Leather Cutting Machine Restoration - Early 1900s Shoemakers Machine!
In this video, I restore an old rusty leather cutting machine made by Frobana in the early 1900s.
More about the restoration process:
It was very challenging, especially the disassembling, but rewarding. I learned a lot about leather-cutting machines, and it will be helpful for you, too!
The antique leather machine was in disrepair when I got it. Full of rust and with a blade chipped;
If you want to learn more about this antique leather machine, I encourage you to watch this video.
I worked on this leather cutting machine for almost one month, every day, because so many parts needed my attention.
If you are interested or have questions regarding the restoration process, please ask me in the comments section.
More about the leather cutting machine:
The machine could be manufactured at the end of the 1800s or at the beginning of the 1900s by the Frobana company. The machine is a leather splitter and skiver, and it was used for lining shoes, handbags, and wallets. Almost all the shoemakers had one of these back in those times.
It is a beautiful leather machine that deserves to be restored and preserved.
I hope I have caught everything, but if you have any questions, you can comment, and I'll get back to you!
Cheers! Johnny.
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#restoration #restorationvideos #howto #leathermachine
Hi folks! After almost a month of working on this restoration project, it is finally here! I loved working on it; For me, it is one of my best videos! I hope you will like it too and give it a thumbs up! Cheers! Johhny!
Sometimes I feel that how can someone be so patient while working on these rusty machines from past...... Respect!!! ❤
Thank you! 🙂
Very soothing I’m sure
I never guessed that it would be a leather cutter. You always surprise me, Johnny even with the amazing amount of time and effort that you put into these projects
Thank you for your kind words and for watching my videos! 🙂
I love these restorations. They tell us a lot about the past and the history that the object has.
Some old items are best just refreshed, especially if its rare or unique. Just a bit of TLC to bring it back to its former glory. Nicely done. 👍
That's right! Thank you!
Hey, Rusty Shades Restoration! Just stumbled upon your video "Leather Cutting Machine Restoration - Early 1900s Shoemakers Machine!" and boy, oh boy, what a rollercoaster of rust and revelation it was! Watching you breathe new life into that ancient Frobana leather-cutter was like witnessing a magician at work, only instead of pulling rabbits out of hats, you're yanking history out of oblivion! The whole disassembly dance had me on the edge of my seat, man. I mean, every creak and groan of those rusty bolts was like a cry from the past, begging to be saved. And that chipped blade? Felt like I could feel the centuries of wear and tear on my own skin. You've got the patience of a saint and the skills of a master, no two ways about it. I'm itching to know more about the nitty-gritty of the process, though. Like, how did you tackle that stubborn rust without erasing the machine's soul? And that blade - getting it back to its former glory must've been a saga in its own right! Also, gotta say, learning about the machine's roots was a treat. A leather splitter and skiver, huh? Can't help but imagine all the shoemakers back in the day, toiling away with one of these beauties by their side. It's not just a machine; it's a slice of history, a testament to craftsmanship that's stood the test of time. Keep up the fantastic work, my friend. You're not just restoring machines; you're preserving stories, memories, and a bit of magic, too. Can't wait to see what piece of history you'll save next. Cheers!
Hi Henry! I am delighted to read such a beautiful comment, especially on the day my channel hit 70k subscribers. Thank you so much for your kind words and for your time! Comments like this are giving me the power to do more and better! Best wishes! Johnny
Me emociona pensar en cuantas creaciones realizó el artesano con esta máquina. Excelente trabajo. Saludos desde Valdivia al sur de Chile 🇨🇱
The ASMR sound of the restored machine was thoroughly enjoyable. Wonderful restore!
Thank you for your feedback! 🙂 I just changed the microphone, and I was curious if someone would notice.
*_Never thought anyone could recover. The most incredible work of the best_*
Thank you!
Thank you. I own a similar but later one of these machines. The chipped blade, which you had to shorten and sharpen needs to be the full length otherwise it won’t skive the leather as intended. It should extend to just between the serrated rollers.
Do you know the purpose of the blade on the side? It seems to be intended to cut the leather into strips while the other blade skives the end of the strip. Is this mainly a belt making tool?
