes it one of the more durable ones in our explanation roundup. The build itself is strong.
A cool convenience we loved about this one is the machine is ready to use right out of the box. No assembly is required. Unbox it, and bam, you are ready to work on some leather.
The blade comes with is also available in your usual hardware stores too.
Effectiveness and Simplicity
Honestly, the more we look into this skiver, the more we are impressed with its effectiveness and simplicity. Thanks to its structure, your paring will be more accurate.
If you need to do precise and high-quality jobs like leather on-lays, flat skiving, and the like, this is quite up to the task.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Being a manual skiver makes it straightforward and easy to use
- Ready to go out of the box, so you do not have to waste time
- Great for precise jobs allowing you to do high-quality work
- Comes with a common shaver blade and is available easily
- Robust build that will last you a long time
03. YaeKoo Manual Leather Skiver Skiving Machine
If you thought the previous manual skiver was impressive, wait till you get a taste of this one. We are, of course, being metaphorical. Please do not taste your skivers. With the PSA done, on to the detail.
This skiver is suitable for use on different leathers. You can work on hard leather, sheepskin, tanned leather, and more. Having one tool that can tackle a couple of different types of material is pretty cool.
How Easy to Use?
It makes it versatile and easy to use. More importantly, you don’t need to buy different tools for each type of leather. Just like the previous one, this can be used right out of the box.
There is no need for a tedious assembly process as some motorized machines out there require you to. Open the box, and you are all set to work. The package also comes quite full-featured.
What is in the Box?
In the box, you get 1 wrench, 1 leather splitter, 4 rollers, and 15 blades. These are double-sharpening blades. The blades are very sharp. Be careful not to cut your finger kind of sharp.
You will make quick work of even the toughest leather. Of course, being a manual leather skiver makes it more durable and less prone to breakage.
Various Color
We would have liked this one to come in a different color, though. It comes in the same black color as the previous one. But that is just us nitpicking on what is otherwise a fantastic product.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Usable out of the box, so no assembly is required
- Comes with 15 sharp blades that make handling leather easy as pie
- Very durable and is an investment in every sense of the word
- Works great for advanced leatherwork, which allows you to make precise peeling
04. Innetoc Manual Leather Thinning Skiving Machine
Another day, another manual leather skiver. This one has a cool quality-of-life feature, which makes it worth a mention here. Before we mention the highlights, let’s look at the basics.
The durability is all good with this one too. To be frank, you can’t really mess up a manual skiving made from metal. That would have been quite an embarrassment.
Well, we are happy to announce, no such tragedies occurred here. The quality is as solid as you would expect from a reputed company like Innetoc.
Quality-Of-Life Features
Where it truly shines is its quality-of-life features. This machine is fully adjustable. Even though it is a manual leather skiver, the overall ease of using this thing makes you appreciate the design and thought that went into making this.
There are interchangeable rollers available if you need those. You get a 27mm roller and also get a 12mm, 4mm, and 8mm roller. It even saves you time.
How, You Ask?
Many skivers in the market will need constant knife adjustments. Not this one. Once you set the knife to its position, it stays put. You don’t need to adjust it now and then.
This saves you the hassle and time in the long run and also just makes using the thing more convenient.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Simple and easy to use, which saves you a lot of hassle
- Position locked knife requires no adjustment
- Interchangeable rollers make it very versatile
- Durable build that will see long use
05. HYYKJ Electric Leather Splitter Machine
If manual skivers aren’t your thing, then check this beast out. This is one of the most powerful leather skivers we have on our list.
Design-wise this leather skiving machine looks very industrial and high-end. But again, we aren’t fans of the color. The build is very solid, though.
RPM, Volte, and Watts
It can produce 1400RPM and has 40 watts of power running through it. Whether you have leather wallets, bags, or anything that needs to be cut, this bad boy can handle the job.
And it does it without breaking a sweat.
It Comes with Steel Bearings
One way this electric leather skiver from HYYKJ differentiates itself from others is by using steel bearings. A lot of other machines use copper sleeve bearings. And that can cause wear and tear over time.
You also need to apply oil to copper sleeve bearings.
No such extra steps are required with this one. You can be sure it will work perfectly even without the addition of oil and avoids damage to the rotating shaft even without such lubrication.
