Burnish leather edges

[Alibeartoes]

What are some products I might really have that I can use to furnish the edges of a leather cuff bracelet? I hate to buy expensive product for what very little I’ll use. Thanks in advance!

[LatigoAmigo]

4 hours ago, Alibeartoes said:

What are some products I might really have that I can use to furnish the edges of a leather cuff bracelet? I hate to buy expensive product for what very little I’ll use. Thanks in advance!

Amazon carries Tokonole which is a leather burnishing agent. Comes in black, brown and clear. Water based, inexpensive and is my go-to choice for finishing edges.

[Tove09Tilda]

9 minutes ago, LatigoAmigo said:

Amazon carries Tokonole which is a leather burnishing agent. Comes in black, brown and clear. Water based, inexpensive and is my go-to choice for finishing edges.

Another vote for Tokonole! I honestly wouldn’t know what to do without it — easily my favorite burnishing agent. With some Irish linen or a wooden slicker, plus sandpaper in ascending grits, you can get a clean, professional finish without much effort.

If you prefer using water, I’d recommend sealing the edges afterward with a bit of beeswax. Beeswax reacts to temperature, so depending on how warm or cold your workshop is, it can be a bit tricky to work with. In this case, it acts as a water repellent and helps hold the fibers in place.

You can also use clear or colored edge paint, though that usually takes a bit of trial and error — especially with cheaper paints — before you get a nice, even finish.

Best, 
Tove

Edited 10 hours ago by Tove09Tilda
Forgot beeswax existed for a moment XD

[chuck123wapati]

you can burnish with plain water. 

[dikman]

All I've ever used is beeswax.

[Hildebrand]

I use water and saddle soap, Don Gonzales has a great YouTube video showing how to do it.  I tried all kinds of things before I started doing it this way and this is the best I have found.  Still takes good square cutting and some sanding but makes edges you can be proud of.

Todd

[HandyDave]

Get edges sanded nice and smooth. Then I use a bit of water just to lightly dampen the edges getting burnished. And wood burnisher. Then I rub edge with beeswax and hit it lightly with blowdryer to kinda melt the wax just a bit before burnishing again with a separate wooden burnisher cause I don't want wax build up on my primary burnisher. I hate edge paint. That's not burnishing or finishing a edge that's just covering it up. I've tryed tokenol and a couple other "finishes" but didn't find them to be worth the extra cost over my regular method.