Edging troubles

[Lace]

I know some other topics have been posted about edging with mechanical tools but I'm having trouble with this belt I'm making. It's something my boss calls: Tri tanned leather and I'm not sure what that means but he picked it out for my belt. It's a belt for my grandmother's kilt an so I want to make it really nice because she is going to tell everyone in the scottish society who made it and then I will get more requests I'm sure.

I'm having trouble with the edges as I said. They are fuzzy and frayed. I tried rubbing them down with canvas, bees wax, tarcanth(sp) gum, some kind of mistery edging polish that was in a bottle in the shop and even just some hard work and a smooth piece of wood( I dont have a bone :S But we have this nice piece of wood that is really smooth). I can't for the life of me get the edges to slick. I have NEVER had this much trouble with the edges before.

I dont have access to a dremel or anything else like that to polish it, it's all by hand but can anyone suggest any other methods to get these fuzzies tamed?

[abn]

Lace, if your edge is really a mess, you may want to start with some fine-grit sandpaper, maybe 300 grit. Sand it dry first, and then wet the edge and sand it wet. That usually works for me when I have an unruly edge. I hope it helps you, too!

-Alex

[Lace]

Thanks abn! I'll try it and let you know how it works

[bruce johnson]

There are a few mixes that people make up to add some stiffening to the edges so the fibers will bond and lay. Some common mixes are acrylics like Leathersheen mixed with leather balm or similar, leather balm and Resolene, and other mixes. I have pretty good results with diluted Elmer's glue. Once there is some stiffening some of these leathers will burnish alright. Others will not, but will stiffen up enough to sand the edges and smooth them down. If I am going to dye an edge I'll do it before any of these. Sometimes you have to go back and redye after slicking or usually after sanding. I finish with either an acrylic over the top once it is smooth or paraffin wax.