Burnishing edges ....

[leatheroo]

Burnished edges look great. I have read about lots of different ways to burnish edges... wood, cloth dremels etc....

I have used all these depending on the project. I have to admit the one i like the best is another piece of leather....

What is your favorite and why??????

Edited June 25, 2008 by leatheroo

[TomSwede]

I just suck at it

Tom

[singteck]

Gum tragacanth, bone folder and canvas. That's what I learned from the book and have stuck to it ever since.

singteck

[JohnD]

I have been using gum trag and canvas, but didn't like the white specs I would get, so I tried saddle soap and canvas. It burnished very easily but for some reason didn't last, when I would burnish more it would turn an uneven black and look dirty.

I was told by another leatherworker to try beeswax with the canvas, so I will be trying that soon.

John

[Hilly]

I just suck at it

Tom

No no no! Don't suck. SPIT.

Saliva and a nice little nylon edge slicker works good. But only on my own stuff. For others' I use water and my edge slicker. I've used beeswax and a piece of canvas, but didn't like it as much as the water and slicker.

[TomSwede]

No no no! Don't suck. SPIT. Saliva and a nice little nylon edge slicker works good. But only on my own stuff. For others' I use water and my edge slicker. I've used beeswax and a piece of canvas, but didn't like it as much as the water and slicker.

Ah good point there, it's just so tasty I tried recently alot with bonefolder and gum trag, think I try your method with water instead.Tom

[Rich]

I change between beeswax and gum trag. Mostly depends on what's closest to me. I LOVE my wood slicker, but it seemed to have grown legs and is hiding from me. So I'm stuck with my nylon one. If I have a project I'm working with skirting leather, I have a swatch of wool tweed. (actually, it's a piece of an old tweed jacket I used to wear in the 80's) It sure aint gonna fit me anymore, plus I don't want to be mistaken as one of those eccentric professors at USC.

[Washroad]

plus I don't want to be mistaken as one of those eccentric professors at USC.

^^^^^^^^

I've used water, gum trag, spit(!), nothing, plastic, wood, canvas, denim. Some pieces won't slick with one thing, try another. Eventually something will slick it up nice.

[Pauly]

I use beeswax with my ugly stick....this is a stick I picked up at the park which I cut a groove in and cleaned up. It's some kind of eucalypt and the groove works really well on my edges. I haven't seen this done but I'm sure I would have just reinvented the wheel. Works for me and the price was right.

[UKRay]

I tend to paint on gum trag mixed with a little dye to stain the edges an appropriate colour and then rub like fury (in one direction) with an old golf towel I stole from my father - he doesn't even play golf!

If it is a strap then I pull the strap through a fold in the towel, anything else gets a good rubbing until the edge gleams. A trick I picked up from a guy who made a lot of 'inexpensive' belts was to use one of those liquid shoe polish applicators (they sell them for kids shoes) with the sponge on to apply your edge stain/sealer. You can always use the shoe polish straight from the applcator and that works well too as long as you don't mind using a stock colour.

I'd like to try one of those Weaver edge staining gizmos - does anyone know anything about them?

Ray Hatley