That speaks of its quality and the attention to detail the manufacturer put into this thing. You can adjust the cutting speed. That allows you to be more precise and deliberate with whatever leather you’re cutting.
A Tad Bit Larger
All those high-end features and power does make this one a tad bit larger than other machines on our list, though. But it isn’t that big or anything that would be unwieldy.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- A durable industrial build makes this one a tough cookie
- 1400RPM, which is quite a lot of power to work with
- Can work on all sorts of leather goods, which adds to its versatility
- Intuitive controls make this easy to use
06. Maxmartt Leather Craft Edge Skiving Machine
This skiving machine surprised us. Don’t worry, though; it surprised us in a good way.
Immediately you will notice the design and the color is very similar to our previous tool from Aeloa. The color is the same teal and blue combination, which we can’t help but mention – we aren’t a fan. Again, it is a very minor problem.
Other than that, the rest of the tool is on par with all the other skiving machines here. There are four roller sizes to choose from.
Anti-Corrosion Aluminum
The anti-corrosion aluminum construction is cold to the touch and feels very solid. If you happen to drop this once or twice, it should survive the fall. Of course, it goes without saying, that won’t drop your machine.
It features the same height-adjustable roller. You can choose how thick or thin you want your leather to be. The blades that it comes with can be replaced easily too.
How Easy to Replace?
We love it when companies think of the end-user experience. Having blades that are easily replaceable instantly makes this one of the more convenient machines you can buy.
The included blades are very sharp themselves and should cut through almost all leather types. If you like working on leather and want a traditional, strong, and competent skiving machine, you can’t go wrong with this one.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Durable anti-corrosion aluminum build will surely help it last longer
- Sharp blades that can be easily replaced when needed
- Low maintenance product makes it great for daily use
- Rollers can be height adjusted, which makes them more versatile in use
07. TBVECHI Manual Edge Skiver/Splitter Tool
What do you get when you mix expertise and passion? You get a product that does what it is meant to do effortlessly. That is exactly what it is to use this manual skiver from TBVECHI. However, the name is a mouthful.
Let’s start with the build. First, some bad news, this one only comes in black. It has an industrial look about it, but just black, nonetheless. Lack of color options aside, but the build is great.
The aluminum build is solid, and holding this sturdy beast makes you feel like a very competent leatherworker.
Ready for Various types of leather
That might not be too far from the truth. This skiver can work on different leathers easily. It is suitable to work with hard leather, horse, sheepskin, tanned leather, and all that jazz.
You can use the machine to pare the whole skin or edges. For beginners, this one is a great choice. It is easy to use and safe too.
In the Box, you get all the things you will need to get going instantly. You get 15 double sharpening blades, 1 spanner, 3 extra rollers, and 1 leather splitter.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Easy to use, which is perfect for beginners
- Full-featured box contents make it easy to get started instantly
- Durable build that will help it last long
- Works with all kinds of leather, which makes this one versatile machine
08. BoTaiDaHong Skiving Machine
Lastly, we have this skiving machine which can do more than just one thing. But is it a jack of all trades and master of no deal? Or is it actually competent in all of those things?
This one might look like a very basic machine but is quite the tool. And yes, you can do a lot with this one. You can easily pare, peel, or split leather. If you have a leather project or want to make something using this machine, you shouldn’t face any problems whatsoever.
How Easy to Change the Blades?
The blades can be easily changed out and replaced. Changing the blades is an easy process too! All you need is just one simple step to change them out. The blades themselves are plenty sharp and will work on different kinds of leather.
A lot of effort has gone into making it. You can easily tell this when you see how seamlessly every part fits in. It is laser cut, and the overall quality is very satisfactory, to say the least.
Used Stainless Steel
The build is stainless steel for the screws and holder. The brackets are made of aluminum. With high-quality materials like these, you seldom need to worry about them breaking. That isn’t a dare for trying to break it, though.
All we are saying is we liked the durability, and rust shouldn’t be a major issue either.
HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES
- Durable build that won’t get rusty
- Precise machining makes it feel premium
- Sharp and easily replaceable blades make it convenient to use
- Can perform a lot of tasks, which adds to the versatility
Factors to Consider before Purchasing the Best Leather Skiving Machine
Instead of just giving you a detail of the top leather skiving machine you can buy, we thought, why not arm you with the knowledge of how to choose the best also?
