First time edging with a Fileteuse: What am I doing wrong?

[Largo]

Greeting Forum,

I'm Largo and I picked up leatherwork as a hobby a while ago to relax after work.

I recently made myself a fileteuse using a Soldering Iron and a self made brass tip. I can adjust the temperature between 150 and 400 degrees Celsius. I recently tried it out on a belt I'm making. However, if you look at the pictures It seems I'm doing it wrong somehow and I can't figure out whats the problem. After applying the color with a Roler, I let it dry over night. When I pass it with my Iron at 300 degrees the color melts away. I understand that for the first layer thats quite desirable in order to achieve a strong bond with the leather. But then I sand and apply a second coat, let it dry over night again, and the second layer just melts away as well. If every layer melts away completely then this wil not work, ever. If I use a lower temperature (200 degrees) it "seems" not to do anything.

What do you think? What am I doing wrong? Is it the temperature? The shape of the brass tip? Too much color?

I would appreciate every help

 

Thanks

Largo

[Mattsbagger]

Never used one but I think it’s way to hot. I would cut temp way down and experiment on scrap.

[Danne]

What edge paint are you using? And why do you let it dry over night? 

from the look of your edge paint, you use to much heat, too much paint, or move your tool to slow. paint is boiling from the look of your pictures. 

Have a look at my tutorial here. 

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/85026-finishing-edges-tutorial-with-edge-paint/

Edited May 1, 2019 by Danne

[Largo]

Hi,

I'm using this color and Roller I bought from a shop called Rocky Mountain:

https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/dyes-stains-finishes/products/vernis-edge-paint-made-in-france

https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/dyes-stains-finishes/products/edge-paint-roller?variant=12411551939

 

I let it dry over night so it is completly dry when I apply heat and sand. Is this too much time?

 

Thanks so far for the help!

Largo

 

 

 

[Danne]

5 minutes ago, Largo said:

Hi,

I'm using this color and Roller I bought from a shop called Rocky Mountain:

https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/dyes-stains-finishes/products/vernis-edge-paint-made-in-france

https://www.rmleathersupply.com/collections/dyes-stains-finishes/products/edge-paint-roller?variant=12411551939

 

I let it dry over night so it is completly dry when I apply heat and sand. Is this too much time?

 

Thanks so far for the help!

Largo

 

 

 

 

I haven’t used Vernis, but I would guess not more than 30 minutes. Make some test pieces and you will find out. If you have fold sections it’s good to let it fully set before folding. Which take longer time.

[RockyAussie]

My best guess is that you have too much paint on in your first coatings. Sand it all back and give it a quick (quick iron). When you have the speed and heat right it will glide along and give a smooth finish. If it looks too rough after that give it another coat without much build up and again a quick iron followed by a light sanding then another finish coat. The ironing mostly helps to sit down the nap and make it smooth as well as adhere better. If the paint sticks to the iron regardless of temperature and speed then possibly the paint is too old or faulty. A polished iron does help. Test if you go up the back of the shaft nearer to the handle if it then seems to go well. It can happen though rarely that the chemicals in some leathers can migrate into the paint and affect how it behaves when ironed. Common shoe colouring paints will generally not iron in as in your pictures. They stick to the iron and pull up too much. Check my you tube channel may help some

 

[Largo]

Hey,

Thanks for the replies so far. I tried using a lower temperature and sliding over the edge faster. It worked, I think. Time will tell if the edge will hold. See pictures for mor details

[Danne]

3 minutes ago, Largo said:

Hey,

Thanks for the replies so far. I tried using a lower temperature and sliding over the edge faster. It worked, I think. Time will tell if the edge will hold. See pictures for mor details

It should hold up fine, Vernis 600 is a good edge paint. before you paint your edge, it's just sanded correct? no burnishing with Tokonole or something similar? because I have seen that sometimes because a burnishing agent before paint will have a negative impact on the adhesion. your paint need to be able to penetrate to the fibre structure (I'm no expert, just my amateur observations)

[RockyAussie]

Looks pretty good to me. As Danne said you do NOT want any burnishing agents or even any burnishing at all to get the best adhesion. Some years back in always trying to improve I got the edges so smooth I was later able to peel the edging off in a long strip. Rough nap and iron is best.