Embossing w/o stamps: how to get a sharp raised edge?

[Happycrow]

ARGH.

At a couple of folks' suggestion, much as despise embossing in leather (I like doing it in metal, but leather drives me nutsoid, big-time), I'm experimenting with being able to emboss patterns into belts. But while I can raise a surface, no problemo.... I can't get a sharp edge on the raising -- certainly nothing like the edge I can get with stamps.

Is there some kind of trick here? Or do I just need to bite the bullet and carve out lots of rigid filler material?

[tashabear]

Are you cutting the design before you try to raise it from behind?

[Happycrow]

Hey, Tasha.

I've cut first, not cut first, cut and bevelled... nothing that I've done is letting me get a sharply defined high relief (which is what I really like on leather)... okay, not for Hungarian historical stuff, but for regular projects.