The draw gauge is a great option and investment for your crafts if you cut a lot of straps for belts, bracelets, and any type of strap you might need. The design for the strap cutter and the draw gauge is totally different. The first noticeable difference is that the draw gauge has a pistol grip while the strap cutter doesn’t. This feature on the draw gauge makes it more easier to use.

The strap cutter consists of a 3 timber parts. A wooden handle with a rectangular slot cut out whereby 2 parallel timber pieces fit and slide through this slot. See image above. The handle is usually quite bulky, particularly if you have small hands, but you should be comfortable with it after a few practice tries. To use the draw gauge, you must prepare the edge of the leather you’re to strap. The preparation is essentially getting a very straight edge on the leather. This is very important to the accuracy you’re going to get with you’re draw gauge. Keep all the screws/ wingnuts quite tight when you are cutting as this will affect your cut and cause you to cut skew should they become loose. In this post i discuss the advantages of strap cutters, how much they cost, how they work and what they are used for. If you are new to leathercraft and are keen to learn more, read on for some more info on the humble strap cutter tool. What is a Strap Cutter used for. If you’re looking for this particular style, prices will usually be higher. Fewer of these styles are manufactured, though the quality materials used are often necessary to make this push-style tool be effective (the cutting mechanics of push vs. pull are a little different).Some people try to skip buying this piece of equipment and will use all manner of other tools trying to cut their steel strapping in an attempt to save a few quid! The reality is that Steel Strapping Safety Cutters are designed to cut through steel strapping in an efficient, safe and secure manner and are more than worth their money in increased productivity and user safety. Always look after your tools and store them in a safe place when they are not in use. Image showing how to hold the strap cutter when making a cut Conclusion start cutting leather. Ruler shown on the strap cutter used to set width of belt you would like to cut How to use a Strap Cutter.

Or if in any case you lose the blade on the draw gauge or you’re aren’t happy with the blade on your draw gauge, you can replace them. You can also clamp a regular sharp knife into the draw gauge if you’re unable to get replacement blades immediately. A Strap cutter is usually made of timber. Older strap cutters were made out of hard wood and were very durable and lasted forever. Today most of them are made out of soft wood and aren’t as hard wearing as the hardwood variety. Saying that, if you look after your cutter you should have it for a good few years anyway. One unique thing about the draw gauge is that you can get more use for the blades because you can move the blade up and down to get completely new blade edge to cut with. Firstly you will need a nice big cutting surface, preferably a table when using this tool. Belts for men are usually around 32 inches (1000mm) long and up so you will need an adequate cutting surface to handle this kind of length.

The strap cutter is usually made from wood while draw gauge is made of high quality metals. 3. Usage: With a strap cutter also known as a wood strap cutter, you will be able to cut straps from any kind of leather, with width from 1/8inch of an inch all the way up to 3-4 inch straps. Normally, this is used for cutting straps off of a hide of leather. The first thing you want to decide is your size obviously. Now, the tool itself does have a scale on it, but it’s not super accurate. It’s close, but the best way is to just put it up to the mark that you want. In this case, mark it for one inch and lightly tighten the screw.

The draw gauges are usually made of metal and because of that it’s usually more expensive. They are, however, more durable and worth the cash if you want a sturdier strapping tool. You will find that the draw gauge unlike the strap cutter will have a pistol grip making it more easier to use. There are other, and sometimes less expensive options available, though build quality might be questionable, some have the cutting blade fully exposed, and their overall durability can vary. This is a solid, sturdy tool that has been used for this exact purpose, successfully for years. Strap cutters are tools, with sharp blades, used to cut long lengths of leather material into consistent widths. For example, if you have a large leather hide and want to turn it into 2″ wide straps for belts, this is the tool for the job. Most have interchangeable blades, so over time a fresh one can be put in to help ensure the cutting edge is sharp, making cuts smooth and easy. Types of Strap Cutters Push Cutters (Plough Cutters)The cutter can also be adjusted to cut wider or narrower leather straps or belts. Situated at the top of the wooden handle is another wingnut that can be adjusted. You will notice that there is a ruler with measurements on the 2 pieces of parallel timber pieces. Usually shown in inches and millimetres that can be set by sliding the 2 pieces of parallel timbers in our out of the slot. Set the ruler to your required measurement and tighten the wing nut and you are ready