how do i burnish thin leather without heat?

[tardis86]

id like to make a wallet and most if not all the videos i see use heat to finish the edge of thin leather.(like for the card slots and etc) every time i try to burnish thin leather, i completely distort it and it looks like garbage. I even have the dremel attachments for burnishing. I also cant justify one of those creasing iron things for a few hundred dollars at this point for something i do as an occasional hobby. 

thanks in advance for your advice

[Rockoboy]

Its difficult or impossible to burnish some soft leather, especially if its thin. Sometimes it can be better if you burnish after assembly is completed, or sometimes I have used Edgekote instead of burnishing.

Have you tried holding your leather flat on a hard surface like a piece of timber, instead of in your hand? (that's how I burnish anyway).

What are you using to assist with burnishing, gum tragacanth? water? glycerine saddle soap? beeswax, lanolin, or some mix?

Are you using vegtan leather, without a lot of oil included in the leather? I have some leather that looks like it would burnish nicely, but I cannot get it to burnish. I was told it's because it's so full of  oil.

[Matt S]

When burnishing thin/soft leather I pull/hold the leather taught while holding it against the wheel. If you have a dremel-mounted burnisher you'll probably have to either mount it on the bench so you can use both hands for the leather or have someone help you.

[Aven]

Tardis86, you can go old school with your creaser.  You can get a creasing iron that you heat up in an alcohol flame.  It'll do the same job as an electric one will, but you will have to play around with it a bit to figure out how hot to get it so it works for you.  A hot plate might work for a heat source instead of a flame.  The creasing iron will cost you $35 ~ $55 on Ebay.  An alcohol lamp (spirit lamp) with be about $10 on Ebay.  A good one with a stand to lay your tool on will be about $35.  Rocky Mountain Leather Supply carries them and they are in stock at the moment.  An electric hot plate, new, will run about $15, depending on what you want. 

[tardis86]

21 hours ago, Aven said:

Tardis86, you can go old school with your creaser.  You can get a creasing iron that you heat up in an alcohol flame.  It'll do the same job as an electric one will, but you will have to play around with it a bit to figure out how hot to get it so it works for you.  A hot plate might work for a heat source instead of a flame.  The creasing iron will cost you $35 ~ $55 on Ebay.  An alcohol lamp (spirit lamp) with be about $10 on Ebay.  A good one with a stand to lay your tool on will be about $35.  Rocky Mountain Leather Supply carries them and they are in stock at the moment.  An electric hot plate, new, will run about $15, depending on what you want. 

 

Can you link to what you are referring to? I think I know, but I want to make sure I get the right one. I have no problem using an old school method. Usually less things to break.

[LatigoAmigo]

On 8/24/2019 at 7:36 AM, tardis86 said:

I also cant justify one of those creasing iron things for a few hundred dollars at this point for something i do as an occasional hobby. 

How about using a wood burning tool instead? Kits can be found at Amazon for $20 to $30, so that along with a temperature regulator (less than $50), and you should be in business for way less than $100.

[Aven]

Tardis86, I will tonight. I haven't figured out how to copy and paste links on my phone. The link gets truncated.

[Aven]

Please understand I don't know these sellers or the quality of their wares.  I'm just using them as examples of various styles of edgers.  When you are picking one out you need to look at the profile of the tip to make sure that you are getting an iron that will do what you want it to do.

Small tip creaser

Longer tip creaser

KevinLeatherTools  I like Kevin's tools.  It can take a while for things to get through customs, especially now, but the tools themselves are good.

Another smaller tip

 The alcohol lamp isn't made by anyone in particular that I know of.  The two creasers are adjustable and consequently, more expensive.

I hope this helps.

[mikesc]

Electric soldering iron ( with filed and polished tip(s) run through a dimmer switch/ rheostat.

Cost..under $20.00.

RockyAussie , Brian.. has posted pictures of his in use and explained how he made it.

[Husky3]

I use a very thin, chrome tanned leather.  very simply, you can't burnish it.  so I edge paint.  it takes signifcantly more time.