Burnishing edges on a holster

[rharris]

Bob

Yes the dye does not penetrate as good after burnishing. I think it is wax and parafin. I can not tell much difference between it and straight bees wax. Burnishing while the dye is still damp seams to give it that darker color. I am still working to get a better shine on my edges. Not sure what I am doing wrong or what I need to change.

Glad I could help.

RussH

Russ,

Thanks for posting that edge photo. It is the first time I have been able to see what Ivan's machine will do and I appreciate it very much. You said that you dyed before burnishing....does the wax/parfin combo (I assume that it's wax & parafin) prevent dying the edge after you have burnished?

Again, thanks for the help!

Bob

[Mongo]

I agree with Hidepounder, after edging and sanding, I use a burnishing wheel made of white felt 1 1/2" circles stacked together on bolt that runs at a slow speed on a tabletop drill press that is laying on its side. I wet the edge before burnishing.

My final burnishing, however, I use a mixture of bee's wax and pariffin and a piece of canvas. My edges look like Hidepounders (sorry I just got my digital camera - don't know how to pictures on yet). You can't beat canvas for a perfect edge.

[Spinner]

This is great info on burnishing for a beginner. It's amazing how many techniques and theories are shared between woodturning & leatherworking. I know what attachment I'll be making for my mini lathe this weekend! Thanks for sharing this.

[LeatherCaptain]

Finally able to get a pic up...

...it's a start but I think this is promising.

Edited June 4, 2009 by LeatherCaptain

[hidepounder]

Finally able to get a pic up...

...it's a start but I think this is promising.

Those are incredible edges! Wonderful job! Now please tell us what you did to improve the process.....those are better than mine!

Bob

[KcKenny]

I just ordered a burnisher from Scott chucked to fit my hand drill. I have an old bench grinder that I was thinking I might be able to mount in my workspace, then run a pulley off it to a shaft that would act to decrease the RPM as well as chuck the burnisher. Anyone have suggestions on suppliers who might make a setup like this. I'm thining I'd need a v-belt with 2 varying size radius wheels, a shaft to mount one of the weels on, and some sort of chuck on the end of the shaft to hold the burnisher. I can see the entire design in my head it it seems simple enough, I just have no idea if someone makes such supplies.

Thanks,

Kenny

[Mongo]

KcKenny,

Harbor Freight Tools sells a cheap table top drill press. I just bought another one. I didn't assemble this one. I just took the head and put my bolt with my burnishing wheel right in it. It works very well. To sand I just put a drum sander into the drill bit. It works very well for a $49 investment. The RPMs are just about perfect.

[Mongo]

Hidepounder,

I was intrigued with your idea of using the Fiebing’s glycerin bar soap in the burnishing process. I picked some up today and I am very curious to see how it works. In the past, I’ve had trouble with the edge taking the dye when I’ve used anything except water for my initial burnishing. Anything with wax really caused a problem. I agree with your comment on Edge Kote, I’ve never been happy with it how it turns out.

My starting sanding, edging, and burnishing process is very similar to yours. However when it comes to dyeing, I like to use Fiebing’s Professional Oil Dye on the body of my holsters and belts. I normally go back over the edges with a darker color after I have dyed the whole piece. Then I apply a finish to the whole piece. After drying and polishing, I apply a wax mixture of 50% bee’s wax and 50% paraffin to the edges and burnish the edges again.

Do you feel that the Fiebing’s alcohol dye works better for edges than the Fiebing’s oil dye? Also, when you dye your edges, are you “free-handing” them with a brush, or have you discovered a better technique?

I just looked at your gallery. You are indeed an artist. I feel that I am a very competent Western style holster maker, but I haven’t done any carving in over 20 years. I looked at your beginning tutorial on the subject. I would love to look at anything else you have to say on the subject.

[hidepounder]

Hidepounder,

I was intrigued with your idea of using the Fiebing's glycerin bar soap in the burnishing process. I picked some up today and I am very curious to see how it works. In the past, I've had trouble with the edge taking the dye when I've used anything except water for my initial burnishing. Anything with wax really caused a problem. I agree with your comment on Edge Kote, I've never been happy with it how it turns out.

My starting sanding, edging, and burnishing process is very similar to yours. However when it comes to dyeing, I like to use Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye on the body of my holsters and belts. I normally go back over the edges with a darker color after I have dyed the whole piece. Then I apply a finish to the whole piece. After drying and polishing, I apply a wax mixture of 50% bee's wax and 50% paraffin to the edges and burnish the edges again.

Do you feel that the Fiebing's alcohol dye works better for edges than the Fiebing's oil dye? Also, when you dye your edges, are you "free-handing" them with a brush, or have you discovered a better technique?

I just looked at your gallery. You are indeed an artist. I feel that I am a very competent Western style holster maker, but I haven't done any carving in over 20 years. I looked at your beginning tutorial on the subject. I would love to look at anything else you have to say on the subject.

Thanks, Mongo, I appreciate the kind words. I think using oil dye is fine. I use the alcohol because I am accustomed to it and I think it drys faster. To apply the dye to the edges I use a piece of felt folded in half with a leather handle stapled to it and just apply it freehand. Lately I have been using Partner Pens. They are a large felt tip fitted into plastic tube. I just dip them into a dye bottle. Try googling them....I can't remember the source. Bruce Johnson dyes his edges using Sharpie pens and he is very happy with them.

Hope this helps...

Bobby

[Mongo]

Bobby,

Thanks for the advise. I'm going to look for the partner pens.