Just thought I'd post a packing tape finding

[Timbo]

For those of us who use clear packing tape on the back of the leather before casing and tooling, here is a warning. I ran out of my good 3M tape and could not find it at Wally World. So they had some Duck Tape brand HDclear tape that looked pretty good. Bought a roll, took it home and gave it a try...........well it went down nice and seemed to stick good.......buuuuutttttttt the problem came when I went to take it off. The plastic tape came off but all the adhesive stayed on the leather. I mean all the adhesive. There was nothing sticky about the clear piece of plastic that came off. Apparently moisture causes it to adhere more to the leather than the plastic tape......or it just plain sticks too well to the leather. I never remove the tape from the leather until the piece is all the way dry so as not to distort the leather or carving. This stuff was also very hard to peel off and taking it off quickly or slowly made no difference. After it was all off, the back of the leather was shiny with stickiness. You could of stuck it on the ceiling.

........anyway, finally got it off by taking more of it and sticking it down and peeling it back off. Boy is the back of this leather fuzzy now.

So anyway.......moral of the story....don't use Duck Tape HDclear for backing tape......use it for packing tape!!!!

Tim

[CitizenKate]

Yes, I had exactly the same findings with the Staples store brand tape; the adhesive stays on the leather, especially when it's gotten a little too wet on the back-side from casing.

Scotch brand is another one that comes off nice and clean.

Kate

[Drac]

I tried the same brand too a bit back. it came off and didn't leave a residue, but it was difficult and the back was chewbacca fuzzy afterwards. seems to me the cheaper the tape, the better it works with the leather.

[howardb]

I think the "tape on the back" is sort of like a catch-22. The good clear tapes stick well, don't stretch, but do fuzz the leather. The masking tapes (I've heard several folks using the blue tape), don't stick as well, will stretch, don't like getting wet, but won't fuzz the leather, at least not much. Me? I like the good clear packing tape. (PS: 3M = Scotch. Same company, different "brand")

I guess it comes down to what the back of the piece is going to do. If it's getting backed or otherwise hidden, I'd use the good clear stuff. If the back has to be exposed & get prettied up, then use the blue tape.

I have never had rubber cement work for me, but thousands have. That's a non-fuzzing (alleged!) technique that's older than methusela.

Anyway, that's my 29 cent ramble for the day.

Brent

[Hilly]

I think the "tape on the back" is sort of like a catch-22. The good clear tapes stick well, don't stretch, but do fuzz the leather. The masking tapes (I've heard several folks using the blue tape), don't stick as well, will stretch, don't like getting wet, but won't fuzz the leather, at least not much. Me? I like the good clear packing tape. (PS: 3M = Scotch. Same company, different "brand")

I guess it comes down to what the back of the piece is going to do. If it's getting backed or otherwise hidden, I'd use the good clear stuff. If the back has to be exposed & get prettied up, then use the blue tape.

I have never had rubber cement work for me, but thousands have. That's a non-fuzzing (alleged!) technique that's older than methusela.

Anyway, that's my 29 cent ramble for the day.

Brent

I've always used 3M clear packing tape without any problems. I do agree with the rubber cement not working well. The edges never stay stuck, even if I use 2 coats of cement, and let them dry or almost dry between. I've tried cementing both surfaces, and also just applying the cement to only the cardboard backing. Tape is much faster, neater and no glue buzz, either. Of course I don't case my leather, I just use a spray bottle, so moisture is never an issue.

Hilly

[TomSwede]

I use the 3M Scotch brown semi transparent packing tape and have had no probs with residue and like to add that I like the flesh fuzz for my bracers. I wet it a little and comb it over to one side with the the bonefolder (in other words: I don't rub back and forth) and that makes a very good and smooth surface that doesn't scratch or irritate the skin. Before I got to know about the tape solution I tooled the bracers without backing wich sometimes caused tiny little "knots" to the flesh that had to be sanded off.

Tom

[dbusarow]

Newbie question here. So is the tape used to help prevent the leather from stretching while you are tooling it?

Thanks,

Dan

[Timbo]

Newbie question here. So is the tape used to help prevent the leather from stretching while you are tooling it?

Thanks,

Dan

Yup that's what it is for....the lighter weight leathers stretching more overall than heavier weights. Most saddlers don't use anything on the backs since the skirting leather is so heavy. Taping the backs reduces stretch and also helps "round up" the tooling giving it more depth in appearance. Of course the more stamping the more stretch. Basket weave on a large piece of lighter weight leather will stretch like mad in "all" directions.

This is also the reason lots of people have a hard time getting there Tandy kits put together after they get them tooled. Light weight leather, lots of tooling and prepunched lacing and stitching holes = completed project that won't go together well and probably doesn't look to whippy when it does get put together.

Sorry so long winded.

Tim

Edited September 25, 2008 by Timbo

[dbusarow]

Yup that's what it is for....the lighter weight leathers stretching more overall than heavier weights. Most saddlers don't use anything on the backs since the skirting leather is so heavy. Taping the backs reduces stretch and also helps "round up" the tooling giving it more depth in appearance. Of course the more stamping the more stretch. Basket weave on a large piece of lighter weight leather will stretch like mad in "all" directions.

This is also the reason lots of people have a hard time getting there Tandy kits put together after they get them tooled. Light weight leather, lots of tooling and prepunched lacing and stitching holes = completed project that won't go together well and probably doesn't look to whippy when it does get put together.

Sorry so long winded.

Tim

Tim,

Thanks for clarifying. And not too long winded at all for someone who's just learning. Every little bit helps.

Dan

[silverwingit]

More often than not the fussiness caused by tape is too non-uniform or inappropriate for the projects I tool and I can't leave it visible. So regardless of whether I use tape, rubber cement, or shelf liner I plan on lining the project. I take it as a fact of life in leatherwork.

Michelle