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I was just wondering what everyones favorite edge bevelers are, and also what you use for thinner leather (3/4 or 4/5 oz). I have used the tandy edge beveler #2 as thats the smallest size it comes in, keen edge beveler which I rarely use, and their new craftool pro classic edger size #00 and fine edger. I use the #2 edge beveler the most, as it seems to cut smother and is a lot easier to control than the new pro classic edgers. I got the new #00 for thinner leather, but I hate the design, it is a lot harder to keep it at a consistent angle, and seems to cut about as much off as the #2 edge beveler. I wish Tandy sold their edge beveler smaller than a #2, as that would probably work better with thinner leather. The #2 has a really hard time with 4/5 oz and smaller. I can use the #2 on 4/5 oz if i put another piece of leather underneath, but it cuts off too much of the edge, and by the time I go to burnish, the edge is too thin and ends up folding over, and looking like garbage. Ideally, I would want to cut off as little as possible, so the edge isn't extremely round, more flat. But when I have tried that, the edge still folds over slightly on front and back, and doesn't look good. Does anyone have a method for getting a more flat (slightly rounded) edge, without the leather folding over? I am open to using another brand beveler, I would just like to hear everyones favorites first! Thanks! Zayne

Hi everyone, I've just started to getting into leather working and I'm mainly interested in making bags. I've worked with some veg tan and I'm happy with the results, but I find the end product to be a little to stiff and the surface too crass. I've done a fair bit of research and reading but I cannot seem to find any reliable resources on how Hermes puts their bags together (mainly the Birkin). Does anyone know if it's just a soft leather that has been glued to veg tan, or is it just thick, soft, amazing, expensive leather? I'm also interested in how they apply the inner lining to the leather, if stiffeners are used and it's even possible to burnished a thin soft leather that has been glue to veg tan. Any help or advice is appreciated, Thanks!

Hi there guys, Just had a quick question about folding suede for a nice edge. I've had a quick look around and I can't seem to find any information on better/proper ways to fold edges over before stitching a piece of leather on top. I've attached two images of some bracers I'm working on with a suede liner, now I wanted to fold to suede over on the edges and glue/stitch the leather on top for a nice clean edge but I'm having trouble folding it around the curves and corners. Is there a 'proper' way to cut/fold the suede to get it around those curves, as it doesn't seem to stretch a huge amount. The white card is the template for the leather to go on top. Thanks for your time! -David

Hi all, I am having issues getting a nice clean burnish on natural (un-dyed) veg tan. This is my process: I sand with 80 grit to make edges even and square if necessary. Sand edges with medium and then fine. Trim the edges with a tandy edge beveler. Wet the edges with small wool dauber as neatly as I can. Burnish with a wooden hand burnisher (picture below, I wonder if the burnisher I am using isn't the best). Then I add beeswax to the edge, and burnish again with the same wooden burnisher. My problem is, I am not getting a very clean edge. After I put water on the edge and do the first burnish, water leaks or is pushed onto the face of the leather, away from the edge, either by the burnishing, or just by the water itself. It makes the face look messy and the edge not like like a straight edge. This would be easy to hide if I were to dye the leather before my final burnish, but it looks really messy on natural leather, and honestly, I would like to just have a solid method that looks good regardless if I dye or not. I have read hidepounders tutorial on finishing edges, but I don't really want to use the paste or paraffin, I am trying to keep it to beeswax/water, or any other natural product. Thanks!

I have been using gum trag to finish the edges on all my other products, and it works alright. I was considering trying out fiebings saddle soap instead, to see how it works, but I recently heard that some animals might be allergic to glycerine, and I will be making some dog collars. So, does fiebings saddle soap have glycerine in it? Is it true that some animals might be allergic to it? If anyone has had any experiences with this, that would be very helpful. Also, as always, if there are any better/safer methods, feel free to advise! Thanks Zayne

Hi All, I recently ran into some trouble with a Nerf holster I made. After lining up my edges and making sure they lined up as close to even as I could, I punched holes for my rivets. I then placed my rivets in the holes and capped them (without setting) to make sure everything was lining up correctly. It looked good, so I began to set my rivets. By the time I finished, somehow I ended up with edges that were misaligned. It is most notable near the top of the holster, see the included picture. My best guess is when setting the bottom rivets, the force of setting the rivet moved the leather ever so slightly and it compouned as I set the rest of the rivets. How can I avoid this in the future? Thanks in advance.

