Help a Newbie Develop an Eye for Quality

[wizard of tragacanth]

Thought I made a post here a few days ago but perhaps I logged out without sending it. I will try to reconstruct it. 

You will learn to work without making any finger nail marks. Focus on working with the pads of your finger tips, or sometimes a knuckle (for wet molding).

I would not bother to groove this project. It is difficult to grove over holes as a beginner and you have a great chance of spoiling the project. Grooving is normally done prior to punching holes. Besides, this is a thin leather and grooving will only make it thinner and possibly harm the integrity. You could run a creaser because it would glide across the holes but I see no real point to that. Also, you would need to dampen the leather but you have already put a finish on it. Save grooving for a future project.

There is no grain to leather but I do recommend sanding in one direction, e.g. left to right, not scrubbing back and forth. You need a variety of sandpaper grits. Depending on the projects that you do, that could vary from 80 grit to 600. Often, you will start with a lower grit and finish with a finer one.

As a maker, it is your choice to set the style. Styles run from primitive, crude to high-polish dress. You can have unfinished edges or glass-like edges. What is your direction as a maker and who is your customer?

Nick

 

[Hags]

Looks like they donated a piece they couldn't sell.