Bone folders

[krains]

I've found that Tandy's bone (plastic) folder is scratching my leather when I try to crease/fold. Is there something I can do to stop that from happening? Am I using it wrong? Where do you find top notch bone folders?

[bruce johnson]

Krains,

You can buff off any seams or pits from the plastic mold it was formed in. That said, Osborne makes a real bone folder that I use a fair bit. I just got a wooden one made by Riley Cornelius. They are members here on the forum. It has a nice shape and the edge varies from fairly crisp at the tip to a nice round edge. The variance allows you to use what part you need for the effect you are looking for. Nice tool.

[Dale]

Bookbinder suppliers and paper suppliers usually have them less expensive than most leathercraft suppliers. They're pretty easy to shape, so don't be afraid to make it the way you want it.

[RandyScott]

I have the same plastic folder and had the same problem. So, out to the garage and dig through my stack of sandpaper. Started with about 180 and went up through to around 1500 grit. Smoothed the sharp edges (by the way, surprise to me, that little knobby thing with the grooves is to be used as an edge burnisher will pull off or detach from the other piece!). Finished it off by polishing it with automotive polish compound. I then worked on the edge burnisher and smoothed its sharp edges

[krains]

thanks guys, i'll try to buff the tandy one. but i will look into mr. cornelius' also.

[barra]

I had a look at Riley Cornelius' folder. Now I don't really need one but that thing looks so sweeeeeet I just might have to get one just cos.

Barra

[pepin1948]

I've found that Tandy's bone (plastic) folder is scratching my leather when I try to crease/fold. Is there something I can do to stop that from happening? Am I using it wrong? Where do you find top notch bone folders?

Look at this link. There are excellent bone folders, extremely fine sanded.

http://store.falkiners.com/store/category/55/334/Bone/

[Randy Cornelius]

Here is a picture of the wooden folders or rub sticks that my son Riley makes. If interested give me a PM I think he sells them for 20-25.00. He says there is about 2-3 hours work in each one.

[yaklady]

I bought one of Riley's folders last month. It works much better than a normal bone folder, and is big enough to get a good grip on it. I like that one and the cocobolo one I got from Hide Crafters.

[oldtimer]

I've found that Tandy's bone (plastic) folder is scratching my leather when I try to crease/fold. Is there something I can do to stop that from happening? Am I using it wrong? Where do you find top notch bone folders?

You can make bonefolders of your own design from a material called " Pakka-wood", actually laminated wood impregnated with some kind of resin, that makes it hard as ebony. Pakka wood is used by knifemakers to make handles and can be polished to a mirror finish on the buffing wheel.