How to emboss?

[The_RealScott]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry if this is obvious, but I'm extremely new to leatherwork (I made the first cut in my first bit of leather today lol!)

Anyway, how is this kind of releif/embossing done? I'm not sure what the proper term is. I assume it's not carved or tooled. I'm talking about the fleu-de-lys and the square in the middle, not the border.

My best guess: Is it done by using a solid and flat base, then glueing a leather or cardboard 'cutout', then covering with glue and thin and soft leather that's 'rubbed' down onto the (now raised) template below? I hope that made sense! If that's how it's done, then what kind of leather would be used for this?

(the image is from a shop called JournalShelf, at www.journalshelf.com/journals. No, I don't work for them, I'm just referencing the image I included here!)

Edited July 27, 2007 by The_RealScott

[The Major]

That is exactly how it is done. Very thin leather is used for the cover. More than likely it is goat used on a book. Unless it is antique, then I have no idea. Thin leather, a modeling spoon, and glue is all.

[whinewine]

If it's a production line-assembly basis, as the Major said, they probably used a carved mold, whereby the leather would be pressed in till dry, then filled in the back before assembly... it may be a single part mold with the leather pressed in by hand or with a modeling spoon, or it may be a two-part mold. It's a bit too time-consuming to do this by hand on a day in, day out basis and keep the perfect dimensions of the fleur.