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Apologies all if this has been covered already, but I was wondering whether anyone has experience finishing soft edges? I have some 2mm tumbled calf, which I would like to burnish/finish properly. Clearly traditional methods are failing me (specifically the Japanese method of sealing with Funori, and the gum trag/burnishing method). Has anyone done this? I am looking for a firmer and shiny edge without any visible fibre structure. Maybe glazing? Thanks!

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster. I've read alot about finishing edges on my leather projects, and I've gotten results I'm mostly happy with. However, on some projects, like archery bracers, I have a large area of flesh-side on the bottom which contacts the wearer's skin. Depending on the peice of leather this is sometimes OK, other times a problem. I normally use veg-tan tooling leather, varying quality / types. The flesh side can be anything from almost smooth to furrier than your cat. I've found that if I dye the flesh side, particularly if I use oil based dye (like Fiebing's oil dye) it becomes almost crusty and can feel like sandpaper. I was wondering how others deal with this? Here's some things I've tried in the past: 1. Dye with oil-dye, then coat with leather conditioner (beeswax with other stuff) and burnish, this seems to remove the sandpaper feel but can feel a little waxy afterwards 2. Line the flesh-side with suede - I like this, but it does require more leather and much more time for the glueing and stitching 3. Sand or lightly skive, dye with water-based dye, and burnish with gum trag - never gets totally smooth, will be undone with use The answer may be "buy better leather" but I would be interested to know if there's a good way to come up with a reasonably smooth coloured finish on the flesh side. Any help appreciated.

I work with Scouts mostly on small projects. I have at most 4 hours to complete all the requirements for the Leatherwork Merit badge. The 1st hour or so is discussions on various related topics and tool demonstrations. So 3 hours is the time they have to complete their projects. Including hand sewing. What can I do to really speed up the drying time between tooling then dying then applying top coat then sewing. There is definitely not enough time to allow the proper time for each of these steps. I normally use Saddle Lac because it dries super fast but if I teach in California I'm not sure I can use it since it's not available for sale there. I've been using the Tandy Professional dyes instead of the All-in-One type of finishes because of the color options. I live in Las Vegas and can leave it in the sun after each step. But there are issues if the weather isn't cooperating, especially if it's windy, and I use fans for indoor classes. I'm wondering about other options available no matter how crazy. Here are some ideas I'm spitballing: Microwave Convection oven Food dehydrator Warming mats like the kind used when starting seeds in the winter Heat lamps or heat emitters like the ones used for reptiles Build something that uses a combination of 2 or more of the above. I don't have any idea how the leather would react to any of the above ideas. We don't want to end up with leather that gets too hard or curls too much I'd like to get you opinions along with any additional ideas you have. Thanks, Dale

I want to know which material and machine do factories use to seal and coat the leather edges with a thick rubbery coat? I don't think it is Giardini, or Fiebings or Stahl or United or any of these edge coats, because I compared those to the rubbery edge coat I have on many bags and they are not the same.......I also don't think in mass production of bags they will waste time applying 3 or 4 layers of these edge coats..... I think it is a synthetic material... It could be the one in the attached photo but I don't know what is it? BTW this material is damn good and sustainable. Can anyone help me please.

About 15 years ago I was in Tandy Leather and decided to purchase Tandy’s leather edge roller. It was fine for the first couple of weeks of use. I found that if the wheel was left to sit in the die, it would get under the rubber and make a lump that never went away - even if you dried and cleaned it! I also experienced the nibs the roller got a bit wider as time went on and made it harder for the wheel to turn. I found a metal fabricator that would build one out stainless steel. It fits great and will possibly work better that the plastic original one

Pretty much brand new, used for 6 months for my product for a local market. Havent used it since. comes with: machine, handle, rest and fileteuse head $290 shipped

Hi everyone my first time here, I’m just starting out as a leather crafter . I started with this old Swiss military bag I’ve had for years which was dry and hard , I’ve cleaned it and oiled it and now it is softer but I just can’t get a shine on the leather , what top coat would really make it pop ? Thanks

Hi everyone I got my first serious veg tan project almost done but I don't know how to finish it. I'll use gum tragacanth on the alone edges, then stitch it and finish other edges. At what point should I put something on it to protect it and make it usable? What should I use? I have carnauba cream, neatsfoot oil and some Italian leather cream and oil. What else should I get, not just for this but in general? I can get some shoe impregnation easily, I don't know if that is useful for veg tan like this or just for finished

