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Hi everyone, Question - what is better, burnishing or edge painting? I’m still learning constantly and i wanted to know if there’s a method that works best for veg tanned, or if either can work veg tanned and chromed tanned. Also, if there was a better method between the two, if its a matter of preference, and what do you do get the best possible outcomes? Thanks

i am wondering about how do the big factories finish the leather edges? what exactly do they use? which machines and materials to give the rubbery edge? i dont think they use giardini or vernice or fiebings or any other similar edge coat...... bec. i checked the rubbery edge of favtory manufactured bags and i am sure it us not normal edge paint... also for mass production they need something fast and cheap to apply on thousands of bags per day... by the way whatever they use is very elastic and lasts long.... can anyone help?

I’m new to leather-craft. I’m starting by taking apart some leather items to see how they’re constructed. And I came across this one item that seems half-finished, por at least meant to be left as “raw”. As you can see from the sides, they’re left un burnished and (hopefully) you can see the leather is completely matte. Now, it’s supposed to be full grain leather, and to my untrained eye it at least seems good quality. But the look of the leather simply feels “unfinished” or “untreated” to me. Of course, the edges need burnishing, but as this was supposedly a finished piece, I’m wondering what would you call that leather finish that has absolutely no sheen at all. And what would you recommend to give it a finish with a slight sheen, as you’d find on leather that has been used quite a lot and has developed a patina. (Or is the best thing just to let that patina develop over time.) Thanks for any input!

I'm selling some of my leather working equipment and also some leather, to make room in our small apartment for my son's bedroom! Pickup in San Francisco please for large/heavy items including leather. I can ship the electric iron/edge creaser and zippers if you pay for shipping. VSB Burnishing Machine from Campbell Randall: Brand New (Unused) burnisher for sanding, polishing and finishing leather edges - to end all hours of manual sanding work. Includes leather felt wheel, wax stick, abrasive stone wheel, diamond wheel, and additional work table to rest your piece. New (unused) for $590 (Save $100 vs buying from Campbell Randall directly). Global Industrial Workbench - 60 X 30 inch Solid Maple Wood Square Edge Work Bench- Adjustable Height - 1 3/4" Top. Legs adjust so that table height can be from 27 ⅞ inches to 35 ⅜ inches. Like New for $235 (Save $200 vs buying new on website. Tax & Shipping only is $155 to San Francisco). Granite Hammering Stone: 12x18x3 inch solid granite tooling slab for leatherworking. Used for leather skiving, stamping, and tooling. Excellent condition. $100 (Save $52 including tax vs buying new). French Burnishing electric iron/ edge creaser: Regad M3000 6V Low voltage Power box with wood handle and Right-handed F2.5 Metal Burnish Head. This electric creasing & edging tool is a very popular product for Hermes, Louis Vuitton and other high-end craftsmen creating their iconic creased and polished edges. Regad is well known in the industry for their high quality edging tools and accessories that are made to last. This machine will substantially reduce the amount of time you spend on your edges and will give your projects a polished high-end look. Excellent condition. $400 (Save $230 including tax vs buying new). Wood Sewing Clamp: 51 inches (1.3 Meters) long wood sewing clamp for hand-stitching leather. Excellent condition. $125 (save $50 vs buying new). Hand setter for snap buttons: Hand tool for setting snap buttons on leather. Like New, barely used. $105 (save $100 including sales tax vs buying new). Italian Full-Grain Leather: Gruppo Mastrotto B. Adriacolors Italian high quality full-grain leather in black, red, and off-white. Half-drummed, soft hand and pebble grain finish. 1.2-1.4 mm thickness. Each skin is 43 to 50 sq ft. $129-150 per skin ($100 off vs buying direct and shipping). Italian Smooth Leather: Gruppo Mastrotto Nappacolors high quality, full-grain Italian smooth leather in brown, mustard yellow, burnt orange, and dark blue. Soft, high-quality touch. 1.1-1.3 mm thickness. Each half skin is 23 to 26 sq ft. $130-150 per half skin ($75 saving vs buying direct and shipping). 9. Zippers: Several high-quality zippers from Lampo and YKK. YKK Red zipper tape (11 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 3) - $55 for all or $5/meter YKK Black zipper tape (10 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5) - $80 for all or $8/meter YKK Red zipper tape (6 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5) - $48 for all or $8/meter YKK Beige/Off-white zipper tape (5 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5): $40 for all or $8/meter YKK Gold zipper pulls (~50 qty) in Size 5: $25 for all or $0.50 / each YKK Gold zipper pulls (30 qty) in Size 5: $9 for all or $0.30 / each YKK Gold zipper pulls (~50 qty) in Size 3:$20 for all or $0.40/each Lampo Superlampo Red tape with T3 Light Gold teeth and pulls, finished zippers (18.5 cm long) - 12 qty.: $18 for all or $1.50 / each Lampo Superlampo Magenta tape with T3 gold teeth and pulls, finished zippers (18.5 cm long) - 4 qty: : $6 for all or $1.50 / each Lampo Superlampo Black tape with T5 Light gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty plus 5 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Red tape with T5 Light Gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty plus 5 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Off-White/Light Beige tape with T5 Light Gold teeth and pulls finished zipper - 1 qty (120 cm long) and 1 qty (77 cm or ~30 inches long) with no pull or end stop plus 4 end stops & 6 top stops: $12 for all or $8 / finished zipper and $4 for 77cm tape Lampo Superlampo Mustard Yellow tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 3 end stops & 6 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Copper Brown tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 3 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Dark Brown tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 1 qty plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Blue tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Burnt Orange tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $16 for all or $8 / each Lampo Light Gold T5 zipper pulls - 10 qty: $5 for all or $0.50 / each Lampo Gold T5 zipper pulls - 16 qty: $8 for all or $0.50 / each Lampo Light Gold End stops - 14 qty: or $0.04/each