@@Wishbone1977 I believe these machine were intended for cobblers. Instead of a blade my machine has a rotary type cutter for cutting strips of leather. I’m trying to adapt my machine to skive a 2cm wide piece off the edge of any piece of leather, much in the way that a bell skiver does. It works, but needs further tinkering.
@@ianknight2053 Yes, but the way this particular machine works, it seems to be designed explicitly to cut a strip of leather while skiving the end of it head-on. If it were to do what you describe, the side blade would have to be removed, and the front blade would have to be set at an angle against the leather coming out of the rollers. That functionality seems useful to a cobbler, while the functionality this machine actually has does not. Hence my assumption that this is actually intended for belt making.
Skiving machine. It's used to thin out edges of leather to ease bulk when sewing. Still used to this day but in a slightly different way.
Nice! I would love to see how a modern one works.
@@rustyshadesrestorationthere's an eye jaguar company that uses one of these, exactly the same, it's used to thin the edge of the leather so the seam is not so bulky. Saw it the other day.
Known as a "skiver". Used to cut the leather making it thinner for items such as belts (and shoes where two pieces need to be stitched together without the join ending up thicker than a single thickness of the leather). I have restored a couple of these to sell on, but I have never gone to as much trouble as you have gone to with this one. They work just as well after a basic clean-up, sharpening the cutting blade and a drop of oil on the moving surfaces.
Very good Indeed.
Thanks!
اني اتابع قناتك ... واحب اي شيء يتعلق بالماضي الجميل يتم ترميمه واعادته للحياه .👍🏻👍🏻 شكرا على جهودك وما تقوم به . استمر .... 🫵🏻 والي الإمام....بالتوفيق
Seriously, which one of us has the most fun: me (who's only watching and enjoying the show) or you (who's restoring these beauties and getting to test them)?
Hahaha. Good question! 👍
I always love watching the save of old findes. Thank You ❤
Glad you like them! 🙂
Wonderfully done! I just gave away a new leather cutter I bought last year and didn't use...it is almost exactly the same unit except for the turning wheel! Great site..new fan!!
This video is a masterpiece ❤ Thank you for so good content!
Thank you! 🙂
Amazing restoration. You always find the most interesting items and bring them back to life. 😊 You truly are a fantastic Craftsman Craftsman. I really enjoy watching you work your magic. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing your next one. Greetings from Fairfield California USA 🇺🇸
Thank you very much! Greetings from Poland! 🙂
@@rustyshadesrestoration Where at in Poland? My Grandma was born in Krakow. So I'm Polish 😁
🤯 One hour from Kraków now, but I lived there for five years. So, interesting! How did your grandmother go to the US, and when?
@@rustyshadesrestoration She came over on the Boat when she was a young girl. Small world we live in
Oh, wow! That's a fascinating story to hear. My first videos from this channel were filmed in Krakow in a small basement in the Kazimierz neighbourhood. The building was built before WW1.
Thank you for your great video. Very interesting find this machine is. You made it look good, and it was fun to watch. You made it look like a thousand bucks. 😃👍 However, if you would pay more attention to details, it would look like a million bucks. For example, more sanding, more use of fillers to make it smooth, water sanding, and buffing to rise the look to the perfection and eye candy 🤩✨️
Thank you for your kind words and your tips. 🥰
Amazing job!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️
*Stunning Job. Even though it took so long it I bet it was an enjoyable project. Well worth the time and effort. You are a true master my friend*
Thank you so much, buddy! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I have to check your last video, too! Cheers
Hi! Thanks for the really great work! As always nicely done. My respect and admiration.
Thank you so much! 🙂
@@rustyshadesrestoration In one of the comments was a Russian word - Круто. It means Cool
Nice to know! Thank you for the translation! 🙂
GREAT JOB ON LEATHER CUTTING MACHINE RESTORATION -1900S SHOEMAKERS MACHINE! RUSTY SHADES RESTORATION ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️
Thank you Julien!
10:26 so satisfying sound 😮
🫠
If I tried to do something like this I might get it apart and might get it half as clean as you do, but then I would have a pile of parts and no idea how to put it back together😂 so it's fun to see to do such a great job beginning to end.
I'm glad you enjoyed the restoration process and I'm sure you can do the puzzle too. 😉
Great job! It looks like it would be valuable in harness work.
