Leather dust/putty

[Spence]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like I might be trying Hidecrafters. I've got sawdust leaking out of my shop too.

Kate, be sure to keep us updated on a grinder.

[CitizenKate]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like I might be trying Hidecrafters. I've got sawdust leaking out of my shop too.

Kate, be sure to keep us updated on a grinder.

If I find a way to do it, I'll shout it from the [expletive deleted] mountaintop!

Kate

[kevinhopkins]

Hi.... Actually, I think hidecrafters will give that stuff away if you ask.... I know I will! We have to empty out the collector bag on the shop finishers fairly often. But for what it's worth, I don't know why anyone would have to have leather dust, when sawdust is plentiful, and works great.... But if you need it, drop me a note, or email me, and when we empty the dumb bag, I'll send it to you for the cost of shipping.

Kevin@springfieldleather.com

[CitizenKate]

Hi.... Actually, I think hidecrafters will give that stuff away if you ask.... I know I will! We have to empty out the collector bag on the shop finishers fairly often. But for what it's worth, I don't know why anyone would have to have leather dust, when sawdust is plentiful, and works great.... But if you need it, drop me a note, or email me, and when we empty the dumb bag, I'll send it to you for the cost of shipping.

Kevin@springfieldleather.com

I might take you up on that, Kevin. but tell me, what do you do with your tiniest leather scraps?

Kate

[Windom Leather]

Ok I have just got to ask. What is the dust and putty for exactly? I havent heard of this before so you all got me curious now.

[ClayB]

Leather dust is just that, ground up leather. It is made into putty by mixing it with rubber cement, or in some cases contact cement. The main use for it that I know of is to fill in the back of embossed leather carvings. Back when Al Stohlman was doing embossed pictures, he made leather sculpted plugs to put on the back and when these were tooled around, they made the leather stand out on the front, giving it a 3-D effect. Robb Barr is usually given credit for the "extreme embossed" technique that many people use today. I was told that he wasn't the first to use leather dust/ putty, but I don't remember who was supposed to have told Robb about it (maybe Kathleen Bond?) Robb made a series of videos with George Hurst showing several projects that he made using the extreme embossing technique. With his technique, the leather is stretched from the backside creating a cavity. This cavity is then filled in with the leather putty mixture. There are times when even more stretch is wanted, and to do that, some parts of the leather is cut through on the front of a carving. Then that cut out part can also be filled in with putty. When it's done right, it's really hard to tell where the leather ends, and the putty starts. The putty can be shaped and textured just like the original leather. Jan Schoonover is a master at that. There are also times when leather putty can be applied to leather for a different texture altogether. Adding fairly realistic bark can be added to trees is one example. These are the most common uses I know of for leather putty. There are probably others. I'll add a few pictures to show some of these techniques.

Robb Barr Grizzly

Jan Schoonover Grizzly

Bark

More bark