Annoying Tokonole effect...

[AWORKOFMARC]

Not liking this wrinkle effect when the inside of leather, treated with Tokonole, is bent inward toward itself -- it wrinkles. The bare leather looks better than that outcome.

Am I using too much? Burnishing too hard? Can 120 grit rough it up again to lose the wrinkles?  Every color does it and I'm sick of it. Is there another way to finish the inside that does not have that effect? Tragacanth?

 

[Simplejack1985]

Experiment. I like to get leather that has a finished flesh side for wallets and other things I'm not going to line.

[AWORKOFMARC]

Thanks. I was just hoping someone could short cut the learning curve.  Clearly my experiment of trying to "finish" the inside failed... back to the Lab.

[Hags]

That leather looks pretty "furry". Don't know what would get it to slick up. I tend to go with Hermann Oak because it's usually not hairy on the inside. Good luck.

[LeatherLegion]

Under the burnished surface , you still have a "spongy" substrate . If you don't have a high fiber density on the flesh side , you can't really do much about it

[Goldshot Ron]

I agree with Jack.  I recommend purchasing shoulders with pasted backs.  However, another product you can use is Fiebing's Leather Balm with atom wax.  I use it on the backside of stirrup fenders.  Once in a great while, you may have to slick it with a glass slicker to lay the fibers down, but with a few coats it gives you a nice surface.

[TomE]

I use this flexible, water based adhesive to replace the pasted back of bridle leather after splitting.  I dilute it 50:50 with water and use a glass slicker to work it into the flesh side.  They sell it in 1 qt bottles as well.   https://campbell-randall.com/product/sup-bt639-g-leather-finish-for-sealing-flesh-side-moss-back-suede-1-gal  

Edited December 2, 2023 by TomE

[AWORKOFMARC]

52 minutes ago, TomE said:

I use this flexible, water based adhesive to replace the pasted back of bridle leather after splitting.  I dilute it 50:50 with water and use a glass slicker to work it into the flesh side.  They sell it in 1 qt bottles as well.   https://campbell-randall.com/product/sup-bt639-g-leather-finish-for-sealing-flesh-side-moss-back-suede-1-gal  

 

Ah.. thanks. I'll look into the stuff.  see if they have any smaller sizes. Update. Nope.

So does that mean this leather was split? I am feeling now like maybe I got a little taken --with my novice stupidity not knowing good form bad?  The distressed side looks beautiful --but if they're selling split leather w/o being up front --that's pretty shady no?

This is the stuff I bought -- but I bought a whole side. https://www.ebay.com/itm/266400282454?hash=item3e06b1b756:g:P6cAAOSw-rxk9kkE

 

Thanks everyone -- new to the forum so it's nice that you all are so helpful!

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by AWORKOFMARC

[AWORKOFMARC]

Crazy depressing. I've spent $250. on leather now that I can't use to start making wallets and I can't return...

[Simplejack1985]

2 hours ago, AWORKOFMARC said:

Crazy depressing. I've spent $250. on leather now that I can't use to start making wallets and I can't return...

Yeah that stuff looks like it's super spongy. I'd find some herman oak or horween for wallets. Use that to make tooling bags, shop apron and various other things you find you need along the way. I bought 2 sides of like 12oz horween chromexel when I started. It took awhile to find uses and things to make. Turns out 12oz is way to thick for a wallet.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Simplejack1985

[SUP]

@AWORKOFMARC Springfield leather is a store that sells sections of leather by the foot. You can call and ask them about the type best suited for your purpose and order it as well.  I have always found their products to be good. 

 

[TomE]

6 hours ago, AWORKOFMARC said:

 

Ah.. thanks. I'll look into the stuff.  see if they have any smaller sizes. Update. Nope.

 

They don't list quarts on the website.  I called in my order and was informed I could buy a quart.  That was 2 years ago.

[Aven]

Did you buy small panels or sides?   If you got a side or part of a side, does the whole thing look that fuzzy on the flesh side?  If you have areas of tight grain, use those for the wallets.  Otherwise, you can thin down the leather you are showing and glue a very thin leather to it so that you have two finished sides.  Do contrasting colors for a nice effect.

[chuck123wapati]

what part of the hide did you use? looks like belly imo which has a much looser quality and there's not much you can do with it. anything you put on to "glue " down the fluff will wrinkle when bent unless you coat it while bent in which case it may crack when you flatten it.

what quality and part of the beast did you buy? 

[bladegrinder]

That does look like belly, first things first…don’t buy leather on eBay. It shows that leather is from Latvia, who knows how it was processed. I’ve had Mexican import leather that had that spongy foam kind of back too it. It’s even hard to cut with a razor. Anytime I make anything I take a really good look at where I’m going to cut a piece  out on both sides under really good lighting, looking hard you’ll almost always find some kind of imperfection and sometimes you can orient it in your project so it won’t show. Leather like you’ve shown won’t glue or stitch properly either so you need to keep that spongy stuff away from welts and stitch lines. Someone told me many years ago, once you feel your skills are moving up never use bargain leather or leather from unknown sources. At the time I was using Tandy shoulders I then switched over to Herman Oak and never looked back. I mostly make knife sheaths and holsters though and it’s perfect for me. 

[AWORKOFMARC]

Here's some pics of the piece I have (paid $125.) --then before I started working with it I decided I better buy another strip -- that's the second $125. out the window and it hasn't even gotten here yet. which is going right back.. I'm going to get screwed on shipping but whatever.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by AWORKOFMARC

[AWORKOFMARC]

Sadly this was an expensive lesson. But thanks again guys.. so much good info I just learned here.

[Klara]

I am very sure that you will be able to make something from this leather. Just keep it for now and find a local supplier where you can see and touch the leather before buying it. For me that's the best way (and my local supplier is 90 km away).

[tsunkasapa]

On 12/1/2023 at 9:13 PM, AWORKOFMARC said:

So does that mean this leather was split?

ALL leather is split to a more or less uniform thickness throughout.

[SheilaOrikawaAtelier]

Maybe, But I'm not sure 100% it could depends from the leather tanning. As I know Tokonole is thought for veg tan leather, maybe with other tanning methods it could do this problem? On my last leather I had a similar problem and if I right remember it was mineral tanning. For this I thought it could be this the problem.