Finishing chrome tanned edges

[GavinO]

Hi,

As I use old sofa leathers to make my bags, they are often chrome tanned. I am trying to find the best way to finish the edges. These leathers are mosty too supple for bevelling (will rip/not grip smoothly or properly). So I have just been cutting as clean as I can, sanding, adding gum trag, then edge painting. Burnishing in the veg tan sense doesn't seem to be so much a thing. 

I have watched a few youtube videos and although the description says it's about chrome tanned leather what the youtuber is using looks like veg tan and there are people calling it out in the comments. Very odd. 

I have been thinking about getting a handheld auto sander/burnisher,  like this: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/775700174/leather-edge-slicker-tool-sanding-and?gpla=1&gao=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_ca_en_ca_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-other&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjw_viWBhD8ARIsAH1mCd4xXWJzyg0-uaJAwLGUgZW_diCMgIlh9k5d6BAICF4K3GjC7vmtMmgaAu_LEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_318291525_19444350045_75295133925_aud-967786719280%3Apla-106551294035_c__775700174enca_554439858&utm_custom2=318291525&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_viWBhD8ARIsAH1mCd4xXWJzyg0-uaJAwLGUgZW_diCMgIlh9k5d6BAICF4K3GjC7vmtMmgaAu_LEALw_wcB&variation0=2426933152 

or a modified dremel. Maybe I could use the burnishing attachments to help with the gum trag adherement. 

If anybody has any experience in finishing somewhat lighter chrome tanned leathers, I am all ears! 

Gavin. 

[Hardrada]

Folded edge and stitch.

[toxo]

42 minutes ago, Hardrada said:

Folded edge and stitch.

This ^

[GavinO]

1 hour ago, Hardrada said:

Folded edge and stitch.

You mean to just turn in the exposed edges? To be honest I do that most of the time/where possible, but sometimes the build up of layers can become too much and it's better to just have it stitched down flat with an exposed edge. It's for those instances that I want to find an elegant solution. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by GavinO

[Hardrada]

1 hour ago, GavinO said:

You mean to just turn in the exposed edges? To be honest I do that most of the time/where possible, but sometimes the build up of layers can become too much and it's better to just have it stitched down flat with an exposed edge. It's for those instances that I want to find an elegant solution. 

For thick layers a solution is to cut a strip of leather 1/2" wider than the total thickness and stitch it in as edge cover.

[GavinO]

15 hours ago, Hardrada said:

For thick layers a solution is to cut a strip of leather 1/2" wider than the total thickness and stitch it in as edge cover.

Yeah I will probably try that out, thanks. 

[chuck123wapati]

16 hours ago, GavinO said:

You mean to just turn in the exposed edges? To be honest I do that most of the time/where possible, but sometimes the build up of layers can become too much and it's better to just have it stitched down flat with an exposed edge. It's for those instances that I want to find an elegant solution. 

skive your edges thinner.

[PastorBob]

tokonole works better on chrome tan than gum Trag.  I think the fold over method or overlap method will suffice, but if you find you need to burnish an edge, try the tokonole.

[GavinO]

4 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

skive your edges thinner.

I often find the same issue as with bevelling- the leather is a bit too thin/supple individually and I either rip it or make a messy job of it. Maybe I do need a bit more practice at it though 

3 hours ago, PastorBob said:

tokonole works better on chrome tan than gum Trag.  I think the fold over method or overlap method will suffice, but if you find you need to burnish an edge, try the tokonole.

Yeah that came up in my research. I will definitely try this as I haven't been convinced that the gum trag is really doing much 

Edited July 26, 2022 by GavinO

[battlemunky]

Tokonole works better but I haven't encountered anything that works as well as painting or rolling the edge and stitching. Its better than gum trag but not an elegant solution, especially if you can't get a good bevel on your edge due to it being too floppy/supple.

 

[GavinO]

1 hour ago, battlemunky said:

Tokonole works better but I haven't encountered anything that works as well as painting or rolling the edge and stitching. Its better than gum trag but not an elegant solution, especially if you can't get a good bevel on your edge due to it being too floppy/supple.

 

Ah I thought I would use Tokonole first as a kind of base/to flatten the fibrous nature of the edge, let it dry, then apply edge paint. Like a primer of sorts. 

That's what I have been doing with the gum trag 

[battlemunky]

21 hours ago, GavinO said:

Ah I thought I would use Tokonole first as a kind of base/to flatten the fibrous nature of the edge, let it dry, then apply edge paint. Like a primer of sorts. 

That's what I have been doing with the gum trag 

I just learned this the other day...you want the edge not too slick when using edge paint, for veg tan anyway, so I guess since chrome is hard to slick anyway that the paint probably wants a little bit of fiber to hold on better anyhow. By all means try it and whatever works best, use it!

[GavinO]

On 7/27/2022 at 6:00 PM, battlemunky said:

I just learned this the other day...you want the edge not too slick when using edge paint, for veg tan anyway, so I guess since chrome is hard to slick anyway that the paint probably wants a little bit of fiber to hold on better anyhow. By all means try it and whatever works best, use it!

ah, so the opposite of what I have been doing- oops! I will try a few tests out and see how they compare