What Is This Tool Called, And Where Do I Find It?

[CampbellRandall]

For better coverage with fewer coats, I would recommend trying the PLUS version of the paint.

[bizbeblu]

Interesting. Without having a clue that this was an "accepted practice" I got into using a resistance soldering machine with a broad tip to produce probably much the same effect. A resistance solderer creates an electrical current between the work piece and the active solder point. This of course won't work with leather cause it doesn't conduct electricity, but properly equipped they can also create the resistance within a given tip much like a standard soldering iron. Their advantage is that you can "dial up" temperature and work with a variety of tips. (I work in brass fairly often and stumbled across the idea of doing leather from that.) The keys for me were to clamp the edge to be worked securely along its full length with the edge barely above the clamping material and work the "stuff" (I've tried various combinations of carnauba and bee's wax) lightly, a very thin coat at a time. Knowing how to solder and also how to sweat copper helped, but it shouldn't be hard to learn. Unless you are producing work at a factory output level or maybe have really large pieces, the tools noted above look like overkill. I use a device no longer on the market, but American Beauty's are available in base configuration for about $300.

[bernardojr]

thank you so much! do they have other colours aside from black?

[bernardojr]

I have a sample from LCI in black that works very well. I also received samples of the Italian edge paints from Campbell-Randall, but compared to the LCI, I find they take way more coats to get the edge I like, and are much lower in viscosity than the LCI edge ink.

thank you so much! i will give it a try. do they have other colours? can i buy it online?

[conceptdiba]

thank you so much! i will give it a try. do they have other colours? can i buy it online?

Please see my post here and let me know if you're interested. The LCI stuff isn't ideal, and isn't available online, but I did find the edge paint that is. I've tried a few brands and none of them work as well as I'd like.

[Trox]

Hi all,

know this is an old thread. However, I did some Internet searching and found this tool on an Korean site http://beavertools.co.kr/xe/index.php?mid=marking&document_srl=1286 I do not understand the letters on this site but there is a number under it, 70.000 Korean money equals to 61 USD.

Here it is on youtube

And here is a video on how to convert a battery charger to a wood burner temp. control unit

You can make this tool yourself and buy the creasing bits for it.

For all who want to save some money and use their own time instead.

Thanks

Tor

[KandB]

FYI, you can now get the tips on ebay of all places - I'm buying the whole set:

http://www.ebay.com/...ip&LH_PrefLoc=2

With any luck I'll have beautiful edges too.

[traiven3d]

I'm wondering if a simple tool like this might be an inexpensive option:

http://www.woodcraft.com/category/2001813/complete-woodburning-kits.aspx

The temperature control looks like it drops the supplied power by a percent, and the multiple tips on the iron, while not exactly what Peter Nitz uses, contain one that is flat sided and another that goes to a point for making creases and the like. Whether this can be dropped low enough to work on binding fibers and melting wax without scorching is the big question.

[traiven3d]

I received my order for the woodburner 10 in 1 set, as well as my temperature modulator. On the lowest heat setting i'm able to use the tool to burnish the edges of chrome tanned leathers and smooth down the flesh sides very quickly. The burner comes with a number of tips, including a flat angled head that fits the bill for shaping and burnishing very thin (.6-.8 oz) leather edges. Its a big improvement over trying to use burnishing tools on these flimsy pieces and allows me to get a rounded edge that's very smooth and ready for application of edge paints. It makes easy work of hard-to-burnish edges such as those that are short or those areas in corners. The tool is also very capable of laying down linear details into the leather.

I have found that the Fenice edge paints sold by Tandy are not the best consistency for working with a hot iron. They seem to melt and peel away from the edges, instead of melting into them. I was able to shape some areas without them lifting off if I worked quickly, but the results were inconsistent. I'm not sure if I have the technique correct, or if there is some way I can further reduce the heat to enable me to shape them instead. I'll have to take another watch of Peter's wonderful video to see if I can glean anymore wisdom.

Over all, I'd say that this kit is a great starting point for those who don't want to invest in $600 + shipping in order to burnish and polish chrome tanned leathers with an iron. I'm certain the higher end kit will allow for great control of temperature (which may be the ticket for being able to shape and smooth edge paints), but this is definitely going to provide me with another way to improve my craft.

*Note* - Even on its very lowest temperature I've found that the tool scorches veg-tan leathers. Similar to wood, it burns and creates a black mark. I was able to work it over a gum-trag treated edge and flesh side, and it didn't burn, but I was working very quickly, skimming the tool over the surface. The results were mediocre. I could see someone using the tool as a way to blacken the edges of leather for a unique finish, or burning in details on tooling.

[Eemo]

SO,

I got my fileteuse from mando with one psu, 2 handles with 2 tips. I think the psu is a pretty basic, similar to a soldering station power supply. You could potentially buy a soldering station and just modify the cable adapter to use the mando handles... At least that's what Im going to do or at least try it out. Maybe I should write a disclaimer here, lol!

Got my edge paint from beraud aswell. We'll see how this goes. I have used normal black edge kote, let it dry, rub beeswax to the edge and then use the hot edge to get a pretty good end result. No idea of the durability of the edge yet though.

The beraud ct0 paint doesn't seem to have a lot of wax in it. it's pretty thin paint. Any special recipes with that particular paint?

Oh yeah, use a piece of scap to figure out the correct heat when making marks to the leather with the hot iron. Every time you use it. It can burn pretty quick if too hot.