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

Hey all - I know this question gets asked all the time, so my apologies in advance if anyone is bored of answering people about how to burnish edges. I've tried to read a bunch and still found myself a bit stuck. I work with thick harness-style leathers and I'd like to get nice rounded burnished edges on them. I've never had great luck with burnishing by hand, so I thought I'd try a motorized burnisher. I bought this cocobolo burnisher: http://proedgeburnishers.com/index.html and put it on a 1/2hp motor from harbor freight that seemed to be commonly recommended https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-buffer-61557.html I took ~10oz leather, went over the edges with a #2 (I think) edge beveler - https://photos.app.goo.gl/uAs6X5AHpAomKu9y8 and then, trying a combination of different saddle soaps on the burnisher, tried to round the edges, but I ended up with a much more visible, lumpy, not smooth, not even especially round edge - https://photos.app.goo.gl/qs1qacQ1Wz6ptCsb8 I'm not happy with that edge. I've read a bunch about how to burnish and am still a little stumped. Reading over the pro-edge burnisher FAQ, I'm realizing that perhaps I did the wrong thing by putting the wax on the burnisher first rather than on the leather. I will try that next. Anyone have other suggestions of how to get a better edge? A related question is - is there some trick I'm missing to using an edge beveler? The best approach I've found for myself is to put a metal ruler over the piece I'm working on, close the edge, and try to use that as a guide for the beveler. Otherwise I find myself making waving lines that I can see in the finished product, or occasionally veering off entirely and taking a nasty bite out of the leather. Thanks, David

I am embarking on a project making bench cushions for a restaurant. I have been doing some research on sealing veg tan leather, and it seems that Resolene would be the best choice for sealing leather that will inevitably be spilled on and incur considerable wear. (This video convinced me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTg_hfpNUM). My second question concerns upkeep: Is there a regimen I should implement every 6 months or so to re-seal or to condition the leather? Or should I leave it to the natural oils from all the skin contact it will recieve over time? Thank you for any advice you have!

Hey guys, just wondering if it is safe to use Fiebings Carnauba cream to finish Buttero leather. I've seen a few posts on finishing Buttero with Saphir Renovateur which seems like a good option but I have a gallon of the stuff and am trying to use it up.

Hey all, I have a minimalist wallet I am working on using fish leather (looks like carp to me if that matters). My question is, what's the best process/product to use to seal it to stand up to daily use? Thanks! Josh

I'm making a bass bow quiver with a carved pattern. I usually sew projects after they are fully stained, antiqued, and finished (usually satin shene.) In this case, I need to sew the pattern up and then wet the project and place a block in the end to expand the leather a bit so it doesn't pinch the bow when inserted during use of the quiver. Do I sew it up before blocking then stain and finish? This will make it difficult to antique and the finish may drip as it won't be laying flat. If I finish then sew and try to expand the end, won't it mess the finish?

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

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

Hi everyone, This is my first post here on the forum, so I apologize if I didn’t put this in the right place. Sorry for the length, I just want to give all the info I can to get the best advice. Thanks in advance for your time! I recently picked up a side of matte-ish black Horween Essex for a custom tote order. The tote was made and shipped and I started using the rest of the side for a crossbody bag with an alligator flap. I checked in yesterday with the tote customer to make sure she was happy and she said she was, but she’d noticed that the color was rubbing off on her white pants. She didn’t have this problem with her first tote from me last year and I’ve never had this problem in the 3 years I’ve been working with Essex so I was surprised. Out of curiosity, I went over to the alligator and Essex bag that I just finished up and rubbed it with a scrap of light colored T-shirt and sure enough quite a bit of color came off. Obviously, I’m concerned that not only does a customer have a tote that’s leaving color on her clothes, but in the meantime I have just finished an expensive, fairly time consuming hand-stitched bag (my first using alligator) that’ll be rubbing on someone’s shoulder and hip. I can’t have it leaving big black marks on someone’s clothes. I wouldn’t even try and sell it if I know that’s a possibility. Now that the bag is done, what can I do to try and seal it? The edges are all painted with Vernis edge paint so I’m nervous about getting any kind of solvent on them and having that turn into a big mess. I tried buffing the whole bag with a soft cloth to remove excess color, but the color transfer hasn’t stopped. I thought about using Resolene, but I’m concerned about (a) being able to apply it consistently and not having it gum up since it’s all finished and 3-D and not an easy flat surface and (b) won’t it make the matte black really look shiny and plastic-y? I liked the way it looked before with the soft finish. It made the gray alligator flap pop. Lastly, does it work well on leathers with soft-medium tempers. I’ve used it on heavy veg tan work but not this kind of thing. I can’t afford to experiment with stuff that “might” work, because if it works on a flat scrap and not on the finished 3-D bag, the whole thing’s wasted. Is there any way to salvage it? I loved the way it turned out and would really appreciate any advice. I’d also like to be able to help the tote customer so she’s not stuck with a bag that ruins her clothes. She’s in a different state, so if you have a product in mind that she could buy separately and apply as a non leather worker that’s even better. Thanks again! -Hannah

hello everyone, Maybe you have some tip for me which finish is REALLY waterproof and also which colours have a vivid strong beautifull shades ? thank you for your help, wishing you nice sunday tia

