Marks on leather

[HoneycuttMachine]

On 6/12/2019 at 11:29 PM, YinTx said:

That leather looks awful dry.  Have you put any neatsfoot oil on it?  Dubbin?  anything?  sometimes I find that can help prevent scratches too, seems more fragile when it's dry.  Buffing lightly with a soft cloth after oiling can lay some of the scratches down.  Bending it when dry can cause stress cracks too.  After casing, plating with the glass evens things out before stamping.   Well placed stamps, look forward to seeing the final version!

YinTx

I wash mine with a little dawn dishwashing liquid on a wet sponge then wipe off with a cotton rag. this puts just enough moisture in the rag to get the saddle soap a little frothy, rub hell out of both sides, let dry a minute and then case leather, I spray mine with the kitchen sink sprayer ever so briefly just to wet, I then lay skin side down on a towel. , drying the hide side with another dry towel. this after maybe touching up a few dry spots with the sponge (now rinsed of dawn) will let me work the leather for quite a while in an air conditioned shop before re-wetting. I have found that leather properly treated and not needing a drink is less likely to pickup errant nail or tool marks before you want them to. I happened upon this by pure accident, I had put a long diagonal scratch somewhat deeper than the ones you show, I had a glass of Iced tea with me, I looke down, shrug and grab a big ice cube out of the cup, suck the tea off of it and then rubbed the scratch right up and out of the leather by burnishing lightly with the ice cube.

 

[Halitech]

Also be careful with rings and other jewelry, it can mark the leather as well