Burnishing Question

[Chief Filipino]

So I don't understand the difference between what I am doing and what I've seen in the tutorials here for burnishing the edges. I guess my question is more," What does a superb finished edge look like?"

I've been using gum t and a burnisher, it takes only moments for it to go down and I like the look/feel of it. But I've posted pictures in the past and that is often one of the critiques. Does anyone have a series of progressive photos for burnishing an edge? I read the pinned Edge Finishing by Hidepounder but I'm too much of a novice to really understand what the finished product should be like. Any help you could provide is appreciated!

I don't have any photos right now of my most recent works to show what I'm doing. My phone decided it didn't want to have a camera anymore.

[ChriJ]

Go to youtube and search for leather burnishing. Adams Leatherworks has a one where he is using a burnisher in a drill press and may give you an idea of how the edge should look.

Chris

[Red Cent]

water and grinder/burnisher.

[Halitech]

I round my edges first, then use disposable nail files, the cheap ones at the dollar stores work fine, start with a rougher one and work towards the finer ones. Then wet and burnish with just water. Once that is as smooth as I want, then I hit it with beeswax and burnish again

[Chief Filipino]

Go to youtube and search for leather burnishing. Adams Leatherworks has a one where he is using a burnisher in a drill press and may give you an idea of how the edge should look.

Chris

Thanks Chris. I've loaded his channel and will be trying to figure this out.

water and grinder/burnisher.

Red Cent, in the first photo what's the difference between the burnish on the piece in the front and the holster in the background?

I round my edges first, then use disposable nail files, the cheap ones at the dollar stores work fine, start with a rougher one and work towards the finer ones. Then wet and burnish with just water. Once that is as smooth as I want, then I hit it with beeswax and burnish again

Halitech do you use an edger or do you just use the nail files? Why do you prefer beeswax over gum t?

I mean beveler... not edger

[Halitech]

I have the #2 and #3 edgers and I use the one that fits the leather I'm working on. Then I use the emery boards (what I actually use, not nail files) to get a smoother edge. You can also use very fine sandpaper. Just results in less stray fibers that you have to slick down with the water and beeswax

I used to use gum trag, still have some but I find the beeswax gives a better, harder edge then just using the gum trag.

[Red Cent]

First these are pictures of holsters that I squared the edges, beveled, hand sanded, and burnished with water and my grinder burnisher last night. As you can see, they look like the near holster in the first picture. The far holster has been edge dyed black as will the other one.

This morning, I dyed the edges and immediately burnished them. The grinder/burnisher will level any bumps using the wet of the dye and normally shines like crazy.

I no longer use Edge Kote nor any of the thick coatings.

It needs to be said that the leather is of utmost importance in getting the glass look. Suprisingly, I have found that dry leather (usually cheap stuff) will do this better than the supple/soft stuff. Another discovery is that expensive stuff that has been vinagrooned will do very well. I guess it dries it out, huh?

I will now sew the cosmetic parts. Then I apply/rub on a 50/50 beeswax/paraffin mix and burnish again. The burnisher will smooth and melt the mix into the leather. Let it dry and take an old towel and lightly buff. The towel will remove the excess mix, smooth over the irregularities, and, again, shine like crazy. Then I wet the fold lines and glue the main seam. The next day I will take my super smooth/used dowel rod and smooth over any cracks or bumps in the area where the flap goes over the holster. I will take some more pictures later.

I use this to hand sand. Tremendous tool.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_524021-1069-12192___?productId=50029342&pl=1&Ntt=rubber+hand+sander

Edited January 18, 2016 by Red Cent

[Nuttish]

1. pull strap and belt sand edges square — this also compacts fibers — keep your paper clean or it will scorch.

2. bevel however you wish

3. 240 grit paper the curve you beveled to remove divots and high spots — take care to sand grain and flesh in a straight line

4. apply burnishing compound — you want to wet the fibers out but not apply so much they are dripping — I use Wyo Quik Slik by hand because it's faster in my jig than using a machine

5. rub the dampish leather back and forth in 2" sections with canvas or denim using strong downward pressure — you should immediately feel your canvas sticking from the heat and friction — if you don't, apply a tiny bit more compound — burnishing means using the heat generated by friction and pressure to make whatever compound you're using penetrate and compact the fibers — you should immediately see a nice sheen develop or you're not doing it right — stop here if you like the result, but it will get better and more durable if you continue

6. if you're using anything but beeswax or paraffin, sand with 400 grit, again taking care to sand the grain and flesh in a straight line — you're just knocking the sheen off and finding divots and high spots you may need to carefully re-sand with 240

7. Steps 4 and 5

8. sand with 600 grit

9. Steps 4 and 5

I don't like edges that are all that dark like some people do. You will get a much darker finish, or even burn your leather, by using a a grinder or buffer because you can generate a lot more heat and apply a lot more pressure.

To finish up, I evenly apply several very light coats of matte clear Campbell Randall Italian edge paint with my finger in a nitrile glove. Then I burnish it with a beeswax/carnauba mixture to even the acrylic out and develop a nice durable sheen. You can of course do the same with a machine burnished edge.

Top left = paraffin, bottom left = beeswax, bottom right = acrylic polished with paraffin, top right = acrylic polished with beeswax

The shine is the same, but the acrylic is bulletproof

Is shiny

[Chief Filipino]

Thank you Red Cent!

Looks very nice Nuttish!

Aside from aesthetics are there any other benefits to burnishing an edge? Burnishing helps to seal it correct?

[Red Cent]

The sanding, burnishing, dyeing, beeswax and paraffin seals but mostly it is the looks. All of my SASS products receive an acrylic sealer as I use a lot of natural leather in my rigs. This helps a little with spotting and sealing the edges against any absorption. .

You are welcome.

[snubbyfan]

How I do it. I start out with sanding.

Then burnishing. This is a different holster.

[Chief Filipino]

Thanks Snubby!

6. if you're using anything but beeswax or paraffin, sand with 400 grit, again taking care to sand the grain and flesh in a straight line — you're just knocking the sheen off and finding divots and high spots you may need to carefully re-sand with 240

Well that didn't work.... Nuttish what do you mean by #6. What do I do if I am using beeswax?

6. if you're using anything but beeswax or paraffin, sand with 400 grit, again taking care to sand the grain and flesh in a straight line — you're just knocking the sheen off and finding divots and high spots you may need to carefully re-sand with 240

[Chief Filipino]

Has anyone ever tried: 1. Water and canvas 2. Gum Trag 3. Bees' wax? If so what were your thoughts on that?

[Nuttish]

Well that didn't work.... Nuttish what do you mean by #6. What do I do if I am using beeswax?

I mean you cannot wax and sand to get a progressively smoother finish. In my experience, you're committed to wax the moment you apply it. I've never had much success burnishing with wax so I can't give any insight into doing It well. All I know is I get lovely results with wyo Slik. The only wax I use is a mixture containing carnauba wax and that's over a final finish.

I just trained someone to help deliver a large number of belts and refined my process to make it easier and more efficient. We're getting better results using cut sections of cloth backed sanding belts. They last longer and don't clog as easily. Start with 240, then 400, then first burnish with Wyo Slik and canvas. The leather will be thirsty for the first burnish and it's the most tedious step. Sand all the gloss and crocodile scales out with 400. Use 240 where necessary. Burnish - this will be super quick if you did it right. Keep going if you want. We're stopping to add acrylic at this point.

[Chief Filipino]

Thanks for the advice. I'd love to see the finished product!