Thank you! 🙂
Excellent restoration 10/10!!!! 👍👍👍 Looks great and fully functional. Nice work...
Thank you Nicholas!
спасибо за познавательное видео. удачи Вам в новых проектах
Thank you also for watching! 🙂
Preety nice idea with shaking eyes :D
👀
Brilliant video, as always 👏 Your care and attention to detail is amazing
Thank you so much for watching my videos and for your kind words, Graham. 🙂
Реставрация шикарная, итог потрясающий. Спасибо за видос, лайкаю.
You find and restore such interesting pieces. I've never seen anything like this. Great job!! Love your channel!!
Thank you so much! 🙂 I'm glad you enjoy my videos!
Beautiful!!!
I'm glad you like it!
Beautiful job!❤
Glad you like it! 🙂
Excelente trabalho !
I think this machine is actually made to cut on the shoe itself after you apply the soul to it. You actually turn the shoe upside down and run it through this machine to trim the soul and it actually puts that texture on the top of the soul where you see it. Watch some of these shoe repair places like Bedos Leatherwork
Wow Amazing Restoration
Thank you! 🙂
Hello mister beautiful restoration beautifully restored well done
Thank you! 🙂
I don’t know how you remember where all the parts go! Blows my mind every time! I like that you don’t file and fill and polish the age off of a piece. I also always go to the description first to see what information you have put about the piece you will be working on! Thank you for sharing
Thank you! I'm happy that you appreciate that I'm not making things newer than they ever were. I appreciate that you read the description many times I explain decisions there regarding the process. If I have to deal with a historical piece or unique, I'm removing only sharp casting marks, those that can hurt your hands/fingers while working, but that's all. If I work with a mass-produced item more vintage than antique, I may try to make it better or as it went out from the factory gates. Best wishes! Johnny
Amazing job my friend congratulations
Thanks buddy! ✊️
Great job ! Looks very nice and the restoration was a lot of work ! 😊
I'm glad you liked the result. Indeed, a lot of work.
10 stars! Cheers from Minnesota ... this has me in the mood, so off to nicks Handmade Boots to watch a video!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Well done, you did a great work. It looks real good after renovation 😍😍
I'm glad you like it! Cheers! 🙂
Nice piece to restore,make nice conversation piece.just keep doing what you do best. Great video as always 😎😎😎👍👍👍
Thank you Tom! Like always, I'll do my best! Johnny
Very nice
Thank you!
I think you may have missed the broken role pin in the top cover going into the hinge pin.
Love you left most of the casting marks. I feel removing them takes away from the original feel of the item.
Thanks. Many are thinking the opposite way. I usually remove the nasty ones, especially the ones that can harm you while operating the machine. The most minor marks for me are like wrinkles on an old face and that's also some sort of beauty.
I love your craftsmanship! I do have one comment, I believe you should have had a local blade-smith make a new blade so the hone is correct and it’s the proper hardness. The blade determines how well the machine works and the quality of the product.
Thank you! I could make one myself, but it wasn't the case because the blade could be saved. I'll keep that for another video, where it will be necessary to make one from zero. I do not like replacing everything just to show off. 🙂
@@rustyshadesrestoration honestly the fix you showed was sub-par at best. The hone was definitely different from the original and nowhere close to straight. But if you feel it was good that’s all that matters, it’s yours after all. Again besides the blade beautiful craftsman.
It looks to me like the blade, when longer originally, would have split the grain where it met the leather end as it emerged from the rollers. The finer quality, supple top grain and the thick, lower layer have different uses; as in glove leather versus suede. I agree with @willaiml, it needs a new blade, if full function is to be restored. @rustyshadesrestoration, thank you for the great videos, they are fascinating!
Relaxing video, not having to do all that work)! I have a knife sharpening hobby, and if you put dabs of heat sensitive paint on an edge, then use a belt sander as you did, you'll see that it raises the temperature above the lowest temper. Reference, Australian Knife Grinders. I'm unclear about how that may affect the hardness and brittleness. And I'm unclear about how much of the edge is affected. I do not know if re-heated steel can be re-tempered (without re-quenching). Opinions on using grinders and sanders vary. Some say it's all perfectly OK, while others scream that it ruins the heat-treat, but opinions aren't facts.
