Edge finishing soft thin leather

[TonyD1948]

Total newbee here, experienced with fabric but totally green regarding leather. Ultimate goal is to to assemble leather jacket working with scraps. Starting with a simple bi-fold wallet and youtubeing for info regarding "burnishing" and edge finishing.  This item will be machine sewn on a Sailrite Leatherwork (yeah, already figured out a cylinder arm would be better for hats & caps). Sewing together is not an issue, working with finishing the edges is confusing. Material is very soft and pliable, has no stability to sand or bevel the edge. Once assembled the 3/4 layer outside edges are beefy enough to stand up to a sanding drum (Dremel or by hand) but getting a single layer to a nice finish has me baffled. Guidance or direction to a "how-to" video for working with soft pliable leather appreciated. Found tons of info on thick substantial but nothing on edge finishing thin and soft.

TIA

TonyD 

 

[fredk]

The best you can do with that is to pre-construction clamp each piece between two pieces of wood, so the edge is very, very close to the wood, like 1/2 or 1mm,  then rub some soft beeswax along the leather edge

[zuludog]

Good advice from @fredk, but remember that it is not the downward pressure that creates the burnished edge, it is the heat caused by the rapid movement & friction of the burnisher along the edge. So only press down with the minimum pressure to maintain contact. And as with many techniques in leatherwork, practice on scrap. 

Oh, and welcome to the forum and to the fun!

[Matt S]

@TonyD1948 Is that leather definitely veg tanned? As a general rule only veg tanned leathers can be edge burnished. For other tannages (e.g. chrome, which looks likely judging by that photo) you have to go with another edge finishing method -- edge paint, fold, bind etc.

[TonyD1948]

6 hours ago, Matt S said:

@TonyD1948 Is that leather definitely veg tanned? As a general rule only veg tanned leathers can be edge burnished. For other tannages (e.g. chrome, which looks likely judging by that photo) you have to go with another edge finishing method -- edge paint, fold, bind etc.

Thank you; I will inquiry with the vendor. 

[TonyD1948]

Thanks all! Vise each piece between wood is the only option , or work with thicker leather.

[TomE]

I burnish thin leather (~3 oz) by laying it flat on a slick surface like a cutting mat and rubbing with a folded piece of canvas.  Turn the leather over and work the top and bottom of the edge until it looks right.  I also use a power burnisher covered with a canvas sleeve.  Use light pressure and support the thin leather with your finger tips.  I rub the edge on a piece of canvas wetted with water/saddle soap to moisten the edge then power burnish.  I typically don't use gum trag because I burnish before dyeing the edge then do another round of burnishing after dyeing. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by TomE

[Danne]

10 hours ago, TonyD1948 said:

Total newbee here, experienced with fabric but totally green regarding leather. Ultimate goal is to to assemble leather jacket working with scraps. Starting with a simple bi-fold wallet and youtubeing for info regarding "burnishing" and edge finishing.  This item will be machine sewn on a Sailrite Leatherwork (yeah, already figured out a cylinder arm would be better for hats & caps). Sewing together is not an issue, working with finishing the edges is confusing. Material is very soft and pliable, has no stability to sand or bevel the edge. Once assembled the 3/4 layer outside edges are beefy enough to stand up to a sanding drum (Dremel or by hand) but getting a single layer to a nice finish has me baffled. Guidance or direction to a "how-to" video for working with soft pliable leather appreciated. Found tons of info on thick substantial but nothing on edge finishing thin and soft.

TIA

TonyD 

 

I can't see how a single layer of edge paint with a nice rounded finish is possible, not with the outcome of even close to a durable edge. Sure you can use a really high viscosity edge paint and get a really nice edge, that edge you see on really chap handbags, that peel off after "a week" 

I have never focused on being able to get an even and as durable edge as possible with few coats (I paint with low viscosity paint and sometimes 5-6 layers with heating and sanding in between) and the leather types I have been using haven't required any primer or anything, just heating the first layer. But I do have some primers from Uniters that I tried. EP-filler and EP-full. I haven't tried the durability over time, but Uniters have a good reputation. One layer of Uniters EP-Full and one layer of Uniters EP2000 created a rounded and nice edge, without any sanding in between or anything. (Standard viscosity of EP2000, it's available in high viscosity also)