These Edges Are Driving Me Crazy!

[Sixer]

Ok, so I've read all of the stickys and tutorials on burnishing... but for the life of me, I cannot get that smooth, slick, rounded edge on my holsters.

Here is my current approach -

- cut the leather with shears

- 60 grit sanding drum in a drill press to even the edges

- bevel the edges with a #3 or #4 beveler

- follow up with 220gr sand paper and then some 800gr

- dye the leather

- burnish the edges using a wooden dowel chucked in the drill press and Edge Kote or Gum Trag

(this is where my problems start... I've got the drill running at approx. 3000rpm and I try to burnish the edges in the same direction that they were sanded. )

I can do this all day... the edges end up flat and I still can't get all the little fibers to lay down. I've got to be doing something wrong. It's driving me nuts!

I will try and get som pictures up soon, but until then any advice is welcome

[zookeper]

i am just a novice and someone with more knowledge will correct me if i'm wrong but i think the edge kote is used as an alternative to burnishing, not part of that process. never used/needed gum tag myself but i think you will have better results if you will use wax.

[gregintenn]

i am just a novice and someone with more knowledge will correct me if i'm wrong but i think the edge kote is used as an alternative to burnishing, not part of that process. never used/needed gum tag myself but i think you will have better results if you will use wax.

I've been satisfied with the results of using gum tragacanth and hand burnishing with a Sharpie marker. I apply the gum trag to the edge, and rub it with the side of the marker until smooth. i keep going all the way around the holster doing this. By the time I get back to where I started, the gum is dry enough that I can rub a little harder with the marker to bring the edge to a slick, shiny finish. It takes a little time, but I'm a hobbyist. I'd seek a quicker method were I trying to make a living at it.

I'm guessing your wood dowel isn't hard or slick enough. You also could be turning it too fast. I've heard of people using wheels made from micarta or some sort of hard plastic in drill motors. I've not tried it myself.

[jeeperaz]

What type of leather are you using?

[Tkleather1]

Personally I would get rid of the gum. Use your casing solution and wet your edge and then use your dowel method. then follow it up with wax and some canvas and use lots of elbow grease you want the heat that is what makes the burnish.

as far as the speed thing I have heard lots of talk about going to fast and I have never had a problem, I use a hardwood slicker mounted direct to my 1/2 arbor grinder motor that spins aweful fast and I have good luck.

Just my way not the best way but it works.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

[dirtclod]

If my edges need to be sanded i use a table belt sander 4x36 with 40 or 50 grit paper. The finer grits clog up to quick.

Then wet the edge with a sponge then use a piece of deer antler to rub pretty hard with. Then finish up with a piece of file folder or a piece of cracker box or something like using the nonprinted side and it works fine and makes a glossy smooth edge.

If you use a table mounted belt sander it needs to be fllpped to where the belt turns to you. That makes live alot easier.

[BOOMSTICKHolsters]

Try this out:

Sand your edges with the rough grit drum on a SLOW speed until the edges are even (the fastest I ever run is 1300 rpm, and I wouldn't recommend that unless you have had a lot of experience - you will be better off at around 700 to 900 RPMs).

Now switch to a higher grit drum (like your 220) and smooth the edges up until there are no burs. If you are getting burn streaks on the edge you are using too much pressure or too much speed in your drill press.

Now use your edger to bevel the edges (without wetting them first). If the leather tears when you don't wet the edge first, you need to sharpen your tools (or use better leather).

Chuck your dowel rod into your drill press, making sure your belt is arranged to turn the press at the slowest possible speed. BTW, you have cut rounded grooves into your dowel rod, right? Also make sure your dowel rod is smooth to the touch, with no cracks or apparent grainy areas.

Use a spray bottle, foam brush or a clean, non treated sponge to dampen the edges of your leather.

Now run the edges inside the appropriately sized groove in your dowel rod with smooth light pressure. Don't linger on one spot too long, and apply more water only when needed.

The edge should be so shiny that you can see light reflecting off of it. Now you can hit it with dye of the appropriate color. Once the dye completely dries, rub a little bee's wax on the edges and buff them out with a scrap of duck cloth.

You will have a nice shiny edge that isn't too difficult, too time consuming or too expensive to achieve.

[GrampaJoel]

You're working to hard!

1. Just bevel your edges while dry.

2. wet the edges with water let soak in for a minute or so

3. gently rub by hand with glycerin soap until the edge is rounded and shiny. this happens pretty fast.

