Burnishing chrome tan with veg tan liner

[thelinkmaster001]

I am making a small bag out of a chrome-tanned hide and I would like to add a liner for the inside. The only leather I have in a suitable weight for a liner is a piece of veg tan. 
 

How do you suggest I go about burnishing the edge? Is it even necessary? 
 

I realize that this might not be the best way to accomplish this, it might even be over complicated. The whole point of this project is for me to try something new and to test my abilities, so I’m not too worried about that.

Edited February 2, 2021 by thelinkmaster001

[toxo]

The chrome tan may not take a burnish. Experiment on some scrap and see what works for you. A sharpie? Dye? Paint? Coffee dregs? Just have fun trying.

[mike02130]

Edge paint.

[CastleLeatherWorks]

47 minutes ago, mike02130 said:

Edge paint.

this ^^^

[battlemunky]

Edge paint. I've tried on multiple items and never been able to burnish chrome tanned leather. Despite what the Tandy "expert" says while they are trying to sell you the burnisher while trying to demonstrate how it burnishes chrome but isn't...

[thelinkmaster001]

3 hours ago, battlemunky said:

Edge paint. I've tried on multiple items and never been able to burnish chrome tanned leather. Despite what the Tandy "expert" says while they are trying to sell you the burnisher while trying to demonstrate how it burnishes chrome but isn't...

Thanks for all the advice everyone. What product do you use? Fiebing’s Edge-Kote? Something different? 
 

Most tutorials I’ve seen say to burnish before applying edge-kote. Is that true?
 

Since I wrote this post last night, I’ve experimented some more and I found that using beeswax instead of gum tragacanth seems to work well. Would that work long-term? Would I want to use the edge paint with the beeswax? Or just the beeswax on its own?

Edited February 2, 2021 by thelinkmaster001

[Hardrada]

Folded-over edge or French binding.

Burnishing chrome tan is just a waste of time and an exercise in frustration. The only thing it's helpful for is to increase your lexicon so that you'll baffle a sailor.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Hardrada

[battlemunky]

5 hours ago, thelinkmaster001 said:

Thanks for all the advice everyone. What product do you use? Fiebing’s Edge-Kote? Something different? 
 

Most tutorials I’ve seen say to burnish before applying edge-kote. Is that true?
 

Since I wrote this post last night, I’ve experimented some more and I found that using beeswax instead of gum tragacanth seems to work well. Would that work long-term? Would I want to use the edge paint with the beeswax? Or just the beeswax on its own?

I don't do a lot of chrome tan, mainly because of edges, and I only have one edge paint I picked up from Tandy a few years back. How I've used it is just to ensure you have a clean cut edge and then paint it with the edge paint, let it dry, sand it if its clumpy/non-uniform, repaint, repeat if needed. I've heard mixed reviews enough of Fiebings Edge Kote to avoid it. Some folks have luck with it, some have nothing but ruined projects because of it. You could always pick up a few different ones and experiment. Me? I opted to mainly mess with veg tan and limit my chrome tanned usage to bags and such where I can hide the edges.

On veg tan, if you use edge paint, I'd burnish first with water and nothing else and then apply the paint. The better and cleaner the edge, the better the paint will look. On chrome, just use the paint on as keenly cut of an edge as you can get.

[mike02130]

Once you have wax on it, you're married to it.  Wax is a protective coating.  Edge paint such as Uniters or Vernis is what I recommend.  If you have a double edge it needs to be cut or sanded flush or else anything uneven will show.  Sand the hell out of it and apply, sand some more and apply then sand some more and apply a third coat.  The best method is to use an electric creaser heated up to even out the first coat. It can be done with a hot butter knife heated up on the stove.  It is a tedious job but that is how the exposed edges are done.  Plenty of videos on YouTube.

[LatigoAmigo]

7 hours ago, thelinkmaster001 said:

 using beeswax instead of gum tragacanth seems to work well. Would that work long-term? Would I want to use the edge paint with the beeswax? Or just the beeswax on its own?

In the last ten years I've used chrome-tanned leather almost exclusively, I've had to deal with this issue. You can get some of the heavier weights to take an application of beeswax, and it can look pretty good, but the look doesn't last long. Chrome-tanned leather is not absorbent like veg-tan.

 

[YinTx]

I've not tried it, but Springfield leather seems to claim their TokoPro is a game changer and will burnish chrome tan... anyone have experience there?

YinTx

[LatigoAmigo]

20 minutes ago, YinTx said:

anyone have experience there?

From their website: We’re very excited to announce that we now carry Toko Pro! A new edge slicking and burnishing compound that’s nearly identical in comparison to Tokonole.

[thelinkmaster001]

3 hours ago, mike02130 said:

Once you have wax on it, you're married to it.  Wax is a protective coating.  Edge paint such as Uniters or Vernis is what I recommend.  If you have a double edge it needs to be cut or sanded flush or else anything uneven will show.  Sand the hell out of it and apply, sand some more and apply then sand some more and apply a third coat.  The best method is to use an electric creaser heated up to even out the first coat. It can be done with a hot butter knife heated up on the stove.  It is a tedious job but that is how the exposed edges are done.  Plenty of videos on YouTube.

This looks like it could work, do you have a product link by any chance? I just don’t want to get the wrong thing by accident.

[mike02130]

10 hours ago, thelinkmaster001 said:

This looks like it could work, do you have a product link by any chance? I just don’t want to get the wrong thing by accident.

Rocky mountain Leather

[mike02130]

11 hours ago, YinTx said:

I've not tried it, but Springfield leather seems to claim their TokoPro is a game changer and will burnish chrome tan... anyone have experience there?

YinTx

 

11 hours ago, LatigoAmigo said:

From their website: We’re very excited to announce that we now carry Toko Pro! A new edge slicking and burnishing compound that’s nearly identical in comparison to Tokonole.

 "Nearly" means almost as good.  Nothing works. I believe that is a fact.  Please prove me wrong.  Tokonole is the best burnishing stuff in my opinion and that of many high-end professionals.  But only for veg tanned.  I can show you what does not work.

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by mike02130
punctuation

[toxo]

Has anyone tried a dilute glue like PVA with a pigment in it? Wouldn't it at least seal the edge for a finish on top?

[LatigoAmigo]

2 hours ago, mike02130 said:

I can show you what does not work.

Looks like you've tried it all. Tokonole gives me a smooth, sealed edge, and I've learned to be happy with the results, so it works for me. This is the foot of a bag made with California Latigo from The Hide House. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by LatigoAmigo