Preventing leather stretch while tooling

[bruce johnson]

FarmerDave asked about this in another thread. There are several methods to prevent stretch in leather that is tooled. Some leather stretches more than others, and that can be due to hide quality and tannage, where in the hide the piece is cut from, how thick the side is etc. Other factors are degree of moisture in the leather, the tooling pattern, and type of stamping or tooling done. Some geometrics will really push, and some florals, not much.

Personally I use carton sealing tape in overlapping layers. It is important (I think) to use only carton tape if you use clear tape. Label tape has a much stronger adhesive and will be harder to pull off. I have used Scotch and Office Depot brands, and have seen little difference. I have also used masking tape. It works too. Other people use contact paper similarly. Many of my pieces are large, like a briefcase or ropebag. The tape is handier to put on and take off for me. I put the tape on before I wet it, and have not had a problem with it coming loose. I usually remove it after I have oiled the pieces.

In the past I have rubber cemented leather to kraft paper, posterboard, and Xray film. They all do OK, too. The problem I have is that some of these are pretty unhandy for me to maneuver around my stamping rock. Some people also glue down to plexiglass, but I have the same problems with bigger pieces. It all comes down to the size of what you are doing and how big your work surface is.

[Chris B]

Thanks for the info Bruce

[cjbleather]

FarmerDave asked about this in another thread. There are several methods to prevent stretch in leather that is tooled. Some leather stretches more than others, and that can be due to hide quality and tannage, where in the hide the piece is cut from, how thick the side is etc. Other factors are degree of moisture in the leather, the tooling pattern, and type of stamping or tooling done. Some geometrics will really push, and some florals, not much.

Personally I use carton sealing tape in overlapping layers. It is important (I think) to use only carton tape if you use clear tape. Label tape has a much stronger adhesive and will be harder to pull off. I have used Scotch and Office Depot brands, and have seen little difference. I have also used masking tape. It works too. Other people use contact paper similarly. Many of my pieces are large, like a briefcase or ropebag. The tape is handier to put on and take off for me. I put the tape on before I wet it, and have not had a problem with it coming loose. I usually remove it after I have oiled the pieces.

In the past I have rubber cemented leather to kraft paper, posterboard, and Xray film. They all do OK, too. The problem I have is that some of these are pretty unhandy for me to maneuver around my stamping rock. Some people also glue down to plexiglass, but I have the same problems with bigger pieces. It all comes down to the size of what you are doing and how big your work surface is.

Bruce, I agree with you fully. One other problem that I have with rubber cementing to xray film, is that no matter how careful I am, I inadvertently get some rubber cement on the grain side. Then, I have to carfully remove it without leaving the area in question illustrated after my dye work. Guess what, I keep trying because I have a lot of xray film available. Carlb

[David Fields]

Bruce, thanks for posting this. I knew there had to be a way to eliminate the streching but never thought about clear packing tape. Do you put on one layer or more? It's funny the different places where you find leathercrafting supplies. Now I can add Office Depot to my list of other suppliers like Harbor Freight and Lowes.

[Rawhide]

I use tape as well, but I usually use the blue painter's tape, because of the low level of adhesive. I have also rubber cemented to manila folders for smaller work and that has helped as well (and cheap too).

Marlon

[Randy Cornelius]

Hey Bruce, I have used clear shelf paper for some of those larger items you are talking about. I found that trying to tape a large project taks lots of tape and lots of time. The clear shelf paper covers a lot of area fast. It works really well also. I have found that sometimes the tape can be a pain to remove. The cheeper tape will tear and I end up cussing it. I try to use 3-M brand as I don't have as much trouble with it tearing when I try to remove it.But I still like to use plexiglass whenever I can. I like it because with tape I find that the leather will still draw in and curl around the edges and corners when it drys. With the plexiglass it will not. When dry it will retain the orginal shape better than the tape. As a general rule if I am lining a project I will glue down to plexiglass but if it does not get a linning I will use the tape as the tape will not leave a sticky residue. Boy I am glad this site is back up and running, I did not know how much I was adicted until it was gone. RandyI am member #62 and only have 1 post???? well if thats all that is lost.RC

[freak]

I've used tape the few times i used anything. When i take the tape off i have a nasty looking mess going on. What do you do about that ?

