Sleepyhouse22

Thank you so much for the advice! I agree, I was very thrown off about the pro oil dye thing. I mean... I put back 3 quarts of the stuff because he was pressuring me so much about it. Thankfully, I told him I'd like to try the smaller bottle and just see for myself. I did, I love it more than the regular dye. I buffed it like you said, and then I just sealed it. No problem at all. I was considering taking classes there, but now I don't know if I want to do that after all of the above.

I ran into a few problems this week when I treked out to Tandy Leather. First was that they did not have glycerin bar saddle soap and said it would have to be bought online. He also said you have to have a Tax ID # to buy Barge's cement from them. And the dude had never heard of Montana Pitch Blend. Then they told me that the pro oil dye will bleed through any products used on skin or indoors... that pro oil dye should only be used for outdoor working leather. I have tested the different dyes on leather this weekend... the pro oil dye leaves the leather feeling far more pliable, though this may be my imagination? I have read through the forums over and over again, people exclusively only use the pro oil dye. Any complaints have come from people using spirit dyes. Any input on any of this?

http://www.etsy.com/teams/5623/association-of-workers-in-leather-awl/discuss/8762288/ Also on plenty of forum topics here I have seen either saddle soap or gum trag recommended. I am going to try both and see which I prefer.

So this is what I have so far. I probably will do different things out of order like when I glue and what not depending on the project. I'm also sure this will change a gazillion more times. 1) Cut strap with strap cutter. 2) Punch buckle ends. 3) Run strap through a tray of water/dish soap. Let evaporate a little bit. 4) Bag in ziplock bag filled with a bit of air so bag isn't touching top of leather. *Wait overnight to absorb* 5) Remove from bag; let dry until near natural color. If tooling, tape back with 3M clear packing tape. 6) Tool leather, rewetting as needed, covering unused areas with glass or plastic wrap. 7) Bevel all 4 edges (unless gluing edges together). Sand edges (only if necessary) with sandpaper #150 and then #400. 8) Crease edges with border tool. If stitching use overstitching tool. *Wait overnight to dry* 9) Dye grain side and edges with Fiebing's Pro Oil dye. *Wait overnight to dry* 10) Buff off dye very well with cloth or sheep wool. 11) Glue leather as needed with Barge’s contact cement/Barge’s thinner mix. - Apply one layer on both pieces. Let absorb/dry 20 mins. Apply a second thin coat. Dry 10 mins. - Stick pieces together. Hammer with mallet to seal well. 12) Burnish edges with Fiebing's Glycerin Bar saddle soap. 13) Seal grain side and edges with Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene/Water 50/50 mixture. Apply 2-3 light coats, 1-2 hours apart. If antiquing, apply 4-5 light coats. *Wait several hours to dry* 14) If Antiquing, apply Fiebing's Antique Paste. Wipe off high spots immediately and work quickly. Wipe off excess before drying. *Wait overnight to dry* 15) Seal with resolene/water 50/50 mixture again LIGHTLY as not to pull up antique (airbrush preferred). *Wait several hours to dry* 16) Burnish flesh side with saddle soap and canvas. Apply resolene/water mixture for a seal. 17) Apply polish to the edges (bees wax with canvas cloth). 18) Apply Montana Pitch Blend leather dressing to entire strap as a final conditioner/wax coating. *Wait overnight to dry* 19) Buff any extra wax residue on top. 20) Punch all holes, tongue slots, etc. 21) Apply all hardware. 22) Sitch as needed.

I shall experiement then! I didn't know people even burnished two pieces together, but I guess that's how they get those beautiful pieces together so seamlessly. What glue would you recommend?

Okay, that makes sense. Do you mean do the stitching before doing the final burnishing or all burnishing? I was just hesitant about getting the antique or any dye on the stitching.

Cyber! I am glad you posted as I have been stalking you for a while now. You supply a lot of direction that I've gotten for my list. I definitely need to just dive right in, but I am timid. My problem is that the workshop is located at my parent's house since they already have a leather type of business going... not even close to what I am doing though... they work with used leather boots. I just have to use my time wisely since I can't be over there all day and night I am just going to start with dog collars and leashes and expand from there once I am comfortable with the processes or if I am even remotely good at this. I've revised the steps... can you review and make sure that I understood everything right? Your processes all made great sense though, thank you SO much. 1) Cut strap with strap cutter. 2) Punch buckle ends. 3) Run strap through a tray of water/dish soap. Let evaporate a little bit. 4) Bag in ziplock bag filled with a bit of air so bag isn't touching top of leather. *Wait overnight to absorb* 5) Remove from bag and let dry just until returning to natural color. 6) Tool leather, rewetting as needed, covering unused areas with glass or plastic wrap. 7) Bevel all 4 edges. Sand edges (only if necessary) with sandpaper with #150 and then #400. 8) Crease edges with border tool. If stitching use overstitching tool. 9) Dye grain side and edges with Fiebing's Pro Oil dye. *Wait overnight to dry* 10) Final edge burnish with Fiebing's Glycerin Bar saddle soap. 11) Seal grain side and edges with Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene/Water 50/50 mixture. Apply 2-3 light coats, an hour or two apart. If antiquing, apply 4-5 light coats. *Wait several hours to dry* 12) If Antiquing, apply Fiebing's Antique Paste. Wipe off high spots immediately and work quickly. Wipe off all excess before letting dry. *Wait overnight to dry* 13) Seal with resolene/water 50/50 mixture again LIGHTLY as not to pull up antique (airbrush preferred). *Wait several hours to dry* 14) Apply polish to the edges (bees wax with canvas cloth). 15) Apply Montana Pitch Blend leather dressing to entire strap as a final conditioner/wax coating. *Wait overnight to dry* 16) Buff any extra wax residue on top. 17) Punch all holes, tongue slots, etc. 18) Apply all hardware. 19) Glue leather as needed. 20) Sitch as needed.