Here are the things you need to look for when shopping for a leather skiver:
1. Consider Your Needs
When you are buying anything really, how you intend to use it, and what needs it will fulfill is important to consider. The same goes for skiving machines as well.
Do you intend to use it lightly for small projects, or do you want to use it commercially?
All these will dictate whether you need a heavy-duty one or a normal smaller one for personal use. If you tend to use it for personal use and small projects, a manual skiver will do.
For commercial uses, you might need something beefier.
2. Height Adjustable Rollers
You definitely want to get one that features height-adjustable rollers. This makes the machine much more convenient to work with.
You can choose how thick or thin you want the leather to be, thanks to these rollers.
A lot of professional or prosumer leather skiving machines will have height-adjustable rollers boldly displayed in the product description.
We even mentioned a lot of models with this fantastic feature.
3. Sharp and Replaceable Blades
Here is the hard truth, no matter how sharp the blades on your machine are, over time, they will dull down. This is the case for every machine out there, honestly.
What sets the good ones apart from the bad is the use of easily replaceable blades.
You’ll see a lot of machines come with common shaver blades. These blades are sharp and can be found at a hardware store easily. So, when you do eventually need to replace them, you can do it in a jiffy.
A sharp blade also makes it easier to work with different kinds of leather as well.
4. High Operating Speed
If you’re buying an electrical skiving machine, you need to look into its operating speed. In other words, the motor power.
A powerful motor will make working with leather easier.
Of course, the heavier the workload, the more power you need. Anything from 1200RPM and above is pretty good and will give you a good experience.
5. Full-Featured Box Contents
If you want to be able to get going right out of the box, you should get one that has all the things you need to be included in the packaging. This way, you can start working right away.
A full-featured box is just convenient and saves you time.
6. Brand
While this is very subjective, you should pick a reliable brand to buy a skiving machine. There are a couple of good names out there.
All the ones we explained in this article are very reputable with good details overall.
Buying from a reputed brand gives you that peace of mind and ensures its quality. You can be sure you probably won’t be needing to replace your investment within a couple of months.
7. Durability
Speaking of not having to change your investment after a couple of months, what about that durability? Most skivers are made of aluminum or stainless steel. These are some of the most durable ones you will find.
Check for robust builds and premium materials. Other machines will have specific parts made from a different material that provides more durability than conventional materials.
For example, the HYYKJ Electric Leather Skiver we explained above features steel bearings instead of copper sleeve bearings. That makes it less prone to wear and tear.
Little things like these might not seem all that significant. Over time, as you get more and more use out of your machine, these little things will come into play much more prominently.
The Level of Wear and Tear
All new things perform well. It is the level of wear and tears over years of use that tells the good ones apart from the bad. So, that is something to think about.
To gauge how the machine will perform over time, you can look into product details from other customers.
8. Price
This is also another important factor. You do not want to pay for features you won’t use. If you just need a basic machine, wasting money on a very high-end and powerful one is counterintuitive.
Plus, just because one costs more than the other, does not always mean that it is right for you. Think of what you will need and which ones meet your needs the best.
Then pick the best one from those selections within your budget. That is what we call smart shopping.
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FAQs About Leather Skiving Machine
What Is Skiving?
In leatherwork, skiving means reducing the thickness of the leather. This is mainly done to make the leather easier to work with. Sometimes skiving is also called paring.
When Do You Need To Skive Leather?
If the leather piece is too thick to be folded, you would generally need a skiving machine.
Can anyone use a skiving machine?
Not anyone can use a skiving machine. It is a specialized tool. Anyone can try to skive leather, but we aren’t sure how the end result will turn out. You can learn leather skiving, though.
Does skiving reduce the quality or durability of the leather?
No, it doesn’t. Skiving has been in practice for a long time now. It does not reduce the quality or the durability of the leather.
Are manual skiving machines more durable?
Manual skiving machines have fewer moving parts in them, which might make them less prone to breakage. Although that is not to say electric machines are fragile. If you use them properly and take proper care, both types of machines will last for a long time.
Wrapping Up
Alright, there you have it. These are the best leather skiving machine you can buy right now. If you ever had that special leather project you wanted to undertake or own a leather workshop, any of these machines will be a great addition.
Working with leather can be frustrating and difficult if you don’t have the right tools for the job. To avoid that, choose the one that best suits your needs from the list, and you should be all set.