When To Use A Glass Burnish

[splinters]

Would you use a Glass Burnish on a pattern part after it has been cut to size?

[Halitech]

when I use mine I do it after all tooling has been done and just lightly to smooth everything

[splinters]

Thanks Halitech for taking the time to post to my question.

[Bob Blea]

I do it differently. I run the burnisher or slicker over the piece after it's cased and before I cut and tool anything. I do it after my leather has cased for a while and just after I've attached the tape or shelf lining paper to the back of the piece to keep it from stretching, so it's also pressing the leather onto that backing really well. I was taught to use a glass burnisher or slicker before cutting with the swivel knife because it compresses the leather fibers so any softer areas will be denser and easier to cut.

[splinters]

Thanks very much Bob. You've hit on what I was concerned about when I first became aware of glass burnishing and that was the stretching of your pattern piece after being cased. I'll put the sticky back shell paper on the grocery list. I happen to have a glass burnisher on the way for the next project, swivel knife and tooling practice.

[Halitech]

Bob, that probably does make more sense, I was told you could do it after to smooth it out. I guess it depends on how hard you press on it

[1961Mike]

I do it differently. I run the burnisher or slicker over the piece after it's cased and before I cut and tool anything. I do it after my leather has cased for a while and just after I've attached the tape or shelf lining paper to the back of the piece to keep it from stretching, so it's also pressing the leather onto that backing really well. I was taught to use a glass burnisher or slicker before cutting with the swivel knife because it compresses the leather fibers so any softer areas will be denser and easier to cut.

Thanks, that's a pretty good idea.

I've also read, but not tried, using rubber cement to glue the leather to a cutting board or other board to do the tooling.

Later

Mike