Cutting Through/tearing The Tracing Paper With The Stylus

[LilRay]

As some of you know I got a Tandy Deluxe Kit, and I'm having trouble transferring patterns onto the leather. I seem to cut through the paper with my stylus, and when I do that deforms my line I was trying to transfer

My lines literally look like they were scratched in and not smooth.

I'm using the film that came in the kit.

Any tips????

God Bless, Ray

[dirtclod]

Sounds like your either pushing to hard on the stylus or it has a burr on the end. It should be smooth like a ink pen tip.

[pete]

If you are using tracing film then I agree, you might have a burr or rough spot on your stylus. You could very easily be pushing too hard. If you push hard to get a tracing, then your leather is way too wet. It won't trace if it is. You should be able to use as little force as you would to write your name with a pencil.

What are you using for a stylus?

Pictures are great if you can figure out how to download one!

pete

[swinewerx]

It seems as if you have what most of us get when "just starting out" I myself have learned after eight years of werxing with leather, that it really is not important as to how your embossing lines look, even if they are wiggly, and supposed to be straight! when you go about the process of embossing your image onto the leather, it gets important as to where the beveling shall take place, and, when I am swivel cutting, any wiggly lines are no longer there! I beleive because , when I swivel cut, I actually cut extremely straightand if your embossing lines are still showing, then beveling them away werx, as well as background shading, to "coverup" said mistakes!!! I really observe other leather werxers jobs , and have seen lines that were not "fixed" This is why most of my personal items are extremely tooled!! not just for the "hey!, I am extreme" but to hide any defects that may appear in my projects! The down side of "fixing" mistakes, is when you did the "fixing" on one side, then, the whole thing has to be done this way, and why not!!! instead of redoing the job, just make it more artsy!!!! and tool every bit in the process!!! YEAH!!!! I still do this to this day!!! except when subcontracting,,,,,uhmph!!! a redo is humbling, but sometimes, just has to be done, at no extra charge!!!! All my rejects from subcontracting are hung on the walls of my garage!!! and if I did not use them as filler in a box to help shipping, then , there they hang!!! for as long as I say so!! I feel empathy for the person who has to take said items off of my walls!!! Way too many of them !!!!

[LilRay]

Maybe I could dull the Stylus some with some sandpaper?

God Bless, Ray

[bison]

Ray,

What I've found helpful is to use clear contact sheets that you can find at Wal-Mart or places like that. It comes on a roll and is supposed to be used for shelves. I cus a piece large enough to overlap my patterns by an inch or so and place it on each side of the paper pattern. Then I trim it right to the edge of the pattern. Now I can press firmly with an old pen or stylus and I don't go through. I can also use the same pattern several times. I always use a copy and keep the original in case I need to make another copy. It works for me!

Dave

[JJLeatherworks]

Toss the tracing paper and get some Vellum paper, available at Tandy and most hobby stores. It's tough, waterproof, has a surface that will take pencil drawing, reusable and can be run though a copier or lazer printer. Use the ball point stylus available at Tandy, never had a problem.

[LilRay]

Man my Browser must be goofing up. There are much more replies here than were here yesterday when I last replied.

Here goes;

Pete, I'm using the stylus that came in the kit. It's got a sharp point I believe to double as an awl. Your probably right with my leather being too wet. I'm going at this and learning as I go. Next scrap I work on I'll take a pic and upload.

swinewerx; Once I get a handle on what all the tools can do, I might just tool the snot outta everything.

Dave, I've used some of the shelf liner that has a sticky back for airbrush masking, I wonder If I could use it on the leather?

JJ, I'm on it. I'm almost out of the mini roll that came with the kit anyhow.

Thanks everybody!

God Bless, Ray

[radar67]

Sounds like you may be using the awl as a stylus. That is way too sharp. Don't sand it or it will not work as an awl. I used an old ball point pen to trace with until I got a stylus.

[88 Steed]

The Tandy kit I believe you're referring to comes with a red modeling tool with a stylus on one end and a spoon on the other. If this is the one then you need to use sandpaper (as previously recommended) or a regular knife sharpening stone to round the edges a little. I don't believe it's supposed to have double duty as an awl as it's too dull for that. Now, it can be used to help enlarge some holes and even do a little stippling on the leather and that won't be affected by a little rounding on the end. The tracing paper that comes with the kit is not the greatest but it can be used successfully as a temporary measure. Just as was said above watch your casing and make sure the leather is showing signs of 'returning' to it's natural color (slightly) before you trace and use only the pressure needed to get an imprint (lift a corner of the tracing paper and have a look!). You'll soon want better tracing film (I use Tandy's tracing film successfully) and some better tools and technique, but not to worry, with practice and study you'll be successful.

[LilRay]

Folks, Please Visit here http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=30222 and let me know how I might improve.

God Bless, Ray