Hi All, I have been having some issues with discolored edges and I am trying to figure out the cause and how to avoid them. After I burnish my edges, dye, and finish my piece, I am noticing discoloration near the edges. See the included photo, specifically along the edges near the Nerf blaster. The dye doesn't appear to take as cleanly near the edge as it does on other portions of the leather My burnishing process was adapted from Bob Park's tutorial here on Leatherworker.net based on what I own. Steps I am using are below: 1) Bevel and sand my edges, 2) Wet the edges with water 3) rub glycerine soap into the edges 4) burnish by hand with canvas until edges are smooth I am applying Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye via wool dobber when dyeing. I am seeing the issue with Dark Brown and Saddle Tan, but not when using Black. The dye is not penetrating despite several carefully applying several coats of dye. My best guess is I am getting glycerine soap onto the surface of the leather when I am applying it to the edges. Or perhaps I am accidentally burnishing a portion of the top of leather as I am rubbing the edges with the canvas cloth. Before I have been dyeing, I have been taking a look at the surface of the leather and I am not seeing any obvious signs of excessive glycerine soap residue or inconsistent texture from over burnishing. I am stumped. Has anyone encountered this issue and can you give me feedback on how to avoid it?

Hi All, Please help! I'm going bonkers here. I just got some black Wickett and Craig english bridle leather and it's not struck through. I would like to dye the edges black but am seeking some advise from those who have done this before on bridle. Did you use oil or spirit based dye? Then sealed with beeswax then resolene? or just sealed with beeswax? I have tried spirit dye, then beeswax, but am still getting dye rub off. This would be for a handbag with shoulder strap, so wet (rain, sweat) on straps + clothes is not a combo I want to worry about. Also, on the grain side of this bridle leather, it's coming off with a cloth...does this mean it was a bad dye job? I seem to remember on their site it specifically says that this leather does not need a finish. Thanks.

Hi All! I've dyed some purse shoulder strap edges black (not veg tan), let dry 24 hours, and then have burnished with saddle soap. The edges look alright, but I tested with a little water and buffed with cloth to make sure that nothing would come off on someones clothes and sure enough, black. So, my "water resistant" dye is a bust? or did I make a mistake by using saddle soap? I want to make sure I get happy customers...not customers that need me to buy them new shirts. :/ Noted that I could try to roll edges, but I'm not quite at that level yet! Any help is much appreciated!

Sooo,just wondering if it would work to burnish edges of stitched double layer leather without beveling them first or no? If I don't care that the edges look rounded(which I don't) could I do it that way or is there some other purpose to beveling first?

There is a soft, pliable and draping undyed vegtan leather available: milled leather, with pronounced pebble grain, coming in thicknesses 3-4 oz and 5-6 oz. How the techniques of work with it are different from normal tooling vegtan? 1. Will it strech and change shape with use? 2. Does it have to be lined (not so smooth flesh side) or just be smoothed by Leather Balm or Resolene (or will it stretch and this seal be broken)? 3. Dyeing - Fiebing's spirit and Pro-Oil dyes in the usual way? 4. Sealing (moisture and rub-off resistance): on non-stretching tooling leather Resolene works well, but when leather changes its shape this seal may be broken. Any personal experience, please? 5. Finishiing to preserve pliability of this leather? Super Shene, Resolene and Eco-Flo Professional wax finishes seem to stiffen leather significantly, and Leather Balm, Aussie Conditioner and Montana Pitch Blend seems to be less protective for keeping dye from rub-off on clothes and less protective from rain or sweating (for small personal carry items or car seats, not as handbags). 6. Edging techniques? This is a thick soft leather, too soft for waxing and burnishing, unless edge was hardened soaked by SuperShene, and too soft and too thick for skiving edge, turning over and stitching along the edge. Roll over using the same leather seems to be out of question because of leather thickness (for small personal items, not handbags). Placing milled leather grain to grain side with thin 2-3 oz tooling leather, sewing along the edge, rolling over the thin tooling leather (as Paul Long lining works) should do the thick, but stiff tooling leather lining will limit pliability of milled leather. Making a thin strip of thin tooling leather/calf and roll it over the edge of milled leather will add stiff perimeter to otherwise pliable leather. Chrome tan suede, while being softer, is not suiable where only vegtan should be used. Tooling pigskin and goat are stiff too and have incompatible, IMHO, texture with pebbled milled leather. 7. For belt loops or handles: Because this leather doesn't hold the shape good, maybe less stretchable tooling leather should be used? 8. Using snaps at a flap: will this leather hold well with repeated pulling and closing at snap, or snaps should be used only if stiffener and lining were added?

