Filigree moisture

[jrny4wrd]

Do you cut the filligree out while the leather is still moist? I had tried to cut the filligree when it dried and you can imagine how hard the compressed tooled leather was to cut out. Also, how do you get rid of all the fuzz? Is that mostly from cutting it dry? 

[Gabriel Rasa]

Cutting leather is always easier when it's wet -- whether you're using a swivel knife or something sharper -- because the water lubricates the blade. And as far as I know, "fuzz" is a fact of life, happens whether you cut it wet or dry, and there's no way to prevent it -- all you can do it smooth the fuzzies down with gum trag or something before you put your sealant on it.

[jrny4wrd]

5 hours ago, Gabriel Rasa said:

Cutting leather is always easier when it's wet -- whether you're using a swivel knife or something sharper -- because the water lubricates the blade. And as far as I know, "fuzz" is a fact of life, happens whether you cut it wet or dry, and there's no way to prevent it -- all you can do it smooth the fuzzies down with gum trag or something before you put your sealant on it.

Thank you

[Bonecross]

You might want to experiment with diluting a bit of saddle soap into a jar of water and use this to prepare the leather. I find that leather carves and cuts more easily but it might not be necessary

Edited August 1, 2018 by Bonecross

[Rich1]

I always use a lighter and lightly burn the fuzz off after leather dries. That's way Tandy instructor showed me when I made a filigree belt. Don't get to close, it does it quick. BE CAREFUL if you try. Good luck.

 

[Instinctive]

Weaver Leather has a nice little video on cutting clean filigree.