First Wallet. Need Some Tips.

[zaynexpetty]

"When you dye the edges after sanding, do you have a problem with the dye soaking onto the top or bottom of the leather"

Sorry for the terrible spellingin my last message, No, I do not experience a lot of bleeding into the the face of the leather. I do start with a moderatly "dry" Brush when I stain edges. I think all the fine fuzz sucks up the dye so it never has a chance to get to the rest of the leather. I also do not burnish until the edges are dry, I then hit them with a light film of gum traganth and burnish. It take very little effort to get a good edge this way. I think that the sanding is the big secret...Also I tend to work more with bridal leather which is oilier \ waxier than staight up veg tan. Huh, Maybe it is that I am using good quality leather and not my process....As ar as stitching goes, get a groover and to begin with, a set of diamomd stitching chisels and a SHARP awl (Tandy Awls are not sharp! You will have to sharpen them or buy a sharp awl from somewhere else like the Douglas Awl Blades from Sherridan leather) Do not pound the chisle all the way through all layers of leather only use it to mark where you will make holes with the awl. At most, only just barely go through the first layer of leather. Let the awl make the holes. If it is sharp, it will go though with only light pressure especially when stiching thiner items like a wallet. Use a stitching pony or calmp of some sort to hold the leather.

Practice practice practice........I suggest you make a few linned belts with stitching around the outside of the entire belt. It will give you the practice you need on finishing edges and stitching. It is a bit tedouse, OK a lot tedouse, but in the end, you will have gifts to give and get in some practice at the same time. Set up in front of the TV and take your time, do not rush, Stitch exacly the same way with each stitch. Watch how the stitches lay into the grove etc. experiment a bit and definitly watch the video on stitching at fineleatherworking.com Also get a copy of Stohlman's The Art of Hand Stitching Leather. Do it the way he describes with the crossing of the needles there is a reason for this that will become aparent once you start stitching.

Never Give Up - Never Surrender!!

I think the sanding should do the trick, Ill have to purchase some more sand paper in different grits. You could also be right about the overall quality of leather. I am using discount Tandy leather (which was just mainly to be used for practice), so that might be part of the problem. In all of the videos I watched for stitching, everythone just punched through all of the layers with the stitching chisel, but your advice about the awl going through with a sharp awl does make more sense when dealing with multiple layers. The one I have is actually from Tandy, haha, I guess I'll have to sharpen it. I have heard a lot about al stohlmans stitching book, I think I'll pick it up tomorrow.

Thanks again!

Zayne

As for dyeing, angelus makes these felt pens that are good. They open on one end and you pour some dye into them so you can use whatever color you want. They basically work like a felt up market but with dye instead of ink. Makes it really easy to due edges without running.

Andrew

That is amazing. I will have to look into getting one of those pens. It sounds like it would make edge dying a lot faster/cleaner.

Thanks!

Zayne