burnishing

[rootbear]

I am fairly new to leatherworking and am having a hard time burnishing.Not sure exactly how to do, or what to use?Hardwood or someone told me to use a piece of antler?

[tashabear]

I am fairly new to leatherworking and am having a hard time burnishing.Not sure exactly how to do, or what to use?Hardwood or someone told me to use a piece of antler?

Try a piece of rough fabric, like denim.

[King's X]

Thanks for asking a good question that as a new leathercrafter, it took me some time to perfect. I will usually contour my edges with my beveler; wet down the edges with water before I use a very fine sandpaper "sponge." I then sand the edges (all in the same direction, very important). Once I feel comfortable with the the edge, I will either wet them down with water or gumtack and use a Cocobolo slicker. The friction of the slicker will cause the edges to turn out slickly smooth. I did start out with a circular plastic slicker from Tandy, but I now perfer the wood slicker. I heard Deer antlers work well for a slicker, but I have never tried one. I did read that you should wear a mask when sanding or drilling on an antler due to something harmful in the antlers.

Oh yea, make sure you dye or color your edges before you slick them. This is just something that I do with my edges.

Good luck!

ATX

[rootbear]

Try a piece of rough fabric, like denim.

thank u for the info ,but what do i do with the rough fabric ?do i just rub the leather with it?

[rootbear]

Thanks for asking a good question that as a new leathercrafter, it took me some time to perfect. I will usually contour my edges with my beveler; wet down the edges with water before I use a very fine sandpaper "sponge." I then sand the edges (all in the same direction, very important). Once I feel comfortable with the the edge, I will either wet them down with water or gumtack and use a Cocobolo slicker. The friction of the slicker will cause the edges to turn out slickly smooth. I did start out with a circular plastic slicker from Tandy, but I now perfer the wood slicker. I heard Deer antlers work well for a slicker, but I have never tried one. I did read that you should wear a mask when sanding or drilling on an antler due to something harmful in the antlers.

Oh yea, make sure you dye or color your edges before you slick them. This is just something that I do with my edges.

Good luck!

ATX

thanx for the info but ,how do i slick or burn the edge,do i rub quickly or in one direction,i am trying a piece of maple,can;t get it to work either.

[TomSwede]

thanx for the info but ,how do i slick or burn the edge,do i rub quickly or in one direction,i am trying a piece of maple,can;t get it to work either.

Using fabric for a strap I think people using this method jut puts the rag in their hand and draw the strap/belt thorough it but this was not what I meant to say, just came to my mind.

To me it seems like burnishing sorta happens when a few factors collide, right moisture, friction/temperature or sumting. I am getting better at slicking but have yet to learn the physics behind it. I've been most happy with results when I only used water. I've also heard that not using gum-trag will make the edge more prone to crack later on but have no validation to this saying. It didn't come from this board.

Sanding the edges is a good idea, I think the edges I get from my edge bevelers looks...not too amusing.

Tom

[Drac]

bevel the edges of your vegtan leather, sand (optional. I usually don't unless two pieces don't quite match up), dye (optional), wet the edge using a little water, gum trag (let it soak it some) or spit (I just lick the edge. gross, eh? *L*), rub back and forth quickly using some (not a lot) pressure until it's smooth, slick and if it's 2 or more pieces it looks like one piece. some people use antlers or a piece of wood with a groove that's the right size or a plastic wheel (that didn't work well for me) or a piece of cloth. a piece of old winter weight bdu's works great for me. I just wrap it around a finger or 2, bend my finger over the edge and rub very quickly back and forth. voila! pro style!

[strapt]

When I started doing leather work I had a method very similar to what Drac describes. Beveling if it's a thick piece of hide, then wetting and slicking with a wooden slicker given to me from my mentor.

However, after some trial and error I am now using the Tandy nylon slicker in my (very inexpensive) drill press. I have to say doing it with the drill press has been a real time saver. I used to slick by hand and it took hours, depending on the belt and the quality of the hide. Now I can knock one out in about a 7 minutes and then touch up by hand if needed.

I have been experimenting with burnishing the top surface too - using several different tools in an attempt to find the best method. Do any of you have pointers on burnishing the top?

[Drac]

strapt

I did the same with the tandy wheel as soon as I got it. still didn't work for me. oh well. using the winter weight bdu scrap is actually very fast for me. it also works on the top surface. tried it on a barrette I did just to try it and it worked great. lick and rub. btw, have a coke and ciggy handy to get rid of the taste! *L*

[Monticore]

for some reason when i use denim/rag/t-shirt/canvas i never get a smooth finish , am i not working hard enough or putting too much pressure?

my process(been working with leather about 2 months.

1-sand edges square with drill mounted 80 sanding bit , then wet and sand with 400-600 grit

2-apply gum let dry 10 minutes then slick with plastic bone folder. tandys slicker is too small for the thickness i am using.

3-either dye with edge kote, or leave natural

4- once kote is dry or if natural i then apply beeswax and go at it with the bone folder till it heats the kote up nice and sticky. i tend to repeat the process a second time.

5- then i burnish with my finger seems to get a lot of heat going and a smoother finish.

i am waiting on some antlers to try, but otherise how does it sound ?

Edited October 3, 2008 by Monticore

[WVTriker]

I'm still real new at this, too. But what I've tried with decent, I reckon, success is rubbing a piece of canvas (cut from a nail apron in appropriate size) with saddle soap. The canvas and leather naturally contour "just right" in my hand and then I start a rubbing. As I said, results are pretty good I think and with practice I hope to be even better. I just tried the saddle soap out of curiosity; no one recommended it that I can recall. I have been told beeswax does a real fine job but haven't tried it yet.

As mentioned before, spit works pretty good, too. But I have to agree that leather definitely smells and feels better than it tastes!

I just got an edge slicker/bone folder like Tandy sells yesterday but haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

[Rawhide]

Best material I've found for slicking is Cordura, a nylon fabric made by DuPont.

I usually bevel my edges, then sand them with 400 grit on a damp edge, then 600 grit on a damp edge. Next I dye them. I dye before I slick, because the process of slicking compresses the fibers together and if done correctly will not dye very well, and I don't like the "fake" look of edge kote, I prefer spirit dye. NextI slick with a hardwood slicker on a damp edge, then damp again and finish with the cordura.

Jeff Mosby has a method that I'm going to try soon that adds another few steps of sanding in there somewhere. But this has worked for me.

Marlon

[patricweill]

I have been using old stockings or pantihose , it works very well

[rdb]

All of the above is good information for you. If you are "textually" challenged like me, maybe my pic tutorial might help a little, too.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=4416

[Monticore]

hi i was wondering if anybody knows what this guy probably used on his edges looks like acrylic pain but i was wondering how he would keep it from chipping is there a sealer for acrylic paints that would work?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/sha.../100_7964-1.jpg

[tashabear]

hi i was wondering if anybody knows what this guy probably used on his edges looks like acrylic pain but i was wondering how he would keep it from chipping is there a sealer for acrylic paints that would work?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v622/sha.../100_7964-1.jpg

I use craft acrylics all the time, and Super Shene and Fiebing's Leather Sheen both work well.

Edited October 28, 2008 by tashabear