Świetna robota 💪
Dziękuję bardzo!
Glad you remembered how it went back together cause I sure didn’t
😅
I have to believe these guys take a bunch of pictures as they disassemble
Me personally I would forget the first two things I took off of it
i found that when the material wasn't coming out of my sandblaster, I had a 5/16" nut lodged way up in the intake tube. Once that thing came out, it was like a new device, and the grit just flowed out. Just saying it because it looked like it was struggling in this video
It happened to meet as well, but not this time. Here, I was dealing with japanning finish, and I decided to use only glass beads from now on, which is also slowing a bit the process. Cheers
Did you ever try water-based clearcoat when you’re spinning a wooden part on a lathe it dries instantly with a little bit of cheese cloth when you apply it.
I must try that.
Обалденное видео
Ficou lindo
Obrigado! 🥰
Круто ❤❤❤
What type of paint marker brand do you use cause it always turns out amazing on any surface?
Oh, Matthew, if I know, I'll tell you, but it is kind of impossible because the markers aren't a brand or something; I just bought them in a Lidl shop. Not sure if you have them in your country.
@rustyshadesrestoration Thanks for letting me know. I'll keep looking around to see if I can find something similar.
I hope you'll find it! Cheers
I have always wondered, how do they remember how to put it back together
On this one, I just paid attention while disassembling. If I have a much bigger project, like the Coins Counting Machine Restoration, available on my channel, I have to take pictures because I'll not remember all the small pieces, especially when the project lasts over a month.
@@rustyshadesrestoration Okay. I was kind of thinking that. How would I remember something like that. I thought I’d either take a video or pictures 😬
Handsome 👍🙌 great!!!
Thank you! 🙂
А вмятину на корпусе горизонтального ножа желания или сил не хватило убрать? А ручку деревянную шлифануть?
That wasn't a bend but a casting imperfection. Sandblasting wood it is something very ordinary and popular among restorers because it is way more non-destructive than sanding with sandpaper and healthier for the wood surface as long you use soft material. Cheers
It's an interesting thing
Indeed
Thanks to you all, not a single rusty thing will remain in the world
😂
It's good that no bolts were cut off, like I've seen in other restorations 😊
I try to avoid that as much as possible, but sometimes, it can be no other way, so you need to cut it off to continue the project. It is almost like a surgery 😀
Супер!!
How to disassemble the plate?
skąd bierzesz przedmioty do renowacji?
Na targach staroci i w Internecie.
Как всегда превосходная робота !!! 🎉
👍👍👍
How was this piece of material cut? Something doesn't seem right to me. 22:03
That's skiving, the machine is a cutter and skiver. Google it. Cheers
@@rustyshadesrestoration Now I see it, thanks!
Пескоструйка так легко сняла порошковую краску?
Вот видите, я угадал, что это приспособление для работы с кожей.
What does " I really have to insist on these wheels " mean?
They were still dirty a little bit
I love the work you do, and I love your channel, and I did Subscribe. You had 100,000 views, I don’t understand why they don’t subscribe and give you some more subscribers. think this is an awesome machine, it just kind of bothers me that you don’t use like a like grinder with a flapper disk just to smooth out the edges instead of a file.. Why don’t you donate This to Bedos Leatherworks . I think you’d love to have this antique machine. Do you ever watch his channel? It’s quite interesting.
Thank you, Dan! Most people watch without interacting with the content creator or those buttons 😅 Especially when they don't see a face. Thank you for the tips and the channel; I'll give it a try.
Why the lead testing in the paint? 🤔
Lead is very dangerous to health if inhaled. If I sandblast such paint, I can contaminate the whole working place.
@@rustyshadesrestoration oh, ok. Of course. So, if it was a lead paint, what would you use to remove the paint, paint striper? Good video! :)
I think it should also split the leather - thats what the other knife is for no ? its not working 100% if you ask me. but very nice restauration.
Thanks. I think I showed how both knives are cutting.
@@rustyshadesrestoration checked again - nope. The knife that got chipped - you shortend it. I believe it need to be more to front and spit the leather - so you can split leather from 2 mm thickness to 1 mm for example. Its used in manufacturing belts. Which makes sense as this brand was used a lot in shoe repair / belt shops.