4. Now rub fairly hard with canvas loaded with saddle soap. you want to feel the heat from the rubbing.

5. Now you have a nice hard smooth burnish, so just color with color of choice.

enjoy

easier than making brownies.

edit to add. this only works with Veg-tan leather. I haven't had any luck burnishing alum-tan leather

Edited May 19, 2010 by GrampaJoel

[Sixer]

Thanks for the help guys!

I'm working with veg tanned Hermann Oak. I will give it another go... and hopefully have pics of nice SMOOTH and GLOSSY edges to post soon

[MADMAX22]

I agree with Boomstick on this one, with a few things I do slightly different because I have to do everything by hand with the occasional use of the dremel which isnt very often nowadays as I have learned to get a better cut on my edges.

[LeatherCaptain]

Personally I would get rid of the gum. Use your casing solution and wet your edge and then use your dowel method. then follow it up with wax and some canvas and use lots of elbow grease you want the heat that is what makes the burnish.

as far as the speed thing I have heard lots of talk about going to fast and I have never had a problem, I use a hardwood slicker mounted direct to my 1/2 arbor grinder motor that spins aweful fast and I have good luck.

Just my way not the best way but it works.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

could you elaborate on what casing solution is?

[MADMAX22]

He is just talking about the water or mix that you use to wet the leather. Some people use various things in the water especially when tooling to get a smoother knife cut and better tooling. I just put some saddle soap in my liter bottle and fill it with filtered water.

[K-Man]

I use H.O. leather for all my products. I use water, a belt sander with 150-grit sandpaper, a #3 edge beveler, saddle soap, and my two edge burnishers, both fashioned after what Weaver Leather sells/offers. The two edge burnishers are mounted on a motor that spins at 3600 rpms. I haven't burned an edge. I spend less than 5 minutes total on an edge.

This is a sample of the edges I get:

The general consensus seems to be that you have to spin a burnisher at ~1700 rpms or slower. I think the pictures above show that you can do a professional job at higher rates of rpm. YMMV

[Tkleather1]

Yes Casing solution is what ever you use to wey your leather. I use a water and Lexol mix. and I totally agree with K-man about the speed of the burnisher.

Tim

TK-Leather

[Dwight]

I have tried several different methods, . . . and for different products, . . . use different methods.

For holsters and belts, . . . the little burnishers you see in the pictures are oak dowels with a 1/8" drill bit inserted as a shaft (so it fits right into my Dremel tool).

Lightly moisten the beveled and sanded edges with a paper towel folded and soaked in luke warm water, . . . use the long one with the single shoulder for belt edges, . . . the multi groove one for the holster edges, . . . in the Dremel tool, . . . about 1700 rpm's.

Use light pressure on the edge with the tool, . . . going back and forth. A 36 inch belt, . . . doing both sides and the ends, . . . will normally take me about 6 to 10 minutes from beginning to done.

The edge will glisten up and shine, . . . while it is still warm, . . . rub it with real honest to goodness 100% beeswax, . . . re-burnish, . . . and you will have an edge that actually glistens.

If you want a harder edge, . . . gum trag will give it to you, . . . replace the water & paper towel with an acid brush and gum trag, . . . but be VERY sparing until you catch on with it. Gum trag on a non finished surface can ruin an otherwise really nice project.

The grooves are made by chucking up the tool, . . . cutting it smooth all around, . . . sanding it, . . . and cutting the grooves with a file while it is spinning in a lathe or drill press.

May God bless,

Dwight

[LeatherCaptain]

Yes Casing solution is what ever you use to wey your leather. I use a water and Lexol mix. and I totally agree with K-man about the speed of the burnisher.

Tim

TK-Leather

You don't use a casing solution to mold holsters though, right? This is just something you'd have for stamping/carving....sorry for the hijack

[Tkleather1]

You don't use a casing solution to mold holsters though, right? This is just something you'd have for stamping/carving....sorry for the hijack

Well you still would use water I am guessing. I add the lexol for casing because it helps with the burnish and knife cuts when tooling.

[seveneves]

This is my method for what it's worth. I first get the edges wet. Then when let it soak into the leather and return almost the it's original color. Then when I edge it, it sort of burnishes it automatically. Then I rub beeswax on the edges, this get's the friction going which is what you're looking for. Then I get a heavy cloth like canvas, denim or anything it doesn't matter as long as you get the heat going in your hands you know you're doing it right. You should get a nice dark brown look. Hope this helps.