Edging Stingray

[Tree Reaper]

Any ideas on how they get this edge on stingray?

It looks too even to be burnished.

Thanks.

Kevin

[Bluesman]

Either that's not real Ray or the edges are rolled. I've used plenty of Ray and that can't be burnished to my knowledge.

[Tree Reaper]

It will burnish but not that even.

I'm wondering if they used an iron on it.

Are you hand stitching or machine stitching?

[Bluesman]

Machine stiching and hand stiching. You might be onto something. A hot iron may melt the calcium to give it that bead look.

[Tree Reaper]

When sewing a wallet with the machine do you have to compensate for the thickness between the wallet interiors and the 1 inch space on the wallet back?

The difference between the layered interior and the thin wallet back in the center is 1/8 of an inch on the interior compared to 1/16 of an inch on the wallet back.

I have an iron so I'll check the edging out on some scrap stingray.

[Bluesman]

I'm not following you. I use it for inlays. When i do that I grind down the calcium to the flesh about 3/8" around for a bond line. That gives me 3/16" of stitch line.

[Tree Reaper]

Burning the edge doesn't work, I just tried it.

Where the white stitching changes to red there is a difference in thickness which can mess with the thread tension.

On inlays you wouldn't have that as it stays constant.

[Bluesman]

I'd try some scrap. The difference is what 2/3 oz? I would think that even with a tighter tension you should be okay and it should ride over the thin spot.

[Tree Reaper]

It's going from 8 oz. to 4 oz. then back to 8 oz.

I was stitching 7 oz. leather nicely and then tried sewing the 4 oz. on the wallet and the tension wasn't even close.

After trying that three times I removed the thread and used the needle for an awl and will hand stitch this one but I'll have to play around with it for the next one.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Tree Reaper

[Bluesman]

Let me know how it comes out. I have a similar project so I am interested in what you fiind out.

[Tree Reaper]

Bluesman;

I'm going to try Fiebing's Dura Edge and mask along the top to get a nice even line, that may be the answer.

I've never used it and don't have any but it's worth a try.

[mmirob]

The picture you show is a leather welt edge not burnished ray. Ray can be sanded (use mask) to a beautiful round edge, dyed then edge coat.

[Tree Reaper]

leather welt edge

Are there instructions for that somewhere by chance?

Is it around the edge and then stitched?

Thanks for the follow up.

Kevin.

[Tree Reaper]

I found a description and it's just a very narrow turned edge or welt sewn around the edge of the wallet.