Thanks for the tips! I will fill in the gaps with what you have mentioned. Do you know how long you can leave a piece in a bag moist like that? I have read of people keeping in the fridge for a few days, but what about a week or more? Also, do most people go through the process of slicking leather and taping the back before tooling? 1) Cut strap with strap cutter. 2) Punch buckle ends, holes, tongue slot, etc. 3) Run strap through a tray of water/dish soap. Let evaporate a little bit. 4) Bag in ziplock bag filled with a bit of air so bag isn't touching top of leather. *Wait overnight to dry* 5) Remove from bag and let dry just until returning to natural color. 6) Crease edges with border tool. If stitching use overstitching tool. 7) Tool leather, rewetting as needed, covering unused areas with glass. 8) Sand edges with sandpaper with #150 (or 400?). Bevel all 4 edges. 9) Burnish with water/saddle soap 50/50 mixture. 10) Dye the edges with Fiebing's Edge Kote (or spirit dye?). Let dry (how long?) 11) Final burnish with gum tragacanth. *Wait overnight to dry* 12) Apply Neatsfoot Oil (pure) in light layers. *Wait overnight to dry* 13) Use Fiebing's pro oil dye. *Wait overnight to dry* 14) Seal with Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene/Water 50/50 mixture. Apply 2-3 coats, an hour or two apart. *Wait overnight to dry* 15) If Antiquing, apply Fiebing's Antique Paste. *Wait overnight to dry* 16) Seal with resolene/water 50/50 mixture again. *Wait overnight to dry* 17) Apply finish to the edge (bees wax with canvas cloth). 18) Apply Fiebing's Aussie to entire strap. Heat with blow dryer and rub in for full coverage. *Wait overnight to dry* 19) Buff any extra wax residue on top. 20) Apply all hardware. 21) Glue leather as needed. 22) Sitch as needed.

I'm just getting started in leatherwork. I wanted to get a complete list of steps to be reviewed by you guys to make sure I'm not missing something. I thought most people did pieces of work in just a few hours, but after doing more research, I figured out this is not the case! Please review my steps and times to let things process. I'd love any opinions on if there is a better product to use or a different process altogether. 1) Cut strap with strap cutter. 2) Punch buckle ends, holes, tongue slot, etc. 3) Run strap through a tray of water/dish soap. Let evaporate a little bit. 4) Bag in ziplock bag filled with a bit of air so bag isn't touching top of leather. *Wait overnight to dry* 5) Remove from bag and let dry just until returning to natural color. 6) Crease edges with border tool. If stitching use overstitching tool. 7) Tool leather, rewetting as needed, covering unused areas with glass. 8) Sand edges with sandpaper with #150 (or 400?). Bevel all 4 edges. 9) Burnish with water/saddle soap 50/50 mixture. 10) Dye the edges with Fiebing's Edge Kote (or spirit dye?). Let dry (how long?) 11) Final burnish with gum tragacanth. *Wait overnight to dry* 12) Apply Neatsfoot Oil (pure) in light layers. *Wait overnight to dry* 13) Use Fiebing's pro oil dye. *Wait overnight to dry* 14) Seal with Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene. Let dry (how long?) 15) If Antiquing, apply Fiebing's Antique Paste. Let dry (how long?) 16) Seal with resolene again. Let dry (how long?) 17) Apply finish to the edge (bees wax with canvas cloth). 18) Apply Montana Pitch Blend to entire strap. *Wait overnight to dry* 19) Buff any extra wax residue on top. 20) Apply all hardware. 21) Glue leather as needed. 22) Sitch as needed. Okay, I know that was a lot. Can you please tell me where I've read into too many people's processes and what I don't need and what I have out of order? I struggle figuring out when to edge vs tooling because of the edge product applications; I don't know if casing after edging is a bad idea... probably so. But don't you need to edge to properly get your inner tooling exactly centered? Any assistance would be so much appreciated! Thanks!