wet leather

[dustin29]

If my leather is too wet what will happen to my swivel knife cuts? I cased my leather overnight in a ziploc bag. I pulled it out and let it sit for about an hour or so. I think maybe I did not have enough patience. Somebody please help before I ruin the whole wallet back.

[King's X]

My experience only.

Your cut rigids will curl or push up. There might be some what appears to be white. I believe what it is is the water being pushed to the side as you cut. Look down into the cut (depth) and check the color. If it is white, that might also be an indicator.

Try a hair dryer. Next time place a small piece of leather with your casing leather. You can use that as your practice piece for the swivel knife practice. That should give you a good indicator as to what status your leather is in.

Good luck

[dustin29]

My experience only.

Your cut rigids will curl or push up. There might be some what appears to be white. I believe what it is is the water being pushed to the side as you cut. Look down into the cut (depth) and check the color. If it is white, that might also be an indicator.

Try a hair dryer. Next time place a small piece of leather with your casing leather. You can use that as your practice piece for the swivel knife practice. That should give you a good indicator as to what status your leather is in.

Good luck

Thats exactly what my cuts are doing. I will definately put a small piece of practice leather in with my project leather next time. That is a great idea thanks a bunch.

[King's X]

I took a tip from Rawhide here and Peter Main. I don't know how many other people are doing it but I like it so far. I went to bed bat and beyond and purchased two glass cutting boards (different sizes). I went my leather projects and place them on my granite (grain up) and place the glass on top. I allow it to sit like that over night. About 10 mins ago, I took off the glass and now I am letting it sit. I will go up there after dinner and start my pattern transfer. I will cut it with the swivel knife and then tape it up before I start my tooling.

Oh yea, I will try out my new "TimDidIt" slicker. Thanks TimD. The slicker, from what I read will cause the grain fibers to tighten up and compress. We'll see. I am always open to trying something new.

Well, gotta eat because I have a long night. If I don't get it done, I will place the glass back on top and start again tomorrow after putting some water on the ends all around.

Good luck

[dustin29]

I took a tip from Rawhide here and Peter Main. I don't know how many other people are doing it but I like it so far. I went to bed bat and beyond and purchased two glass cutting boards (different sizes). I went my leather projects and place them on my granite (grain up) and place the glass on top. I allow it to sit like that over night. About 10 mins ago, I took off the glass and now I am letting it sit. I will go up there after dinner and start my pattern transfer. I will cut it with the swivel knife and then tape it up before I start my tooling.

Oh yea, I will try out my new "TimDidIt" slicker. Thanks TimD. The slicker, from what I read will cause the grain fibers to tighten up and compress. We'll see. I am always open to trying something new.

Well, gotta eat because I have a long night. If I don't get it done, I will place the glass back on top and start again tomorrow after putting some water on the ends all around.

Good luck

What do you mean by putting water on the ends all around, and what does this do? Im not sure if I dare to go to bed, bath, and beyond my wife would probably put us in the poor house!

[TwinOaks]

Covering with glass is just a way to prevent the leather from fully drying out. Water vapor doesn't pass through glass, y' know?

While it's 'under glass', only the edges are susceptible to drying. Once the glass is removed, the leather begins drying as it normally would. A quick search for "casing leather" should yield useful info.

[PaganBear]

so another question on that.... is there a benefit?

Not that im doing it right cause one is always learning, but I generally have no problem with it drying out between work sessions cause then I re-wet it and I know exactly how much re-wetting i did.

Yes I am one of those folks who has no idea how to tell moisture content. I first learned simply by color and feel temperature and I still fumble my way with that method.

[hidepounder]

If my leather is too wet what will happen to my swivel knife cuts? I cased my leather overnight in a ziploc bag. I pulled it out and let it sit for about an hour or so. I think maybe I did not have enough patience. Somebody please help before I ruin the whole wallet back.

Dustin,

I case a little differently. I emerse my leather in water....I just run it thru a pan of water or fill the sink a couple inches deep and fairly slowly dip the leather.....starting at one and run it thru the water....I want to see bubbles coming out of the leather. I then slick the leather to eliminate some of the stretch and compact the surface fibers. I then set the leather aside until it's natural color begins to return.....I like the color to be about halfway between completely wet and dry. I then seal the leather in a plastic bag and let it set for 24 hours (or at least overnight). When I remove the leather from the plastic bag I expect it to have returned almost to it's natural color. I then slick it again and cement it onto my backer board. You can use just plain old water or one of the many home made casing recipes that are floating around on LW. Your leather is ready to begin tooling when it is almost the same color as it is when dry and it should feel cool and slightly clammy when touched to your cheek.

Hope this helps,

Bob

so another question on that.... is there a benefit?

Not that im doing it right cause one is always learning, but I generally have no problem with it drying out between work sessions cause then I re-wet it and I know exactly how much re-wetting i did.

