"For heavy-duty applications you should always skive." "Non-skiving is the future — the technology is there." Both statements are correct — but context is everything.

What is skiving?

Skiving means partially removing the outer rubber cover of a hydraulic hose down to the wire reinforcement layer. This can be done on the outside (outer skive), the inside (inner skive), or both at once — known as a full skive or interlock. The goal is a direct metal-to-metal connection between hose, ferrule and fitting: mechanically strong, reliable, and resistant to high pressures and vibration.

Why was skiving always the standard?

The logic is straightforward: by removing the rubber, you get a direct metal-to-metal connection. That produces a mechanically strong, reliable joint that handles high pressures and vibration well. For many applications, it was the only correct way to work for decades.

Why has non-skiving become the new standard?

Technology has moved on. Both hoses and ferrules have evolved over the years: thinner outer walls, improved rubber compounds, and ferrules with a specially designed profile that puts the rubber under compression during crimping. The result is a connection that is just as strong and reliable as a skived one — but faster, cheaper, and with less room for error.

An added benefit: no skiving machine required. That lowers the barrier for workshops and maintenance teams that assemble hoses occasionally. Virtually every manufacturer now offers both options, but is increasingly focusing on non-skiving as the default.

What about spiral hoses?

Non-skiving works here too. At Intertraco — for which Van de Calseyde is the official distributor in Belgium — you can use standard X-fittings on spiral hoses through a specially developed ferrule. No need for a dual parts inventory: only the ferrule changes. This works for the vast majority of combinations.

For the most demanding applications — 6 wire layers up to 2" at 420 bar — Intertraco has developed a dedicated one-piece non-skive fitting. All these combinations have been tested and approved by, among others, DNV.

When does skiving still make sense?

Skiving remains relevant for specific OEM requirements, certain fitting types that require it, or where an existing workshop is already fully equipped and the method has proven itself. It is not an outdated technique — it is simply no longer the only option.

At Van de Calseyde

We have a skiving machine in our own workshop and also carry skiving machines in our product range — from fully automatic inner and outer skiving machines to electric and manual versions for occasional use. Depending on your application and volume, there is a solution for every budget.

Not sure which approach is right for your situation? Contact us — we'll help you make the right call.