Greg528it

I'll see if I have a write up with pictures for the whole process.. It's really pretty simple. The tools are simple, BUT you kind of have to have them. Next I'll put together some pictures of the custom leather stamps I've made.

I maintain an even depth by hitting it evenly. I work my way across, then back etc. You have to work it for a few minutes, so it's not like you have to get it right the 1st time across. The longer you blast the deeper. The rule of thumb for glass is.. you can go as deep as the line is wide. At some point you may get a dribble glass With leather you would have to work at a spot a long time to go thru. In glass we vary the depth on purpose sometimes to give it dimension, but so far I expect with leather you'll just want to get thru the top layer so you have a smooth open pore surface like the back of the piece. It'll stain darker. etc. OR just use the vinyl to mask off stain like in the example above. with the 2 Gs and 2 flames. The one flame had been moved 2-3 times and why the corners didn't stick so well.

The blasted areas would need to be sealed. I used Eco Flo clear gloss and it seems to work. Still experimenting.

I've been using adhesive vinyl for the patterns.. See Silhouette cutters for this. The rest I cover with plastic bagging or vinyl tape. My media is VERY dry.. and I use compressed air to clean the dust off the leather after. My other fine detail masking material (besides) the Silouhettevinyl does leave some residue, see picture of the black case. but it cleaned off easily. But yes you may have to deal with a little dust. It's NOT perfect, but is something

I use silicon carbide, in a Harbor Freight cabinet. Before I started I didn't think it would work at all, but had to try. It cuts pretty deep if you want it to. I was also worried it would embed in the leather fibers. It does not seem to. I only use silicon carbide since it is LESS staticy than AL oxide. I would think any material would work. As a sandblaster I steer clear of beach sand as it can contain free silica (bad for your lungs, and different from silicon)

Here are some examples of some glass.

HELLO!, I am new to this art of leather crafting. I found your site over the weekend and have been reading reading reading. One thing that has surprised me, there has been no mention of sandblasting patterns into leather. My other craft is sandblasting patterns into glass, rock, pretty much anything I think will take a pattern. I was making a protfolio for my wife's Surface 2 computer. and it needed some detail on the front. See the attached pictures. I need to figure out the image sharing.