Finishing Edges

[venator]

So I've been trying this and I find I always end up with little tiny puts and divots in my edge, often too you can see the split between the two pieces if I'm using two.

Any suggestions?

[Halitech]

make sure you are gluing right to the edge and put lots of pressure on them until dry. What kind of glue are you using? Are you going over your edge with sandpaper before burnishing?

[venator]

I use contact cement and I do indeed sand. It just seems when I do the glycerine and saddle soap the edge looks good but as soon as the dye goes on boom! Pits. Tiny ones but the samples make the edges look like glass...

[Halitech]

maybe it's the soap, I just use water when burnishing and most of the time, I dye before I burnish.

So it's sand, dye, burnish, beeswax

[venator]

Hmmmmmmm

[leathervan]

the question that I have has to do with #3. If I rub glycerin bar soap into the leather doesn't it prevent the dye from being absorbed into the leather. I put dye on very thick first things after sanding the edges even and when the dye dries it is absorbed into the leather. Otherwise with bar soap first I would thing that the dye wouldn't absorb deeply into the leather.

[hidepounder]

the question that I have has to do with #3. If I rub glycerin bar soap into the leather doesn't it prevent the dye from being absorbed into the leather. I put dye on very thick first things after sanding the edges even and when the dye dries it is absorbed into the leather. Otherwise with bar soap first I would thing that the dye wouldn't absorb deeply into the leather.

The process of burnishing, by itself, and the process of burnishing with saddle soap, does impair the amount of dye an edge will absorb. The dye penetrates the saddle soap easily, however not as thoroughly as when you apply dye to the raw edge. On occasion you will have little sections which need to be re-touched. You have to decide for yourself, what your priority will be...dye absorption or crisp edge. You also have to decide on how much effort you are willing or able to put into your edges. The outcome is usually commensurate with the effort. You could add steps which might give you the best of both worlds but it might take double or triple the effort. A good example is the application of edge dressings such as the Fenice products which Tandy sells. Utilizing those products you can get amazing results, but they take hours to apply. I tend to go for the better finish and if that means I have to re-dye occasionally or re-burnish, then that's what I'll do. But I'm not willing to invest the time required to use the new edge dressings. I'm not THAT impressed with they way they look anyway.

Hope this helps.....

Bobby

[hidepounder]

I use contact cement and I do indeed sand. It just seems when I do the glycerine and saddle soap the edge looks good but as soon as the dye goes on boom! Pits. Tiny ones but the samples make the edges look like glass...

Without seeing the before and after or watching you burnish, it's hard to say exactly what the problem is. However I have experienced some of those issues myself. I use Fiebings dye which is spirit based, and occasionally I think the alcohol takes it's toll. However, as saddle soap is water soluble, water based dyes may cause these issues too. I've also learned that the leather makes a difference, as does the cut of the leather. The bottom line for me is, when these issues occur, I re-burnish and that usually solves the problem. It also usually gives me a better edge than the first pass did. When I'm satisfied with the dyed edge I perform a final burnishing step which is applying paraffin to the edge and burnishing it well into the leather. Then I polish with a clean soft cloth. The paraffin will usually fill in a lot of those tiny holes and make them go away. With regard to the glued edge, be sure you are using a good quality glue, like Barge, Masters, Duall or WeldWood. Be sure you're gluing out to the edge. Don't glue heavy and be sure to pound the pieces when you connect them and then sand them to make them flush.

Hope some of this helps....

Bobby

[CedarValley]

Bob,

Thank you so very much for this outstanding tutorial and all the answers you have provided! I am new to this and this forum and I have learned more than I dreamed.

I have two questions:

1) Is the Quik Slik you use in lieu of the glycerine or the saddle soap? Or both?

2) You said you use the Fiebing's yellow paste Saddle Soap. I have white. What is the difference? Can I use the white? When I purchased the white the fellow told me they are exactly the same.

Thank you so VERY much for all the time you have dedicated to this!

Scott

Edited February 10, 2016 by CedarValley

[hidepounder]

Hi Scott'

When I use the Quick Slik or my own Edge Magic, I am substituting them for wetting the edge or using any soap at all. Both products work best for me with a cocobolo burnisher on a dremel.

When using the Feibings saddle soap, either the white or the yellow will work. Someone told be they were the same but that the white was designed to be used with rawhide. I have no personal knowledge of that but it seemed to make sense and satisfied me at the time. I really can't tell any difference.

[hidepounder]

For anyone who is interested or hasn't already heard, I'm selling a new edge dye applicator that you fill with the water based or spirit dye of your choice and use like a Magic Marker. It's a high quality applicator and by far the best I've ever used! No more dipping into open bottles. Just remove the cap, apply the dye and when you're finished just snap the cap back on.

They are $15ea plus shipping. For anyone interested, just send me an email: hidepounder@gmail.com

[ChriJ]

For anyone who is interested or hasn't already heard, I'm selling a new edge dye applicator that you fill with the water based or spirit dye of your choice and use like a Magic Marker. It's a high quality applicator and by far the best I've ever used! No more dipping into open bottles. Just remove the cap, apply the dye and when you're finished just snap the cap back on.

