How to "iron" upholstery leather?

[ButtonLady]

I want to make a cushion out of some leftover upholstery leather but I didn't roll it properly and now it's a little crumpled.  Is there a way to smooth out the wrinkles?

Also, I promise to take better care of my leather.

[fredk]

I wouldn't apply heat from an iron**. I'd lightly dampen the back side, stretch out as best I could and put weights on top and let it dry. That may reduce the wrinkles. In most cases just working with the u/l, making something with it,  will reduce the wrinkles

** I've had u/l shrink badly trying that

[ButtonLady]

Thanks, Fred!  Couldn't think of a better descriptor than "iron"...should have tried "reduce wrinkles" (duh).

I'll try dampening the back and weighing it down.  It's for a loose chair cushion, so leather won't be tightly stretched and wrinkles will definitely show.

[JDFred]

I have used a steam iron with success smoothing out chap leather.  I didn’t have any shrinkage but I was flattening some hand sized pieces out of the scrap box not larger pieces.  I used high steam setting and don’t let the iron sit in any one place.  Also check how hot the leather is getting pretty often if it gets too hot that is where the shrinkage will come from.  

Edited September 16, 2024 by JDFred
Forgot somthing

[fredk]

8 hours ago, JDFred said:

I have used a steam iron with success smoothing out chap leather. . . . 

@ButtonLady Maybe you could try ironing some. to see if that works out

[toxo]

I've seen various YouTube vids where they iron upholstery leather with a kind of reusable mesh. I've also seen it for sale somewhere, maybe ebay or amazon.

Ironing Mesh Mat High Heat Resistance Clothes Protector Board Cover Net | eBay

Perhaps it wasn't leather?

Cechaflo does it again. But not mesh.

(2) How to erase wrinkles and folds - Leather Upholstery - YouTube

Edited September 16, 2024 by toxo

[nstarleather]

Hey!  We do this all the time, in a factory setting: we use a big sublimation press to iron upholstery scrap 300 degrees from the suede side to be safe.  Occasionally from the grain side depending on circumstances.

Occasionally some leathers don't like ironing and wrinkle up and burn but it's rare.  You can use a household Iron too, just more likely to stretch use whatever setting is 300 degrees or under. 

[jcuk]

These may be of use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Pa41ZUDNs

Hope this helps

JCUK

[ButtonLady]

Wow... thank you, everyone! 

I'll try steaming —thanks,  JDFred and fredk (first from the suede side, as nstarleather suggested) and I will check out the videos toxo and jcuk recommended.

EDIT:  really wish I noticed spelling errors the FIRST time...

Edited September 17, 2024 by ButtonLady