[bruce johnson]

Freak,

I haven't had much of a problem. I got some raggy kind of leather once that looked pretty fuzzy afterwards, but that has been about it. The label tape defintely will mess up your day. It grabs and doesn't want to let go. Carton tape has been my choice for quite while. It may make the backs just a bit fuzzy with loose fibered leather, but I haven't had the tackiness problem some talk about, and even the fuzz lays down. I mostly line things anyway. I have used 3M, Office Depot, and Staples tape with equal success. I can normally peel them all off in one piece, starting at a corner. Office Max tape was a bit more fragile. It shredded some and I never tried it again. I had more of a mess anytime I have glued the backs, like with rubber cement to posterboard or Xray film. I do so many things with basket and geometric stamping that I have to do something to limit stretch. I used to do my basket stamped belts without taping them. I would have to allow 1/8" in width for stretching. A size 34 belt would gain 1/2 -1" in length depending on the size basket I used and the leather weight.

I have taken classes on floral carving where we never taped the backs and didn't get much if any stretch. I think what tools you are using makes a big difference. I used to not tape my skirting, thinking that the heavier leather would resist stretch. It took a fully stamped saddle seat to convince me otherwise. That thing grew all the way around, and took some finessing to get it to lay back in.

[gtwister09]

I have had success with clear shelf, 3M and Office Depot carton tape. The ones that I have not had success with are all brands of label tape (tried 3M and others - way too sticky). I have not had a lot of success with masking or painter's tape. In fact I would steer clear of any label tape, duct tape, masking or painter's tape. They either don't limit the stretch all that way or they are way too sticky.

As far as curl up on edges, I have not had that problem. I layout the tape overlapping a small amount with each piece of tape in one direction. I make sure that the first layer of tape is slicked down with a glass slicker. Next I usually layout another layer of tape at about 90 degrees to the first layer of tape. I have not had any issues with the edges curling even with basketweaves.

Bruce hit upon the fact that the basket weave and geometric stamping will definitely have much more stretch that a floral carving. This is so true! There's a lot more of the the leather being worked than with the floral. A couple of the older saddle makers told me if you had a choice for a working saddle to always choose a basket stamped saddle over a larger floral carved saddle because the leather would be compressed more on the basket stamped. Their thought was that the compression of leather fibers extended the life of the leather.

Regards,

Ben

[CitizenKate]

I also use clear packing tape after having used rubber cement with poster board and contact paper...

It's just so easy to put on, it comes off the leather cleanly, leaving the flesh side with a nice consistent nap.

If you need more firmness, you can add additional layers of tape, and criss-cross them.

I have, however, noticed some differences between different types of packing tape. When I use the really cheap kind, the adhesive sometimes will not come off the leather, and there are places that have gooey spots where the adhesive was left behind. The kind I think works perfectly is the "long-life" packing tape, from 3M or just about any store brand from Staples, Office Depot, or OfficeMax. I think it has a better quality adhesive in it, that doesn't come apart when the tape is removed.

The really cheap kind is what I use to ship stuff with.

Kate

[howardb]

My 2 cents from my very limited experience...

I agree with packing tape. A saddlemaker who lives here only uses 3M Packing Tape. He says don't use anything else... It's thin, clear, and stiff, and I think that's part of the magic (no pun intended).

I have used shelf paper on two projects, and won't use it again. It left sticky residue on the leather. That may also be a brand thing, but I don't know. It controlled stretch OK, but left goo.

I tried rubber cement onto heavy plastic sheeting (quilter's templates) and never had any luck with it sticking to anything, and again I get goo on the leather. I'm probably doing it wrong.

So right now, for me, I'm using the tape. The stuff I have isn't 3M brand, but it's the same type of tape and it works great. No goo, no stretch, and it stays stuck until I peel it.

Brent

PS: The saddlemaker says he will often glue the tape down to prevent the curl. I haven't tried that yet, but it sounds like the best of both worlds...

Edited January 12, 2008 by howardb

[pete]

Bruce, I agree with you fully. One other problem that I have with rubber cementing to xray film, is that no matter how careful I am, I inadvertently get some rubber cement on the grain side. Then, I have to carfully remove it without leaving the area in question illustrated after my dye work. Guess what, I keep trying because I have a lot of xray film available. Carlb

Carlb=

I use xray/rubber cement too but I leave it about 1" from the edges just to keep from getting cement on the grain. You don't HAVE to completely cover the grain or film. Only the majority of the center is what stretches the most.

pete