Carved Roses Cuff

[Skipndance]

This is my first project. I used an old Craftaid belt pattern and just used one section for the length of the cuff. I didn't have the tools recommended on the Craftaid, but did the best I could with the basic set I have. I am going to look up the tools recommended and see how different they are from the ones I have and if I do more of these cuffs (there is interest), then I might justify acquiring a few more tools. I tried burnishing the edges using a leather conditioner, but it didn't seem to have the effect I was expecting. I'll try a few other things and see if I get better results.

Thanks for looking!

[Rohn]

Looks like you are off to a good start. Keep practicing. It takes lots of practice. I use Gum Tragacanth on my edges and rub them with a burnisher and it does a fairly good job.

[Ferg]

I believe your leather was too wet while you were trying to tool.

ferg

[Skipndance]

I believe your leather was too wet while you were trying to tool.

ferg

Thanks ferg. I think you may be right. It seems like it got soaked and dried out fast because the leather is fairly thin.

A ) How can you tell by looking at it that it was too wet when tooled?

B ) How do you keep moisture consistent while you are tooling when it's thin leather?

Looks like you are off to a good start. Keep practicing. It takes lots of practice. I use Gum Tragacanth on my edges and rub them with a burnisher and it does a fairly good job.

Thanks Rohn. I'll try the Gum Tragacanth and see how that does. I took a short (1 week) basic class in Nov '14 from a bridler from England and her secret was that they use powdered pigment and mix their own black dye and add a bit of what we call wood glue to the mix. You apply the dye and rub the edge with the grain with a piece of denim and it turns out smooth and glossy. I didn't know how to get the same effect if I'm not using the glue dye. I'll figure it out though. I have another friend who wants a cuff like this one but in a mahogany or darker color. I'm wondering if I could add a little wood glue to the mahogany dye and see if I can get a similar result.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Skipndance

[Ferg]

When you immerse the leather into warm water, only allow it to be submersed until the bubbles stop. With thin veg tan that can be just a matter of seconds.

Your tooling isn't sharp on the edges. when too wet it leaves a blurred edge.

You can actually use a wet sponge to temper your thin leather. Begin your tooling when the leather is beginning to look as it did when it was dry.

Use the sponge to dampen when it begins to get a little too dry. Swivel knife will drag when too wet, other tools drag some also making your carving look blotchy.

ferg