Ah, ok, now I get it. I just showed how is skiving the leather. I will try to adjust it more in front and try again. Thanks!
Super jest to odrestaurowane pozdrawiam serdecznie. 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Dziękuję! Pozdrawiam 🙂
I think you sandblasted off your japaning. Might be hard to replace it.
Powder coating it is the modern japaning 🙂
Wooden handle polishing is appears to be very old.
I always watch these resto videos, but the eye blink transitions on this one were jarring every time...
Thanks for the feedback! :)
👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍🥃🥃🥃
should sell it to heath and keith[you tube] cobblers or at least let them show how it works
they didnt use scissors?
They did, but with scissors, you can't cat perfectly and fast thick pieces of leather, plus that this machine is doing skiving too-the last cut is at the end of the video. Cheers
Горячую закалку осваивайте, самый лучший способ, чем мазать всякой гадостью. Попробуйте воронение.
🙏🤗👍🇻🇪
Thank you for watching Jose!
Change the knives and the machine will last another 100 years in daily production, better than a new one.
That's true! They were built to last forever.
Ekstremalnie zardzewiała? Serio?
I mean, the rusty parts, not the whole machine.
@@rustyshadesrestorationSpox, powiedź mi jeszcze o co chodzi z tym szukaniem ołowiu w farbie? Kilku "restauratorów" których obserwuje też używa tych patyczków to wykrywania ołowiu w farbie. p.s mam nadzieje że nie masz nic przeciwko że piszę po polsku
Not at all. You can write in whatever language you prefer. I do the lead test to know if I can sandblast directly or if I have to strip the paint off. If positive, stripping the paint off is a must because sandblasting can cause the spread of particles of lead paint in the workplace, and if they are inhaled can cause serious health issues 😐
Your skiving blade is now way too short to do it's job. Replace it and your machine should work just fine. As it is it's a pretty shelf queen.
The blade is fine; you can adjust it easily (backwards or forwards), and it's reaching the end. It will be a shelf queen, for now, nobody in the family works with leather.
Great restoration but why powder coat an historic item like that? What's wrong with paint? The original paint lasted well over a century so it can't have been a bad idea!
Thank you. Not sure I understand you. The paint was chipped everywhere, so it was needed to take the rest off and repaint it. Powder coating is much more durable than many types of paint, and it is itself a type of paint.
I guess it´s use is not cutting, but splitting leather.
Skiving and splitting, that's right, but popular is known as cutter.
Co to jest? 10 sekund później... Dobra, ale CO to jest?! 🙏🫶😹 What is it? 10 seconds later... Okay, but WHAT is it?! 🙏🫶😹
Dear God, that thing is a tank! Are you sure it's not used to cut 1/8th inch (sorry...3mm😉)steel plate?! 🤣 I guess "not built like they used to" is code for "built to survive, nuclear explosion"
Haha, I agree! I think it was also the most challenging disassembling and assembly that I have ever encountered. It felt like a mini tankodinosaur built to last forever 😅
Powder coating pretending to be chrome doesn't look good during renovation.
It is like any other chrome paint but much more durable. It may not look good to you, but that's not a fact that will stop me from using it. The same with any other colours; some may like it, others not. It is a free and massive world with diverse tastes, so I don't even bother to make everyone happy with the colour choices because it is impossible. I don't understand why you bother telling me. Just don't use it in your projects 😉
@@rustyshadesrestoration It's not about the color, but about the fact that it pretends to be chrome, which it is not. Like using artificial leather instead of real leather.
Ah, man, it is the best alternative still to a chrome bath. Such things require particular laboratory and authorisation, so it is what it is.
@@rustyshadesrestoration That is why copper plating and nickel plating are used on an amateur basis. Chrome plating can be ordered, unless the channel's ideology forbids it. :)
That's forbidden. Everything has to be done in-house 🙂
Johnny. Not the engaging video you usually do, with decent results. Go back to your origins.
I did nothing different than in the last video. Please check the numbers, and you will see how many watch it. This video is also performing amazing, so maybe you changed 🤔
👍👍👍