KalL

I'll have to try that. I just picked up some of feibings antique stuff last week. I thought it would be interesting to try but I haven't had a chance to play with anything yet. I haven't done any leatherwork since just before Christmas actually. Too much going on and not enough free time. Sigh.

I flaked mine off but it doesn't look as nice as yours.I'm still experimenting with them. I tried an eraser, air compressor, brush, and a rag. It seems they don't loosen up unless they are damp for some reason. I must be doing something wrong...

Thank you for the input, but now I'm thoroughly confused, lol. So if your supposed to leave them on why do all those threads I read say to take them off? And what can you put on them to keep them from flaking off? Here's a good question while I'm thinking about it, will tan kote work for it?

I looked around their website and I have my eye on a 6" wheel, 1" wide, with a 1/2" center. I didn't know there was different hardness choices. What do you recommend? Soft, med., hard, rock hard... The burnisher is coming along. I've been buying pieces for it here and there. I have it rewired now and mounted to a board. I also have 2 mandrel adapters and a 1/2" chuck mounted on one side for the wood burnisher I'm going to get soon.

So your not supposed to flake the scales off? From what I read your supposed to or they come off when you finish your project? I started flaking one off tonight and it does look a little different.

Here's hoping. Now I just have to figure out how to get the rest of the scales off once it's done tanning. They have been stretching on a board with the tanning solution since friday night so they should be ready soon.

I tried to post up some pictures but it wouldn't let me for some reason. I did figure it out though once I put the tanning solution on, the scales started coming up some.

That's what I thought but I didn't feel any scales on some of them. I didn't know if that was due to the type of snake they are supposed to be. I'll take some pictures and post them up.

This is going to be a really stupid question but how do you know which side is which on a snake skin? I just got some dried snake skin in the mail and I wanted to tan it but I'm having a hard time determining which is the flesh side and which is the outside. Is the outside the side with the more distinct color? On one of the skins I got the smooth side is brighter and the rougher side is faded, but on another one it's reversed...

I can understand that. I thought of a dremel and they have burnishing attachments for it, but my hands aren't that steady and if I messed up I would be so upset. I haven't had a chance to look into another motor or the wiring for it yet, my schedule has been all over the place, but I'm seriously considering putting in a bid on that one on ebay.

I'm not sure either actually. I've never sent a pm here before, but I might be interested though. I'm not sure on finding the motor locally at garage sales, etc... It would actually be easier for me just to buy that motor, but I want to see if the price drops on it any further.

Ah, gotcha man. Thanks! Incidentally the electric burnisher I originally posted about got relisted with a starting bid of $100 and free shipping. The thought crossed my mind since mine is questionable.... I took another look at mine and some of the windings are coming apart.

So why go smaller like 1" or 2"? I thought the smaller it is the faster, and won't that burn the edge being faster instead of polishing?

I thought at first it might be two different dye colors but I think you might be right. I was working on a holster tonight and intentionally burnt the leather and then dyed it and I was surprised to see it kinda went two-tone.

I came across this picture while surfing someones leather site and I wanted to know how is it kinda two-tone. Is it the leather, is it a dye process, etc... If it's manmade how is it done? I think it's pretty cool and I would like to make some stuff like that. It kinda reminds me of burl wood in a way.

Math is my worst skill but I'll take your word on it. So I should be alright with anything 4"-8" since the motor is running at a lower rpm then others I've seen then. And this has been a great help, thank you.

I'll be sure to check it out, thank for the link. I need all the help I can get. I found the adapters, now I just have to figure out what burnishing attachments I want to use so I know which adapters I want to get.

Anyone know if this will work?

That's not a bad idea. It looks like he indented it and then used a camouflage tool or something over it. Modifying a screen roller might do the trick to get that clean edge.

Anyone else got any idea's on what made the indentation or the two tone color scheme?

I'll have to check it out, thanks for the link.Ok, I just checked the motor I have sitting at home. It's quiet I'll give it that. It's an old delco ac motor, 1/6 hp,1725 rpms, 3.4 amps, 1/2" shaft. Will this do? It has the shaft clear through, one side is notched to put something on it and the other looks like it used to be longer and cut down with no notch. I have no idea what this thing is off of. If it will work I'm going to have to rewire it since it looks like a hack job and the switch doesn't work, and I'm going to have to give it a good cleaning and put a notch on the cut down side of the shaft. It also looks like a couple of the spade contactors on the board are loose and blackened a little. I checked out that lee valley site real quick and it looks like I can get the mandrel adapters for about $6.50 each.

That's actually a good idea and a great help. I have a motor sitting at home that I bought years ago at a garage sale that has a double shaft that they were using as a buffing machine. It's got pointy things on the ends so you can just screw a pad on it. I'll have to see if I can convert it over like you did. Question though, does using the wool instead of wood or metal do they same thing from start to finish. I've read so much stuff over the last few days I'm getting very confused. And yes, I'm a newbie, lol.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/251651035621?nav=SEARCH Can someone please tell me if this is a good deal and something I want? I've been reading up on motorized burnishers but I'm getting thoroughly confused on the subject, the steps involved and where burnishing fits into everything is making my head spin. The new version of this is selling on ebay for about $200, but the wheel is flat?

Yea, looks like the stitching line on the very bottom is over extended, but what glockanator might be talking about is the indention line on the right side is just past where it should have stopped. I'm taking a guess.

Can it be done without a machine? I would love to give it a whirl but I can't buy a machine right now. As it is I got to save for a burnisher...