I've been making a whole load of belts recently, and I'm slowly realising I need to invest in a leather burnihsing machine, to speed up each project and improve the quality of my work. I have seen a new craftool pro burnishing machine that Tandy sells for $350 CAD with their elite discount. Just wondering if anyone has any other recommendations before I pull the plug and get one.

So I'm kind of a newbie and I'm a little confused. What is the difference between slicking and burnishing? Or are the two terms interchangeable? Thanks! Ken

I'm selling some of my leather working equipment and also some leather, to make room in our small apartment for my son's bedroom! Pickup in San Francisco please for large/heavy items including leather. I can ship the electric iron/edge creaser and zippers if you pay for shipping. VSB Burnishing Machine from Campbell Randall: Brand New (Unused) burnisher for sanding, polishing and finishing leather edges - to end all hours of manual sanding work. Includes leather felt wheel, wax stick, abrasive stone wheel, diamond wheel, and additional work table to rest your piece. New (unused) for $575 (Save $250 vs buying from Campbell Randall directly). Global Industrial Workbench - 60 X 30 inch Solid Maple Wood Square Edge Work Bench- Adjustable Height - 1 3/4" Top. Legs adjust so that table height can be from 27 ⅞ inches to 35 ⅜ inches. Like New for $235 (Save $200 vs buying new on website. Tax & Shipping only is $155 to San Francisco). Hand setter for snap buttons: Hand tool for setting snap buttons on leather. Like New, barely used. $105 (save $100 including sales tax vs buying new). Italian Full-Grain Leather: Gruppo Mastrotto B. Adriacolors Italian high quality full-grain leather in red and off-white. Half-drummed, soft hand and pebble grain finish. 1.2-1.4 mm thickness. Each skin is 43 to 50 sq ft. $129-150 per skin ($100 off vs buying direct and shipping). Italian Smooth Leather: Gruppo Mastrotto Nappacolors high quality, full-grain Italian smooth leather in brown, burnt orange, and dark blue. Soft, high-quality touch. 1.1-1.3 mm thickness. Each half skin is 23 to 26 sq ft. $130-150 per half skin ($75 saving vs buying direct and shipping). 9. Zippers: Several high-quality zippers from Lampo and YKK. YKK Red zipper tape (11 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 3) - $50 for all or $5/meter YKK Black zipper tape (9 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5) - $65 for all or $8/meter YKK Red zipper tape (5 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5) - $35 for all or $8/meter YKK Beige/Off-white zipper tape (4 meters) with ELITE gold metal teeth (size 5): $28 for all or $8/meter YKK Gold zipper pulls (48 qty) in Size 5: $20 for all or $0.50 / each YKK Gold zipper pulls (30 qty) in Size 5: $6 for all or $0.30 / each YKK Gold zipper pulls (~50 qty) in Size 3:$15 for all or $0.40/each Lampo Superlampo Red tape with T3 Light Gold teeth and pulls, finished zippers (18.5 cm long) - 12 qty.: $15 for all or $1.50 / each Lampo Superlampo Magenta tape with T3 gold teeth and pulls, finished zippers (18.5 cm long) - 4 qty: : $5 for all or $1.50 / each Lampo Superlampo Black tape with T5 Light gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty plus 5 end stops & 7 top stops: $15 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Red tape with T5 Light Gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty plus 5 end stops & 7 top stops: $15 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Off-White/Light Beige tape with T5 Light Gold teeth and pulls finished zipper - 1 qty (120 cm long) and 1 qty (77 cm or ~30 inches long) with no pull or end stop plus 4 end stops & 6 top stops: $10 for all or $8 / finished zipper and $4 for 77cm tape Lampo Superlampo Mustard Yellow tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 1 qty. Plus 3 end stops & 6 top stops: $8 Lampo Superlampo Copper Brown tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 3 end stops & 7 top stops: $15 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Dark Brown tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 1 qty plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $15 for all or $8 / each Lampo Superlampo Blue tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 1 qty. Plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $8 Lampo Superlampo Burnt Orange tape with T5 gold teeth and pulls finished zippers (120 cm long) - 2 qty. Plus 4 end stops & 7 top stops: $15 for all or $8 / each Lampo Light Gold T5 zipper pulls - 10 qty: $4 for all or $0.50 / each Lampo Gold T5 zipper pulls - 13 qty: $5 for all or $0.50 / each Lampo Light Gold End stops - 14 qty: $0.50 for all or $0.04/each