Yes I am one of those folks who has no idea how to tell moisture content. I first learned simply by color and feel temperature and I still fumble my way with that method.

PaganBear,

The problem with re-wetting your leather is that it defeats some of the benefits of casing. Each time you add water, you lose definition, depth, crispness and burnish (color which appears in your beveling and shading). Part of the purpose of casing is to enhance those characteristics....

Bob

Edited July 28, 2009 by hidepounder

[King's X]

Bob:

Interestingly enough you bring up a a good point and many thanks. I was told to use plain old cold water. Secondly, I was advised and greatly discouraged by one of my first instructors not to use plastic bags. I was told that it would create vapor bubbles on the top of the bag over the leather and it could fall and create stains. Glass or plastic I have since used both and they seem to work. I think a lot depends on the leather that you use, period. Good leather will stay cased a long long time. Medicore leather will not stay long enough to take a drink of your ice cold beer sitting next to your maul.

So, not that I have a place to disagree with you, but I have to point out the leather think. I think (because I was one of those newbies) that believed a lot of what I was told at the beginning especially when it came to leather. Now, since being a member here and trying different things out there, not so.

So, in closing, I would take all of what you heard here and try it out even with medicore leather and see how it works. The leather I worked on last night just happened to be a small piece of 8-9 oz Tandy hide that I "cased" overnight with the glass. Even before I went to bed that night, I could see the change in color of the leather like it was drying out? Right then I figured I was going to encounter problems the next day. I recall when I case Herman Oak or Wickett & Craig, this didn't happen. It would turn a rich slightly darker color as it sat. Anyways, sure enough last night, that thing would not cut well, even stopped like every stroke. My hand/fingers were worn out. I decided to put a little water like Bob Dellis did with a slight wet rag and it would ease up, but it soon dried out. Finally, early this morning I was done, but the family reported what sound like construction going on with the hammering and pinging. I think I might have cracked my poor granite. The rest of that leather is going in the trash.

Okay, I said enough. Thanks for sharing Mr. Bob.

[hidepounder]

I'm not sure what your early instructor was cautioning you about....maybe something that I haven't ever run into. But I can tell you that I've been casing with plastic bags for many years and have encountered no staining problems. When I first started working for Bill Porters Saddle Shop, they had a wooden box lined with galvinized steel sheeting. We put our wet leather in the box and let it set overnight. The humidity in the box cased the leather nicely. Another shop I was at used a large ice chest.

There is nothing wrong with casing with water only....but don't be afraid to try some of the casing solutions that have been in use for years....they may help with some of the difficult leather. I've been putting a few drops of Joy dish soap in my water for a long time now. I just recently tried the casing solution that Bruce Johnson shared with us here on LW and I like that too.

I for sure agree with you that there is no substitute for quality leather...inexpensive leather will most certainly present problems not found with the major tanneries and casing may not help at all with that leather. I have used Tandy leather every now and then and have not had any real problems.....I just happen to be a HO fan and like how it tools. I've never used W & C because it always felt very soft to me, but I know that it is premium stuff. I NEVER buy sale leather from unknown sources and sometimes you end up with a side of leather that is just sticky to cut...even from the big boys!

Bob

Bob

Bob:

Interestingly enough you bring up a a good point and many thanks. I was told to use plain old cold water. Secondly, I was advised and greatly discouraged by one of my first instructors not to use plastic bags. I was told that it would create vapor bubbles on the top of the bag over the leather and it could fall and create stains. Glass or plastic I have since used both and they seem to work. I think a lot depends on the leather that you use, period. Good leather will stay cased a long long time. Medicore leather will not stay long enough to take a drink of your ice cold beer sitting next to your maul.

So, not that I have a place to disagree with you, but I have to point out the leather think. I think (because I was one of those newbies) that believed a lot of what I was told at the beginning especially when it came to leather. Now, since being a member here and trying different things out there, not so.

So, in closing, I would take all of what you heard here and try it out even with medicore leather and see how it works. The leather I worked on last night just happened to be a small piece of 8-9 oz Tandy hide that I "cased" overnight with the glass. Even before I went to bed that night, I could see the change in color of the leather like it was drying out? Right then I figured I was going to encounter problems the next day. I recall when I case Herman Oak or Wickett & Craig, this didn't happen. It would turn a rich slightly darker color as it sat. Anyways, sure enough last night, that thing would not cut well, even stopped like every stroke. My hand/fingers were worn out. I decided to put a little water like Bob Dellis did with a slight wet rag and it would ease up, but it soon dried out. Finally, early this morning I was done, but the family reported what sound like construction going on with the hammering and pinging. I think I might have cracked my poor granite. The rest of that leather is going in the trash.

Okay, I said enough. Thanks for sharing Mr. Bob.