MonicaJacobson

I'm interested in this too because my fabric sewing machine is doing it, except once every 10 stitches.

I don't think it's embedded, I think they used a creaser to crease a line right inside the stitch line. Probably before they stitched. Maybe with a double creaser, and then stitched inside.

Once you've put wax, etc. on the edges, paint won't stick for more than a month or two. You might want to start over with a clean edge. Also, if the leather isn't very good you might still not get a clean edge with edge paint. But it will help a lot. People use it on exotic leathers, which often have rough edges.

Wow, awesome bag.

This one looks really nice, James. I remember the first one you did, and this one looks like what it was trying to be.

Wow, that is ridiculous.

Very cool, I especially like that gusset style. Still haven't tried that method. I just ordered from webbing from bigduckcanvas, but they only have white or black, and I haven't seen it yet or used it before, so I can't comment on quality. I just saw a newsletter from abbeyengland saying they have all sorts of colors of webbing.

Wow, my favorite part is the glove.

Cool bag, I love the piping. One thing you could do is line the straps so the back side matches the front. Wouldn't take too long for that length.

LOL, on several counts. No, sorry, I didn't see that, and yes, it's all the funnier since if I tried to make boots they'd look .... terrible. Have you been to the Ft. Worth Tandy? It's pretty sweet, but then again it's the face of the company store, as that's where the first one came from. Tandy is cool, and what they do (or could potentially do) is very valuable, but I stopped using their leather when it started having tire tracks on it. Give me Maverick any day. I expect benefits and sorry, minimum wage isn't going to cut it.

BTW, @cseeger -- your boots have come a long way in what, eight months? Keep it up! I don't have the inclination myself at the moment, but I'm impressed with anyone who does.

I tried dying something gray and the brown of the leather eventually showed through with age. I'd go with drum dyed, if I were you. There are some gray leathers available at maverickleathercompany right now.

+1 -- my failure at good burnishing is probably exactly what Boriqua says. Good quality leather, the right part of the hide, and OCD sanding likely make all the difference. I've only bought Hermann Oak once, but it's definitely superior to any of the other veg tanned I had previously bought. I moved away from veg tanned to pre-died and finished partial veg tanned and chrome tanned, so edge paint became more necessary.

I've had the same trouble with burnishing. I've moved entirely to edge paint and I figure even if the paint peels (which it shows no indication of doing), it'd still be far better than the leaky, staining, very quickly fibrous edges I was getting with burnishing. I made myself a purse last month with Dublin (which is straight veg tanned), and I edge painted it so I could see for myself how long edge paint lasts. So far, so good, but it's only been a month. I think you'd have to worry less about the stretching if you stitch the strap. I usually do that anyway to avoid the whole stretching issue entirely. A belt that isn't stitched becomes deformed almost immediately.

Clyde, thanks! LOL, you're way too nice. I'm working on machine sewing right now and I've reached an extravagant amount of terrible, so there's that. @Kulafarmer, thank you, it's really just the classic camera harness repeated over and over again Op/tech has a version, black rapid has a version, holdfast started making the first leather ones. There are lots of examples of their straps with cameras attached. I also made this one for one camera: It works the same way, though I forgot and didn't take a picture of it with the d-ring connector.

I've seen horween heavyweight that is supposed to be between 7-10 oz. Sure, it's harder to find, but it's available on Maverick fairly often. http://maverickleathercompany.com/product/heavyweight-black-chromexcel-wblack-flesh-side/

I love the interior. It really looks amazing.

I have always avoided using suede for this reason. But people do seem to use it with success... so I dunno.

I've been using the buckleguy paint (http://www.buckleguy.com/leather-edge-paint/) paint for six months or so and like it. I haven't used any others, so I don't know how it compares.

There's some previous discussion you can find on the forum in these three threads: I'm sure you can find more if you use search option with a couple of different keywords.

If you mean any kind of heat application on edges, you may mean edge paint. I'm not sure what other method you'd be thinking of, but it's most often used by people who use the creaser, as a final step with wax over edge paint.

I've never used eco-flo brand, and cannot vouch for it in any way. I can't even see what's in it (from the moment I have), so I can't compare. In general, eco-flo doesn't have the best reputation, I'd do some research here on the forum before stocking up on colors from them. Buckle Guy has edge "primer" (http://www.buckleguy.com/ar6250-clear-primer/) that I would bet is probably the same stuff as the Tandy stuff I bought. Both are Italian, anyway. If you get the buckle guy paint, definitely get the primer that matches, rather than an eco-flo product that is supposed to go with eco-flo paints.

P.S. do not let the edge get stained with glue or saddle soap or any other kind of edge finish. It will not stick to wax or any of those burnishing compounds. The first time I tried it I applied it to an already burnished edge and was so annoyed when it peeled off that I didn't try it again for a few months.

Just keep in mind this stuff gives you exactly as much as you put into it. Sometimes I loose patience and decide I'm not priced for glass perfection and you'll still be able to see a line. But you can get rid of it with another two or three sanding sessions and coats of paint. For example I lost patience here: Basically, I do as much as I have patience for. Some other guys here on the forum are more painstaking and get better results than I do. The method I use is this: -1 coat of Tandy edge agent to harden the edge (http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-5oz-Bottle-GLOSS-TOP-COAT-Professional-LEATHER-EDGE-PAINT-2810-30-Tandy-Paints-/221133118459?hash=item337c8f9bfb). It's actually Fenice and Tandy doesn't sell it anymore, I think. I dare say Buckleguy has something similar, but this is what I had before I bought the buckle guy paint. -1-2 thin coats of edge paint, let dry for 2-3 hours before sanding and reapplying. -Sand with 220 grit paper (or finer) -apply another coat -sand -repeat coating and sanding until you're happy. Or exasperated. Whichever. -let sit until the finish has hardened for a day or two. -then use a hot iron of some kind to melt wax/paraffin mix on the edge. I use this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005WAXLPY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OJQDI2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 with a temperature controller. There are plenty of more expensive options out there if you look. (alternately, someone else I know uses wax on a buffing wheel.) After that hardens, buff it off with a piece of canvas or jean. The finish is supposed to be fully cured by day 3, I think it says. The hardest part is not letting the paint bleed over. I use a thin flat spatula tool for thicker leathers and a just a round ended pick (like a nail) for thinner leathers. I've tried saddle soap, gum trag, resolene, and a wax/paraffin mix, and once I started using edge paint I haven't looked back. I've only been using it for about six months, though, I've still to see how well my edges last over time. However, I know that my other edges weren't lasting with all the other methods I tried, so anything would have been an improvement.

I use edge paint on kidskin with good success. http://www.buckleguy.com/leather-edge-paint/ One layer is really hard, but three layers should be reasonable. The picture is 3 - 4 oz leather paired with kidskin. So thicker than you're talking about. Using edge paint does require some experimentation, but it's worth it. And there's no hard burnishing to deform the leather, just light sanding and multiple thin layers of paint. '