Beveling

[Stewart]

Hi,

I just started a new project using same

piece of leather and the beveler is burnishing different. Same dark color

but the stoke marks are defined. Same striking and angle ,i believe.

Well my Dad always said I would argue wth a Compass.

Stewart

[King's X]

The burnishing is coming from the water content in your leather. The strike of the tool is causing the compressions of the leather fibers to bunch up and create the color. I am not good at science and I have heard several reasons for this, but I believe my last reasoning for this is that the leather has settle deep inside the leather and has somewhat evaporated from the top, which is why to you get the color down in the pits and not on top after striking the tool. As for the marks? I believe you are striking your tools (spacing) too far apart instead of striking them short distances in succession? OR You are leaning the tool the rear case the edge of the tool to leave a mark as you strike it? OR a couple of other things? It just depends. I mentioned in another thread about Paul Burnett's Pictorial Definition book. It explains in detail the differences in beveling and the impressions that they make or leave. I also think that Stohlman Leatherwork Manual (found at Tandy to this day) explains this as well.

As for the burnishing and beveling.......put a project together with 3-4 pieces of leather. Wet them all and let them sit to case (overnight or same day) whatever or however you normally do this. At 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes.............tool on these pieces of leather with the seven basic tools. Record your burnishing color and this should give you a "general" idea on that leather at that weight. Now, my disclaimer is that not all leathers are the same and even on the same hide, but that is what make this art unique. When I get a new hide in, this is what I do so I can get a general idea of how this leather will react to water.........which is how I once found out that I had chrome/oiled tanned leather and not tooling veg tan leather. Lesson learned!

As for the beveling, you can do this on the same pieces mentioned above. Cut some lines and curves with your swivel knife and bevel on it. Try different ways of beveling leaning the tools spacing them close and far apart and any other way you can think of to learn how your tools will react. You have to get a good feel for your tools in order for you to manipulate them how you want them to operate. Think of a jack hammer motion, movement and operation when beveling. The operator holds the tool and pushes the button allowing the tool to do the work. He guides it, not so much moves it where he wants it to go. So strike your beveler and allow the recoil to move the beveler to the next position while maintaining control of the tool. If it flies out of your hand, guess what?

So, good luck and happy carving!

[Stewart]

King"s x

Thank you for your explanation, looking back it could be how I was holding the tools.

I have read before that there could be differences in the same leather. i was tooling from

the same belt blank I used before. I cased it the same (little bubbles - overnight)

It just seamed that i had to work harder and over corrected

Or just a bad day

Thanks Joe

[King's X]

Good Luck!

[bex DK]

The different moisture amount also influences the tool marks, in my experience. I found letting it dry a little more helped in some cases.