Troy West Photo 2.jpg

They are $15ea plus shipping. For anyone interested, just send me an email: hidepounder@gmail.com

Bob,

I'm glad to hear that you have those available. I had looked for a good quality empty refillable marker on the internet and didn't see any that I felt would work for me. I'll send an email. Will these be available on your website in the future?

Thanks,

Chris

[hidepounder]

Bob,

I'm glad to hear that you have those available. I had looked for a good quality empty refillable marker on the internet and didn't see any that I felt would work for me. I'll send an email. Will these be available on your website in the future?

Thanks,

Chris

I don't have a website, but I'll always carry these and you can email me. I'm considering doing a website, but we'll see......

[ChriJ]

I don't have a website, but I'll always carry these and you can email me. I'm considering doing a website, but we'll see......

I'm mistaken then. I thought I went to your webpage off of Leatherwrangler's site. Must have been something he put up.

Chris

[Rannoch]

Thanks for the article and all the great information and advice.

Sorry if I missed this reading through the thread, but my question has to do with to get rid of the little bits of glue that come out of the seam. After finishing the edge a tiny bit of glue will appear. Removing it with fine grit sandpaper and even a bic lighter works only for a short time. The act of burnishing seems to pull the glue out of the seam. The glue I use is Barge cement. Tandy's "weld" works a little better.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[hidepounder]

That happens to me occasionally, too, but I've discovered that when it does I've usually used a little too much glue. It is also important to set the glue by using a wide faced hammer to pound the edges to insure a good bond. I'm assuming that you are using contact cement and not rubber cement. I also sand the the edge to insure the two pieces of leather are perfectly flush. That usually removes most of the residue.

Hope this helps...

Bobby

[Rannoch]

Using less of the Barge cement has pretty much eliminated the glue problem I was having. But I also received and started using Nigel Armitage's burnisher (

) about the same time that I took your advice to reduce the amount of glue.

Barge cement is very messy stuff, made for gluing on the soles of shoes, but it holds better than the Tandy "Weld" stuff (which is also pretty messy). Rather than apply it with a brush I started using a small spatula. That really helped too.

Thanks for your advice.

[CastlesCustomLeather]

For anyone who is interested or hasn't already heard, I'm selling a new edge dye applicator that you fill with the water based or spirit dye of your choice and use like a Magic Marker. It's a high quality applicator and by far the best I've ever used! No more dipping into open bottles. Just remove the cap, apply the dye and when you're finished just snap the cap back on.

Troy West Photo 2.jpg

They are $15ea plus shipping. For anyone interested, just send me an email: hidepounder@gmail.com

Hi Bob,

Will this work with regular old Feibings alcohol dye or "pro oil" dye or does it have to be specifically edge dye? Because I've tried using regular Feibings alcohol dye on some 2-3 oz leather and the dye bled/seeped through the leather and screwed up the piece. I used a dauber to apply it so I don't know if the coat was too heavy or if it was just the type of dye combined with the thin leather.

Anyways, these pens seem like they might be right for me! I'd also be interested in getting a bottle of your Edge Magic. I've heard that stuff is amazing. Do you use that in place of the glycerin saddle soap bar (that's what I'm currently using)?

[alpha2]

I tried my first piece finished with dye instead of edge paint. FAR easier to apply well. Now I just need to refine the process. The first step in the "refining" process is to stop trying to fit edge finishing into a few minutes here and there between other jobs. 

[gigi]

Came across this: 'Basecoat User Guide for Leather Edge Dyeing' free download from Giardini:   http://info.leatheredgepaint.com/how-to-achieve-the-highest-quality-on-your-leather-edge

[alpha2]

I have recently seen a video on you-tube from someone in Asia. They used pieces cut from what appears to be a version of the "Mister Clean Magic Eraser".

Well, my trophy wife just happened to have one of those under the sink. Soooo, I pilfered a piece and tested it with both Edge Paint, and dye. Amazing results. It holds more of the edge coat then you would think, and distributes it very evenly. I would call it "idiot resistant", realizing that idiot proof is not possible. I'll be trying it out on some current projects and get back to you all on my results. Experience so far has been very favorable!

There are various versions of the magic eraser, the original, one with a wavy outline that is slightly more abrasive, and then they get into some with Dawn dishwashing liquid in it and one other that I think is even more loaded with cleaners. The original looks to be the one to choose.

[Inphinity]

I am starting to do some watch straps. There is a lot of information about finishing edges for sure, but a friend of mine bought a new watch strap and i am curious about the finishing method. Please see pictures. 

Apparently they made the edge by gluing the upper skin to the side of the strap. Istead of using dies/burnishers, they use the skin to finish the edge. 

The question is... How they do that? How they cut the upper skin to fit the edge?

Sorry for my bad english.

[Inphinity]

Another pic... 

 

[Jimmy McLaughlin]

With all the talk being about doing edge work, I have to say that Hidepounder has one of the best edge markers I have ever tried. He is to modest to mention it. It is a plastic tube about 5 to 6 inches long with a felt tip and I think it has a marble inside that keeps the dye flowing. You put your own dye in it and paint it on the edge. It is very neat and works like a charm. Thank you Bob for a great product.

Jim

[WalkingBear1954]

Well I am new to leather working and self taught I have screwed up some leather.  You post helps me a lot I think my biggest problem is rushing to get it finsihed.