I've been searching around for a way of doing good, durable edges for m dog collars, normal burnishing isn't cutting the mustard for me. I came across Coba Slick on eBay & wondered if its any good. Does anyone have any experience with this or any alternatives. Many thanks Dave

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am finishing edges using the excellent directions provided by Hidepounder. My issue is that I am getting a magenta like discoloration of the leather near the edges. In Hidepounder's step 3, I either use just water or beeswax. In step 4, I use the Fiebings yellow paste saddle soap and apply it using denim. I am finishing my edges before I finish the rest of the leather. Why do you think I am getting this discoloration? Thanks, Kren

I want to know the order of operation in leather strap work. I am trying to start a business selling custom dog collars. I want them to be quality and I seem to run into some kind of problem with every step I take. Here is the method I have adapted to so far: (I will note some of the other problems to see if I can get some extra advice.) 1. Cut and skive the leather with super skiver- (can't really find the trick to making this an easy task) 2. Sand the edges and the raw side of leather (for comfort) with a sanding wheel on a drill press 3. Bevel the edges 4.. Punch holes, wet and stamp 5.. Dye with the color of choice - Fiebings oil based Cordovan dye, Fiebings acrylic antique medium brown stain or a zelikovits water based pigment pink dye (pink seems to have streaks where the color doesn't take no matter how many coats I add and rubs off easily) 6. Let dry for an hour or so then color the letters with sharpie for the stained collars, metallic markers or paint markers for the dyed collars(paint markers are difficult to make even and not globby and metalic markers seem to wear off a little) 7. Spray with leather sheen 8. Let dry for an hour or so then burnish the edges with glycerin and saddle soap or Quik Slick on a nylon slicker attached to the drill press. (I am not sure how long this is supposed to take but it seems like forever and I still never get glass smooth edges) - ordered a wooden burnisher made for a drill press so hopefully it will help. My other problem is that sometimes the edges seem to crack in certain spots mostly around the buckle within just a few days. I use quality herman oak leather. 9. touch up the edges with the same dye 10. condition with lexol conditioner. 11. add hardware Ok... so where I get mixed reviews is at what time to apply the finishes and the conditioner. I am so confused that I kind of change it up every time I make one so I don't know if the order of operation is contributing to any of my problems or not. OR if the order of operations needs to change depending on what base of dye and marker I am using. I have been told to condition right after you stamp and before you dye and let it sit over night. I have been told you always put any oils conditioners or saddle soap very last because other products wont penetrate. I have also been told it's super important to use the leather sheen finish before you finish the edges and within two hours of dying But if a water resistant finish is applied won't it seal the leather from absorbing any other products - like conditioners, edge burnishing products and touch up dye?? I feel like if I understood the chemistry behind all of these products I would have a rule of thumb So confused. Any advice would be excellent! Quote MultiQuote Edit

I have a "how to" question on stitched trim. I saw the "rolled edges" post (not the same type) and I searched about 10 pages back to make sure this isn't a redundant post. I didn't see anything, so hopefully it's not. I've been staring at these pictures I found on the web, trying to reverse engineer it by sight. I'm usually able to figure most things out, but for some reason this is messing with my head! Haha. I know this is probably not that complicated, but something about how to work out the steps is not clicking. Right now, I've been trying to achieve a similar effect by grooving, burnishing, and then doing a two tone dye job, but to me, actually having a rolled edge with a stitched lining is much more clean and professional looking than my current results. Any info on how to accomplish this magic trick will be greatly appreciated!!! :D Here's a few example photos...

I've been trying to clean up my edge burnishing a bit. I can get a decent edge using just water but when I want a really clean edge I use gum tragacanth. I'm sure there are ways to do it with just water and I'm going to keep practicing but in the mean time I've got a couple questions regarding using gum. I can get a nice clean edge but when it comes to dyeing it seems the dye doesn't want to stick very well. I use an airbrush to dye and usually do several coats. The dye still doesn't seem to adhere very well over the gum. Would it be possible to run some mineral spirits over the top of the gum to remove some of it or would that just allow my edge to get "fuzzy"? Any ideas you gents might have to help my dye hold a little better would be greatly appreciated.