help! casing question.

[Stompk]

I hope you all have time to help me. I’m doing belts that are very detailed. I’ve tried only casing 6” at a time or so, but no matter what I do, the leather dries while I’m still working a section and then it gets rock hard. If I re-wet it, it swells and I lose all my detail, especially matting.

 

What am I doing wrong?  I’ve tried casing with just water, and also with (saddle) soapy water. I’ve tried “barely wet” and “soaking wet”. I’m at wits end!

 

Thanks for any advice!

 

PS. Mods, if this is the wrong place, please move it and accept my apologies. *first post!*

[NVLeatherWorx]

42 minutes ago, Stompk said:

I hope you all have time to help me. I’m doing belts that are very detailed. I’ve tried only casing 6” at a time or so, but no matter what I do, the leather dries while I’m still working a section and then it gets rock hard. If I re-wet it, it swells and I lose all my detail, especially matting.

 

What am I doing wrong?  I’ve tried casing with just water, and also with (saddle) soapy water. I’ve tried “barely wet” and “soaking wet”. I’m at wits end!

 

Thanks for any advice!

 

PS. Mods, if this is the wrong place, please move it and accept my apologies. *first post!*

Casing is more than just adding water to the leather over a short section; to properly case leather you need to make sure that it is moistened extensively and then given time to establish itself.  The best method for belts (and this is what some would call the "Old School" way) is to immerse the entire strap into a container of water (I like to use warm water) and keep it in there until you do not see any bubbles coming out of the leather.  Now, take that strap and set it out flat on a countertop/benchtop for about 5 to 10 minutes so that the water can absorb into the fibers.  After your absorbing time roll the strap up and put it into a Ziploc style bag (I use 1 gallon bags) and let it sit for about 24 hours so that the moisture is well absorbed into the leather.  After you have now Cased the leather (that is what you just did) take the strap out and check the dampness of the leather; if it feels cool to the touch on your cheek then you are ready to start tooling.  As you are tooling you can apply water to the leather as needed to keep the moisture content where it should be without risk of losing your tooling definition or burnished detail elements.  Once you have totally finished a section of the belt there is no need to continue to apply moisture to that area; just maintain moisture where you still have to work.  There are plenty of articles on how to properly case leather as well as a huge number of YouTube videos that explain the process.  Casing is a timed technique and not just a wet sponge dragged across the leather.

Give it a try on some scrap pieces first so that you can get the feel for it and do some tooling on those pieces so you can see the difference it makes versus just using topical moisture methods.  You will notice the differences for sure.

[Stompk]

thank you Richard. there is indeed a lot of info out there. maybe too much, and it's contradictory. I've seen your method mentioned, but I haven't tried it because of all the others who say to spray it with a mister, or lightly wipe with a sponge, etc.

I guess one reason i hadn't tried your way was that I was afraid if it was that wet, the tape wouldn't stick to the back and the belts start to bend.

thank you for taking the time to reply. I'll do it your way now ! thanks again for taking the time.

 

[chrisash]

There are approximately 100,000 ways to case leather each with there own interpretation of perfection and non in agreement with any other

I would suggest you do a search on this forum for casing and take your own pick, me i just give it about three or four swipes with a wet sponge and when it looks dry start working but i am in noways a expert just a learner, so I guess look at the sugesters work and pick the best method they use

[Northmount]

Whether you soak the leather or not (as above), moisture has to work its way into the core, not just on the surface.  If you have seen any videos or workshops with Jim Linnell, he doesn't soak the leather.  He applies quite a bit to the surface the first time, using a sponge, then lets it sit and soak in for a while.  He may apply some to the back if it is heavier leather and of course not glued to poster board, or taped.  Then when the colour returns to near normal, he begins his cutting and tooling.  If the leather is starting to dry out too much and doesn't produce a nice burnish while tooling, he will moisten the leather very lightly in the area he is tooling.  It is faster than soaking the leather and waiting for it to dry enough to start working with. 

Tom

[NVLeatherWorx]

Then you need to quit using the term "Casing" if the only thing you are going to do is wet topically.  Casing is a process that has been in use for a very, very long time and there is a record of its history and the process that supports the process.  The more modern approach is to use a sponge, wet to a degree, let is soak a bit, touch it up and then start to work the design; this process does not qualify as "casing" in the defined word of the process, it is merely wetting your leather so that you can work on it.  There are indeed many methods that are outlined and they all use the term "casing" but there is a defined method that meets the actual meaning of the process and there is only one true method.  Call it what you want, Old School, Traditionalist, Originalist, whatever, but those of us who have spent years learning the true craft of leather work and learning the old ways that, in some cases, date back Centuries, we honor the traditions of the trade and respect the craft to its fullest.  Shortcuts to us are just an easy way out and don't render the results that are achieved from sticking to the traditional ways and methods.

No disrespect to anyone out there but maybe the proper use of terminology compared to the actual process being used should be given a bit more attention.

[Stompk]

Richard, I tried your method and it really is night and day different. one thing I've noticed when looking at work being done by Don Gonzales (my current leather-Hero) is that his swivel-knife work almost looks like he's carving in cookie-dough. well, with my cased leather, I get that. so thanks very much.

I have a couple more questions, if you'll humor me.  How long do you wait before carving it when you remove it from the bag? also, you mentioned that it's ready when it's cool when i touch it to my cheek. to me, it always seems cool. I had read that it should warm up in some kind of chemical reaction to absorbing the water, but I didn't really experience that.

 

finally, have you found anything that will stick to wet leather ? I usually put tape on the back so that the leather doesn't warp. do you have any tips for that ?

 

thanks again for solving my biggest problem !