Sewing misshapen leather after stamping?

[howlback]

When I'm not stamping, I click out a two pieces with the same die and sew them together. However, when I'm stamping the top piece of a project, I noticed the leather changes in shape. Should I glue the stamped piece down to an oversized piece of leather and cut it out to match the shape? Side note, I know I can tape the back of the project but when after casing a project the tape won't stick and if I tape it before, it doesn't dry consistently. Just seeing what other do to combat this.

[InfernoBestia]

Rubber cement the piece to some cardboard and tool away. Once finished tooling, peel the leather off the cardboard and rub the residue off with your finger 

[Bob Blea]

I use tape on the back of the leather when tooling.  Wait to apply the tape until the leather has mostly dried to the point you are ready to carve it.  At that point the packing tape I use (3M clear packing tape) will stick.

Sometimes even with the tape the leather will distort after it has dried.  Then I glue the pieces to be sewn together and trim up the edges to get them even and finish them, then I sew them.

[TheCyberwolfe]

Yeah, tooling the leather is going to warp it a little no matter what. I try to account for it with my borders (as in, don't take the tooling too close to the edges so there's room for edge trimming), but every hide and every section of hide is going to react a little differently.

I do the same thing Bob does with the tape, and that keeps the warping mostly under control. I've heard people report good results with self-stick drawer liners as well, but tape's cheap.

[Bob Blea]

I've used the shelf liner and drawing liner paper too but I seemed to get more stretching problems with it than I do with the tape, so I've gone back to using the tape.  Like @TheCyberwolfesaid, it's pretty cheap!

[terrymac]

Try some 3M bi-directional filament tape, and if you get it stuck well, you can tool some pretty thin leather with no stretching.  Home Depot is handling it now, used to have to get from Amazon.  I double it on the leather, and the stuff really sticks.  Apply before you do any casing.  This tape isn't cheap, but well worth the cost.

Hope this help,

Terry

Edited March 28, 2018 by terrymac
Additional comments

[gigi]

Prior to casing I apply transparent packing tape on the flesh side of the leather (before any stamping). I remove it after dyeing the project. 

[sheathmaker]

A very simple solution.  Glue up first and then click.  Nice even edges, and carving or tooling a double thickness rarely stretches any at all.  it works for me.

Paul

[howlback]

Try some 3M bi-directional filament tape, and if you get it stuck well, you can tool some pretty thin leather with no stretching.  Home Depot is handling it now, used to have to get from Amazon.  I double it on the leather, and the stuff really sticks.  Apply before you do any casing.  This tape isn't cheap, but well worth the cost.

Hope this help,

Terry

1 hour ago, gigi said:

Prior to casing I apply transparent packing tape on the flesh side of the leather (before any stamping). I remove it after dyeing the project. 

I've taped before casing successfully when doing smaller items. Larger ones seem to dry unevenly though.

Edited March 28, 2018 by howlback

[gigi]

I use a wet sponge for casing the grain side of the leather (not a lot of water like for wet moulding).  I always case the whole surface otherwise spots remains (if you only wet a carving area).  Drying takes longer for the carved area.

 Largest items I've done like this are handbags, belts.

Edited March 28, 2018 by gigi