Hello Everyone, I know this has been asked before but I could only find burnishing veg tan edges here in the search bar. I am using chromexcel and tried using Fiebing's Acrylic Dye, but hated it. So now I'm back to square one, and instead sanded the edges down -> applied water -> heated the edge with a jerry rigged tool I made up (gets up to about 350-450 Farenheit) -> apply beeswax -> heat again -> beeswax -> heat second time. My question is, will the beeswax eventually fail, and will the burnish come apart in a few years, or does this technique actually last a very long time? I'm making nato watch straps and obviously can't test each method for 10 years, I want your input and years of experience if you would be so kind! Thank you for your time and thoughts. PS. The chromexcel is roughly 2-3 oz. EDIT: Gum Trag, thoughts, process of putting on tanned leather such as chromexcel?

Hey all, i recently acquired 5sq ft of elephant that I'm going to use as trim for a duffle bag. The bulk of the bag is going to be black bridle and the elephant will go on the handle. Front flap, and sides. I know how to burnish the bridle, but I'm wondering about the elephant. Any thoughts on the best way to finish the edges, especially where the two species meet?

Hello, I posted a similar topic a few years ago and I'm hoping to re-ignite the subject. I've been trying different methods over the years and I still have not found a clear-cut (or even close) method of burnishing thinner (i'm using 4/5 oz) natural leather without the edges being darkened too much and without making a mess of the face of the piece (or the flesh side, for that matter). I really like the look of completely untouched natural leather, so I don't want to put any sort of conditioner/sheen on the face as they all darken the leather at least a shade. I want to keep the natural leather as white/pink as possible with minimal water/paste mess from burnishing. I'm also having somewhat of an issue with the flesh edge of the leather folding over some with the thinner leather. I might be burnishing too quickly after wetting the edge, I don't know. I am using a pro edge burnisher in my drill press which works very well. Methods I've tried: - Just water This solves the edge darkening problem and also solves the mess problem when applied extremely carefully with a dauber or your finger. However, it doesn't give a lasting extra slick finish. - Just liquid Saddle soap This gives a slick finish, but darkens the leather edge a lot and also seems to soak into the leather more, which means messy and uneven looking edges. - 50/50 liquid Saddle soap and water This darkens the edge a bit less (still more than i'd like) and soaks in a bit less, but isn't as slick as just straight up liquid saddle soap. - 50/50 liquid Saddle soap and water, then beeswax, then canvas burnishing. Creates a slick edge, but is very hard to keep clean, and darkens the edge quite a bit. - Gum Tragacanth Creates a good slick edge (one coat is good, two coats is better), but is really really hard to keep clean. Doesn't darken the edge as much as the straight liquid saddle soap, but still darker than I like. One thing I did discover recently is that applying gum trag to the edge with the edge of a toothpick works well for keeping it clean, but is very tedious. Should I maybe burnish the edge with just water first before burnishing with gum trag? would that help keep the trag from seeping onto the face? I guess I'm just hoping that some magician out there has come up with a magical method/product that is easy to apply/won't make a mess/won't darken the edge too much. Haha. I'm also having a hard time with applying beeswax as its hardness makes it difficult to apply a sufficient amount of wax to the edge. I was considering making a mixture of beeswax, olive oil, and eucalyptus oil to stave off mould. I've heard of a beeswax/neatsfoot solution, but would prefer to use olive oil in its place. Does anyone have any experience with a wax/olive oil blend? I prefer not to use any paraffin. Thanks again, Zayne

Hey all, I have a dumb question. I am trying to get a better burnished edge, I think what I need is to glue some canvas to one of my wooden burnishers for a dremel and use that, rather than doing it by hand. Can any of you tell me what kind of glue to use? and should I overlap the canvas so there are no gaps or just glue it seem-to-seem? Right now all I have is the green weldwood contact cement, some wood glue, and some of that white water based elmers glue. Thanks! Zayne Thanks!

