Anybody Burnishing With Liquid Glycerin Saddle Soap?

[chiefjason]

I'm always keeping an eye out for stuff that will make my life easier. Tractor Supply had this a couple weeks ago, but I passed on it. I went back to get a couple Chicago screws and picked some up. It's made by Fiebing's. I used it today to edge some small leather strips and burnish the flesh side, then burnished a knife sheat. It seemed to work just as well as Gum trag, and smells so much better. And does not stain like the bar saddle soaps seemed to do.

I've used water, beeswax, paraffin wax, gum trag, and various saddle soaps. So far I really like this stuff. I just spray some on a dauber and rub it in the edges then burnish.

Dwight's comment in another thread about gum trag roughing up the flesh side made want to try it today. Here is a link to the product. What say you guys?

Worst case scenario, it gets put to use on the leather furniture. But so far, I like it. I really want to see what it does with the interior of a holster.

http://www.tractorsu...e-soap-16-fl-oz

[cardinal leather]

I started using this product this spring. I pour some into a jar then use a dauber to put it on. You have to be carefull putting it on so that it is all even as the leather absorbs it differently according to its grain. However I have had good luck with it and my edges have improved using it. Picked the product up this spring at a Tandy store in the Twin Cities as they were out of the bar soap. Decided to use it up for a pilot test. Over all I like the product it creates a smooth edge.

[NadineS]

Never saw it here in Holland of that brand, butI did make some liquid glycerine soap myself for burning the edges of the leather. Somewhere here I read it works better then tragant. It is simple, same weight soap and same weight distilled water, just grate the soap or cut very small pieces, let it soak overnight and then stir it gently, then you can put essential oils in or some Listirine. Listirine works great because of it's essential oils it works like a preservative and protect against fungus and molds, I just use the glycerine soap the same as I use for soapmaking also a hobby. You even can wash your hands with it.

[silverback]

When I do my edges I dampen them with water then rub a bit of liquid saddle soap in then put a touch of my beeswax/oils/natural turps plus emu oil mix on and rub like hell with a bit of canvas.my edges come up with a great shine fairly easy.

[Matt Alsaker]

I prefer the paste saddle soap over the bar or the liquid. It gives me more control over how much and where I apply it. I am prone to getting liquids all over the place. I apply the paste with pieces of canvas.

[chiefjason]

I prefer the paste saddle soap over the bar or the liquid. It gives me more control over how much and where I apply it. I am prone to getting liquids all over the place. I apply the paste with pieces of canvas.

I tried both yellow and white saddle soap paste. Both worked. But with my dyed black leather they both left a haze, either white or yellow. The liquid, not so much. I burnished a bunch of stuff last night. 3 holsters, a knife sheath, a belt, and a bunch of leather backers for OWB hybrids. There was little to no haze on the black leather backers and none noticeable on the other stuff.

However, I do see myself knocking this over and breaking something on the concrete floor. I need to find a drawer to rest it in. I thought about putting it in a container and dipping the dauber in it. But so far I have just been spraying the dauber to wet it, then applying. I've been happy with the results.

Kind of interesting all the tweaks and differences in how we go about pretty much the same thing.

[Matt Alsaker]

I tried both yellow and white saddle soap paste. Both worked. But with my dyed black leather they both left a haze, either white or yellow. The liquid, not so much. I burnished a bunch of stuff last night. 3 holsters, a knife sheath, a belt, and a bunch of leather backers for OWB hybrids. There was little to no haze on the black leather backers and none noticeable on the other stuff.

However, I do see myself knocking this over and breaking something on the concrete floor. I need to find a drawer to rest it in. I thought about putting it in a container and dipping the dauber in it. But so far I have just been spraying the dauber to wet it, then applying. I've been happy with the results.

Kind of interesting all the tweaks and differences in how we go about pretty much the same thing.

I love this forum. It's great to see people so willing to share their experiences and try different things. I use the white saddle soap and know of the haze (kind of a dull finish) you are talking about. It's just one part of the process I use to finish an edge. I might go through to many steps to accomplish the same thing as others, but this process gets me a consistent edge that I'm very pleased with,

1 - sand the edges

2 - dye the leather

3 - stitch the pieces together (there are some items because of the construction method that this has to wait until later, but I prefer to stitch prior to finishing the edge)

4 - bevel the edges

5 - dye the edges (I use Pro Oil Dyes)

6 - dampen the edge with water

7 - rub on saddle soap paste with a piece of canvas

8 - run it over the burnishing wheel

9 - let it dry (30 - 60 minutes, the edge should have been damp not soaked)

10 - rub the edge with 50/50 beeswax and paraffin wax

11 - run it over the burnishing wheel

12 - hand rub with a clean piece of canvas (helps lift any left over wax and puts a nice shine on the edge)

One of these days I'll work on wrapping canvas around my burnishing wheel. I see several others do that. As the old saying goes, "There's more than one way to skin a cat."

[J Hayes]

Hmm wonder if this would work for storing and applying the liquid saddle soap? Works great on envelops.

On my metal lathe I use a "no spill" cutting fluid container, bassically a plastic cup with a lid, the lid has a tube down the center half the depth of the container, works good, got it from McMaster Carr. I'll try to get a picture of it later.

Jeremy

[chiefjason]

That 50/50 beeswax/paraffin is like a wood filler for leather. Really evens up any spots that sanding misses. We go through very similar steps, just in a different order.

I took a long 8/32 bolt and wrapped it in denim. Washers on each end to hold it on and a nut for tension. I use it occasionally by chucking it in my drill press. You just have to wrap the fabric in the right direction so you don't tear it off. I've used it to polish kydex edges so it stays on well enough. Need to pull it on for my next leather holster.

[renegadelizard]

I love this forum. It's great to see people so willing to share their experiences and try different things. I use the white saddle soap and know of the haze (kind of a dull finish) you are talking about. It's just one part of the process I use to finish an edge. I might go through to many steps to accomplish the same thing as others, but this process gets me a consistent edge that I'm very pleased with,

1 - sand the edges

2 - dye the leather

3 - stitch the pieces together (there are some items because of the construction method that this has to wait until later, but I prefer to stitch prior to finishing the edge)

4 - bevel the edges

5 - dye the edges (I use Pro Oil Dyes)

6 - dampen the edge with water

7 - rub on saddle soap paste with a piece of canvas

8 - run it over the burnishing wheel

9 - let it dry (30 - 60 minutes, the edge should have been damp not soaked)

10 - rub the edge with 50/50 beeswax and paraffin wax

11 - run it over the burnishing wheel

12 - hand rub with a clean piece of canvas (helps lift any left over wax and puts a nice shine on the edge)

One of these days I'll work on wrapping canvas around my burnishing wheel. I see several others do that. As the old saying goes, "There's more than one way to skin a cat."

Hey Matt,

I was reading through your process and i noticed a place where we do things a bit different...try burnishing your edges when they are wet from the dye...this will dry them quickly...then rub on your saddle soap and reburnish (is that a word)..i guess its more like a polish then...i use a beeswax and parrafin mix...i tried the bar saddle soap a while back but didnt really like the way it turned out..i do a lot of exotics and the wax mix really works well on those...