Hi! My name is Luna, I am a sustainable accessory designer based in Berlin and I am looking for advices. For my MA thesis, I am researching into the automotive industry and I am trying to theoretically develop a highly durable leather, able to last for multiple generations. I am focusing my research on three key parameters: sustainable livestock, which give the best quality of hides, vegetable tanning, the most durable, firm and resistant option, and bio-based PU coating. I know that Polyurethane coating help increasing durability, wear-resistance and UV protection on leather and is quite common in the automotive industry. However, I don't find any research paper debating PU coating applied on vegetable tanned leather. Then, I am wondering if a really, really thin layer, perfectly manufactured and balanced on the veg-tanned leather is possible. Also, do you think that the "patina", that veg-tanned leather naturally develop while aging, will develop also with a really really thin PU coating applied on it? I am looking forward to hearing your opinion and advices and I would love to thank you all in advance! Luna

Hello all, I have ordered a baby croc. skin and this will be my first time using this leather. I will make a watch strap and maybe use kangaroo to line it; so I was wondering if I would be able to burnish thin croc and kangaroo together???? Any one know??

I have been reading much on treating leather with neats foot oil, mink oil, resoline, bees was and such. All I know is what I watch for free on Tandy's web site. I've searched here and online for finishing instructions, with very little luck. Does anyone know where I can get some Free finishing literature? (please post link) I did a sheath for my son, used water and a wood form and finished it with Super Shene. Got some neats foot oil at the local Home and Farm store, but it turned the leather real dark under the shene on the front from treating the back. I have some patches I did for a friend using Cova Colors and you can hardly see the colors now that it turned dark on the front from treating the back. I am so confused on where to go from here I'm afraid to finishing anything now, it's unreal. I'm hoping someone can point me in a direction I can learn something useful...Like what to use and when to get the results I need.

Hi everyone, I've been poring over the forum threads learning all I can about finishing edges - burnishing and all - I want to do Bob Park's method, but in all my experiences I've run into a problem when it comes to using edge paints: how do you paint JUST the edge and not have any of the paint spill on to the front or back of the leather? I've tried a paint brush, dauber, q-tip, sponge - they almost always result in some paint on the front and back instead of only on the edge - and I see Bob (and everyone else who knows how to do this) has amazing contrasting edges with not a drop of colour on the front or back. So - what's the secret? I was looking at one of those electric edging tools - will that help? I work mainly in oil tanned 4-6oz and I'd like to have my edges neatly finished so they don't fray and fold. Thanks!

Hi there! I am a beginner and pretty much self taught. I am interested in learning how to do the lattice work on this bag. I have figured out the measuring, cutting and bevelings, but finishing the edges of the open squares is throwing me for a loop. The openings are too small for my burnishing tool, and I would like them smooth and finished. Any suggestions? Thank you! Aw, the picture did not load up. Its a very nice backpack, too. On the leatherworkings of the bag is a lattice work with open squares. If I can learn it, I might incorporate it into a project. So the question remains: how do you burnish the edges of small openings? Thank you, again!

Hello All, So I am not sure quite how to word my question but it is something that I haven't been around long enough to know the answer to. As my leather goods that I make age, is there something that will prevent a customer from using saddle soap and other products on the item? ... I guess what I am asking is what advice I should give them for the care of their product over the years. Is it the same for all leather finishers/sealers or does it change for each one? I mainly use acrylic resolene, some super shene, and on a few items I use carnauba creme. Is the method for caring for items the same for all of these or is it different?

Hi folks, in my day job we're designing a mechanical device that will use 2-1/2" wide leather drive belts similar to old school woodworking shops. I had planned to simply apply neatsfoot oil to the belts and let the leather naturally age and darken, but the customer has requested matching a color sample that will most likely require dying the veg tan leather. I'm a little worried about flexibility and cracking of both the finish and the leather since the belts will frequently be flexing over pulleys. It will be a hand operated mechanism, so the belts will be running at low velocities. Should I worry about stiffening and cracking in the leather if I apply alcohol based stains with an airbrush? Any thoughts or recommendations about approach and products would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and best regards to all. ~Steve W. Seattle