Leather "Curling-up" after tooling...

[SCOUTER]

Ok, I feel like this should be a "first post" question but I would like to know how you deal with "curl-up"- We rubber cement a piece of leather to a backing material (I use plexiglass) then case and tool. After the leather dries and is removed from the backing, a few days later it starts to curl slightly. I ASSume this is happening because I am only casing one side of the leather, but if I case the back of the leather how do I cement it to the backing? I have tried leaving it on the backing until it was bone dry but soon after I remove the backing a day or two later- Curling... Now to counteract the curling I thought of casing the backside after removal but the rubber cement makes this difficult to do. Thanks for any imput...

[bruce johnson]

Scouter,

It is going to be interesting to see how others respond here. I had a conversation about this a week ago with a guy, who was havng the same problem, and mentioned it had stopped. I really have not recognised a problem with this. Here's what I do. I tape the backs with carton sealing tape. I really don't think what you do to secure it makes much of a difference. I wet my leather with the case solution of choice. I have used water, water/lexol/dish soap, ProCarve, and now use the lexol/baby shampoo formula shared here a while back. I wet my leather, and case it at least 8 hours but usually overnight at least. I seal it in plastic ziplocks, and those XXL huge storage ziplocks are a big help now. I leave enough air in the bags to keep the plastic off the grain side of the leather. Next morning I tool as normal. I have done the longer casing for several years, and have found no matter whose leather I was using, the effects were just better.

What had changed with the guy who had the curling problem. He went from casing and tooling as soon as the leather returned "to color" or casing for an hour or two to casing overnight. The lexol/shampoo formula is not a quick case solution in my hands, and I told him I was overnighting it. He went back and tried some ProCarve and cased overnight, and said little or no curling too. We suspect that the casing level being equal through out the layers was the difference. If only the top layer is moist and it stretches slightly with tooling, then it stands to reason it is working against the bottom layer and curling over it. If the moisture is even, the compression is against the entire thickness. Some leather takes casing slower or faster than others. By giving it plenty of time, you minimize that effect.

[David]

I have a real easy solution for your problem....It is caused by that last little bit of moisture evaporating from your leather. My solution is to lay my piece face down on my workbench....My workbench surface is granite. I place a poly pondo board on top of it and then one of tandy's 12" square pieces of granite on top of that. I leave it like that until I'm ready to make my seat/binder/whatever. It comes out flat as can be.

Dave

http://www.theobaldleather.com

[steveb]

I have a real easy solution for your problem....It is caused by that last little bit of moisture evaporating from your leather. My solution is to lay my piece face down on my workbench....My workbench surface is granite. I place a poly pondo board on top of it and then one of tandy's 12" square pieces of granite on top of that. I leave it like that until I'm ready to make my seat/binder/whatever. It comes out flat as can be.

Dave

http://www.theobaldleather.com

yep - i use a version of this tech. and it works fine...i use a small weight and a piece of flat and smooth wood - rather than Dave's hi-roller setup..lol

[Duke]

I use blue painters masking tape to the back side to keep it from stretching. why the blue stuff? less adhesive, so it comes off easier. still holds good tho.I case overnight also, and tool the next day, and I make sure to use the bee natural pro carve. what happens is the solution helps to break down the cells of the leather and make them more soft and supple, hence easier to tool.yu can also leave your item to completely dry for a few days before removing the backing.good luck.

[SCOUTER]

Gentlemen Thankyou! I had a hunch that it was the residual moisture causing the problem... I guess with Bruce's method the moisture has fully penetrated the Leather and dries more evenly. In Al Stohlman's leatherworking manual, he states to case BOTH sides of the leather. I never tried that. Thanks again!

[Rawhide]

Here's how I do it.

I rubber cement a piece of Crescent (#201) illustration board (hobby lobby) to my leather. Put rubber cement on the board only. I use a hotel room card to spread the cement out evenly. Then I stick the leather to the board. Case, tool and let dry completely. If you let it dry why still on the board, it won't curl up on you. When it's dry, it's easy to peel the board away, because the cement is only on the board. Now the back of your leather is still open to receive water if you want to shape or mold it or re-case it, or whatever.

I got this idea from Peter Main.

Marlon

[Hilly]

Here's how I do it.

I rubber cement a piece of Crescent (#201) illustration board (hobby lobby) to my leather. Put rubber cement on the board only. I use a hotel room card to spread the cement out evenly. Then I stick the leather to the board. Case, tool and let dry completely. If you let it dry why still on the board, it won't curl up on you. When it's dry, it's easy to peel the board away, because the cement is only on the board. Now the back of your leather is still open to receive water if you want to shape or mold it or re-case it, or whatever.

I got this idea from Peter Main.

Marlon

You mean, when you pull the cardboard off the leather, all the cement STAYS on the cardboard??? How does the leather stick to it then? Do you have trouble with your edges coming up? I've tried cementing to xray film, and I think I prefer the tape method because the back of my project came off the xray film feeling like a rubber pancake

[Roger]

i have not really seen this problem either. i use a few drops of dawn dish detergent in water to case, bag it and try to let it sit at least overnight.

what i find interesting is..

i have only had an issue one tme with the leather getting stretched out of shape from tooling and it was a small piece of 3-4oz and heaviliy tooled.

i use nothing on the back of my leather and if i need a bit more moisture, i spray the back side where it's needed.

[Rawhide]

Hilly,

It will stick. And stick well enough to tool and prevent stretching. I've done it on several projects. Just be sure to let the cement dry to a tacky state. Also, the more coats you put on, the tackier it will get. I usually put on two coats and that's plenty enough for it to stick.

Give it a try.

Marlon