First Leather Project worth showing

[chuck123wapati]

or get those sanding stick things women use for their fingernails, very handy on small things. The makeup isle is your friend, lots of goodies there for finishing and dying.

[PastorBob]

2 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

After you sand the edges you say you can't see the seam... is that even before you edge kote or burnish the edge?  One thing I'm having a lot of trouble with is radius-ing the corners.  I'm doing it bit by bit using my skiving knife. 

Yep.  Before I even burnish.  Sometimes I burnish just using a dye. Sometimes with Tragacanth Gum, sometimes with Tokonole.  As for the corners, I bought a cheap set of radius knives from Amazon.  they are cheap and seem to work okay.  I have also traced around a skoal can, then cut the corner with a Japanese skiving knife or utility knife.  Either way, I can't get them perfect so I sand them down on my combo sander I purchased from Harbor freight (https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/grinders-sanders/stationary-belt-disc-sanders/1-in-x-30-in-belt-sander-61728.html).  Below is a video describing the method I use when cutting free-hand (skoal can method)

Not affiliated with the video...informational purposes only.  Hope this helps.

[MtlBiker]

2 hours ago, alpha2 said:

If you don't have a sander to use on the edges, just get those foam sanding blocks from the hardware store, I use 300 and 400 grit to finish edges. A good burnish will take it from there.

That's a good idea!  I DO have (since last week) a belt sander which I now keep in my business workshop.  But when I'm doing my sewing stuff at home (which is where I always do it) unless there is something bigger and tougher I would sand by hand at home.  And one of those sanding blocks would certainly help.

1 hour ago, chuck123wapati said:

or get those sanding stick things women use for their fingernails, very handy on small things. The makeup isle is your friend, lots of goodies there for finishing and dying.

I can see you don't spend much time in the makeup aisle!    Neither do I, but I think you're talking about a nail file.  But what other goodies are there for finishing and dying?  Surely you wouldn't use nail polish on leather, or would you?

@PastorBob - Thank you again for the great advice!  I picked up a 4" x 36" combo belt sander just last week, on sale here at Canadian Tire.  But I'll be keeping it at my workplace workshop so unless I've got something special to sand, I'd do it at home by hand.  Are there pros/cons to using either Tragacanth Gum or Tokonole to burnish edges?  And does using something like Edge Kote eliminate the need to use them?  All I did on this one was sand by hand (and I think my sandpaper was not coarse enough) and then apply Fiebings Edge Kote.  That was my first time using it.  I buffed it a bit with a canvas cloth.  But always more questions... I applied Fiebings Leather Balm with Atom Wax to that colored veg tan and buffed it.  But when I put the thing in my bag this morning I found the leather got marked up by other items.  Is there a product recommended for making the leather a little more resistant to indents and/or scratches?

I will certainly make another one... and try to incorporate all the suggestions and things I learned with this first one.

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

That's a good idea!  I DO have (since last week) a belt sander which I now keep in my business workshop.  But when I'm doing my sewing stuff at home (which is where I always do it) unless there is something bigger and tougher I would sand by hand at home.  And one of those sanding blocks would certainly help.

I can see you don't spend much time in the makeup aisle!    Neither do I, but I think you're talking about a nail file.  But what other goodies are there for finishing and dying?  Surely you wouldn't use nail polish on leather, or would you?

@PastorBob - Thank you again for the great advice!  I picked up a 4" x 36" combo belt sander just last week, on sale here at Canadian Tire.  But I'll be keeping it at my workplace workshop so unless I've got something special to sand, I'd do it at home by hand.  Are there pros/cons to using either Tragacanth Gum or Tokonole to burnish edges?  And does using something like Edge Kote eliminate the need to use them?  All I did on this one was sand by hand (and I think my sandpaper was not coarse enough) and then apply Fiebings Edge Kote.  That was my first time using it.  I buffed it a bit with a canvas cloth.  But always more questions... I applied Fiebings Leather Balm with Atom Wax to that colored veg tan and buffed it.  But when I put the thing in my bag this morning I found the leather got marked up by other items.  Is there a product recommended for making the leather a little more resistant to indents and/or scratches?

I will certainly make another one... and try to incorporate all the suggestions and things I learned with this first one.

nope but the sponges and cotton balls nail sanders. things like that. That can be used as applicators or finishing. 

[Handstitched]

17 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

or get those sanding stick things women use for their fingernails

They're called emery boards. Don't ask me how  I know that  and I won't ask you about the make up aisle  ..?? 

But it is a great idea for fiddly items .  ' Q' tips or ear buds are great use too in leather work , dyes, adhesives etc. 

[PastorBob]

18 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

Are there pros/cons to using either Tragacanth Gum or Tokonole to burnish edges? 

I got the TG first and used it on edges of veg tan leather, burnishing with a hand burnisher.  When I started using exotics and chrome tan leather, I switched to Tokonole, using a swatch of canvas to burnish. Now I primarily use either the tokonole or just plain dye with a hand burnisher, then finish up with canvas.  Just seems easier than having to apply edge kote.  I didn't have much luck with it.  

[suzelle]

Amazing job! Thanks for sharing with us! You put a lot of care into your work and it shows!

[MtlBiker]

On 3/23/2022 at 7:15 AM, PastorBob said:

I got the TG first and used it on edges of veg tan leather, burnishing with a hand burnisher.  When I started using exotics and chrome tan leather, I switched to Tokonole, using a swatch of canvas to burnish. Now I primarily use either the tokonole or just plain dye with a hand burnisher, then finish up with canvas.  Just seems easier than having to apply edge kote.  I didn't have much luck with it.  

I don't know what's in the TG or Tokonole but are you saying that one is better than the other for chrome tan?  I'm working on my second AirPod case, again using veg tan and I can use TG, Tokonole or Edge Kote on the edges... I just don't have the experience to know which would be best or if it really matters.  I've still got to work on the edge sanding though as I'm not happy yet with how it's coming out.  The sides look pretty good but where the sides join the top/bottom pieces it's like a flap of thin leather there.  Is that normal?  And should I just use my edge beveler to get rid of it, or is there another technique I should do before edge beveling?  In any case, I think I'm going to mark my stitch line and start stitching it up.  I'll finish the edges after that.

 

23 hours ago, suzelle said:

Amazing job! Thanks for sharing with us! You put a lot of care into your work and it shows!

Thank you for the kind words!  I'm getting better but I have SO much to learn!

 

[PastorBob]

22 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

And should I just use my edge beveler to get rid of it

yes.

22 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

I just don't have the experience to know which would be best or if it really matters.

It is entirely personal preference.  TG and Tokonole have the same results.  I find Tokonole works best.  YMMV. Edge Kote completely covers the leather.  I use that if I have a bad seam or uneven finish to hide the imperfections.  Again YMMV.

[MtlBiker]

2 hours ago, PastorBob said:

It is entirely personal preference.  TG and Tokonole have the same results.  I find Tokonole works best.  YMMV. Edge Kote completely covers the leather.  I use that if I have a bad seam or uneven finish to hide the imperfections.  Again YMMV.

Thank you again for your kind and patient advice.  I really appreciate it.

I just watched a YouTube video by Hahns Atelier and he did something I'd never seen before...  It looked like he used Tokonole on the edges and after burnishing them, he applied Fiebings Edge Kote.  Do you have any opinion about that?