How do you burnish flimsy leather's edge?... i have some nice oil tanned leather thats about 2.2 mm thick but is very supple enough that its soft to touch and difficult to burnish by hand... i dont have some hand tools to burnish by machine, so i was wondering what would an expert do?... i also noticed some chrome tanned leather bags with leathers that are sooo crazy soft and have burnished edges... this made me wonder, how on earth did they burnish those?...

Please help a newbie out! What is the order of steps out these: burnish, tooling, oil staining. I am about to start working on a project and realized I wasn't sure what to do first. Basically the project is a leather "fanny-pack" thingy. It will have two pockets I was thinking of riveting on a backing piece then stitching it closed into a pocket. One of the pockets will have tooling on the cover flap. Should I tool then stain then burnish? Please help! Thanks!

So I don't understand the difference between what I am doing and what I've seen in the tutorials here for burnishing the edges. I guess my question is more," What does a superb finished edge look like?" I've been using gum t and a burnisher, it takes only moments for it to go down and I like the look/feel of it. But I've posted pictures in the past and that is often one of the critiques. Does anyone have a series of progressive photos for burnishing an edge? I read the pinned Edge Finishing by Hidepounder but I'm too much of a novice to really understand what the finished product should be like. Any help you could provide is appreciated! I don't have any photos right now of my most recent works to show what I'm doing. My phone decided it didn't want to have a camera anymore.

Hi fellow leather-workers, I’m new to leather working and trying to figure out the best ‘order’ to do things in. Bellow is a list of steps I typically take during leather working – I would love some feedback on what you think is the correct order to do things in? 1. Cut pieces 2. Bevel Edges 3. Sand Edges & back side of leather 4. Neatsfoot Oil to soften leather 5. Gum Tragacanth to slick edges & back side of leather 6. Groover & Stitching Spacer (dampen leather for this) 7. Dye leather 8. Apply finishing coat 9. Sew leather pieces together Would you change this order at all? If so, what would you do differently?

I've been browsing the forum (and am fairly new to the forum) for techniques that people like to use in finishing the inside (raw leather) of their sheaths. I have tried the paraffin/beeswax concoction in dipping a sheath to seal it all over(haven't tried applying only to the inner w/ a dauber) - but didn't like the shiny finish I've tried trag gum - but have ended up with some hairy spots that refuse to go away & Lately I've been using Ballistol, as recommended by Rowe's Leather, whom has made some nice sheaths for myself and my father in the past - but it turns my saddle tan to a dark brown from inside out! I want to get a smooth finish on these sheaths, and can't decide whether I will go un-dyed or raw, pending my next attempt at finishing the inside. What do you guys use? And I apologize if this thread already exists - If so, please link me! Look forward to hearing what you guys have to say!

ok so i was tinkering and i managed to get a somehat burnish on oil tanned leather if i put more time in i could probbly get it pretty nice. I want to start making bags and i really dont have the experience to know how bridle oil tanned or latigo acts when it comes to burnishing. I want to make bags but want to be able to get a good smooth edge. Any suggestions on types of leather i should use? My first bag will most likely be made of veg tan because thats what i have plenty of to make mistakes with as i learn.

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!

Ive seen a lot of bison leather products like wallets and bags with the edges unfinished ive heard good things about it durability and softness but i really dont like the look of an unfinished edge. Im just wondering if theres a reason like it doesnt burnish correctly and thats why the edges are left unfinished or is it just a preference?

When would I apply Resolene ? After I burnish with saddle soap and before I burnish edges with wax, or after the wax? The wax wouldn't let the Resolene penetrate would it, and vice versa. It's an item the may get wet, should I just use neat lac instead, as the last step?

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?

hi all, I'm new to leathercrafts, picked up my first set of stuff from my local Tandy here in Atl and I'm determined to make a perfect long wallet. I've made two prototypes, both made with veg tanned leather ~3oz. The first one i finished the edge with just Gum and 2nd one i stained it with tan color. Now the problem is, they all had glue lines. I used ecoweld from Tandy and did sand the glued edge before burnish (as suggested by Rusty in springfield's youtube video). As soon as i started to burnish the edge, the glue line will appear again and I can feel the glue if i run my finger on the edge. Is it the glue i'm using that caused this problem? Or should I just leave the edge out when I'm applying the glue? I realized the edge is probably the most important part to show the level of craftsmanship so i really want to get it down. Please help! thanks Daz

I'm a novice. Making basic belts with materials I have on hand. This is my approach and would like your thoughts on it. 'absurd' and 'wrong' are two words I'm looking forward to... I've secured an ABS pipe cap to my drill press, notched the side with a circular file, and smoothed it with sandpaper. Then I apply black shoe polish to the edge of my already-died leather belt and run it through the 1100 RPM groove. This does an OK job of burnishing, the edge comes out smoother and harder. But if I scrape the edge with my fingernail the fibers pop back out, it's not as hard as I'd like it to be. Something I can tweak here to get harder edges? Thanks. Brian