Edge Creasing

[Loudcherokee]

Hey guys, just curious what kind of tool you think is being used on these items to get that nice edge crease as seen in the attached photos? How can I achieve this kind of edge? I've attached a photo of the edge creasing tools I have on hand. 

I've tried heating the tool, with a torch lighter, to no luck. Should veg tanned be wet to get this kind of crease? Would you burnish first or after creasing? 

I think part of my issue with my tool may be an orientation thing. Im left handed, and the way the edge guide is setup, I have to flip the tool around and use it that way, which is backwards. 

LC

[Hardrada]

That's most likely done with an electric creaser.

Your best bet for heating creasers up is a spirit lamp. Lighters tend to soot the creasers and you have to wipe them off on a piece of leather or shop towel prior to applying them to the leather: in the process they lose heat. Once you apply them to the leather, they lose heat to the leather too, and you have to put them back on the flame again. It takes experience obtained through sustained use to become able to gauge the right temperature and the lengths you can crease whilst maintaining that optimal temperature; that's one reason why many prefer to use a creasing machine. You also have to be careful with the time the creaser is left on the flame: I once melted my creaser by leaving them over the spirit lamp too long, and by "too long" I'm talking less than 5 minutes.

Oh, I almost forgot: you can use an electric range to heat up your creasers too. That's what Jo from J.H.L. Leather does.

Oh #2: they do sell left-handed creasers.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Hardrada

[Hardrada]

1 hour ago, Loudcherokee said:

Should veg tanned be wet to get this kind of crease?

NO!! You'll burn it.

See here:

 

[Hardrada]

1 hour ago, Loudcherokee said:

Would you burnish first or after creasing?

Crease first, for that's when your edges are most straight. Once you burnish they become irregular, not by much and it's hardly noticeable, but the micro-irregularities can still net you a wavy or crooked crease.

[Loudcherokee]

Thanks for the replies! Ouch, that creaser is $250! I'll have to keep practicing with the ones I have and heating them for awhile. Thats not in the budget at the moment. 

I will have to research left handed creasers for sure. Most things I can adapt to and use in different ways but I'm struggling with these tools. 

LC

[Loudcherokee]

Thanks for the replies! Ouch, that creaser is $250! I'll have to keep practicing with the ones I have and heating them for awhile. Thats not in the budget at the moment. 

I will have to research left handed creasers for sure. Most things I can adapt to and use in different ways but I'm struggling with these tools. 

 

ETA: I found these on Ebay and i have a nice 80 watt soldering iron.. i wonder if they would work well? 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Kinds-Leather-Craft-Brass-Soldering-Iron-Tip-Edge-Beveler-Creaser-Marking-Tool-/131915206274?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

LC

[Hardrada]

Aye, I wasn't pitching the Summit to you; it's just that that one video contains one of the best explanations and demonstrations on creasing I've seen so far. You can work with what you have now, for sure. Even seasoned veterans like Harry Rodgers still use spirit lamps and manual creasers. It just takes experience, which you can get by working with your current creasers.

Get one of these and some ethanol and you're creasing:

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/finishing/20070-alcohol-torch?item=93K3401

Edited March 14, 2021 by Hardrada

[fredk]

afair you can get edge creaser heads which fit into standard soldering irons which use replaceable tips

[toxo]

After a couple of failed soldering irons I bought one of these and this thread got the grey matter working and remembering that one of the blades was a sort of knife blade without an edge I had to run upstairs to try it.

It comes with two standard blades and the "knife" blade which I think is for cutting synthetic rope or fabric to stop fraying.

The downside is you're not able to set the temperature and it only applies heat when you pull the trigger but this can be a good thing.

Anyway, the top line was applied after the smoke wore off the new blade, the next down was around 10 secs and the bottom line was peobably half that. 

Clearly some experimentation need for whatever application but I'm happy I've got something else to play with.

Sorry about the pics. Can't seem to get the hang of the camera fone.

[Meandmy1963]

To be clear... When heat creasing... It's best to crease when the leather is completely dry? I figured dampened leather would crease the best. In that video, his leather was WET. I'm not talking wet, but damp. Basically back to original color. Or is dry best for heat creasing?

[Hardrada]

5 hours ago, Meandmy1963 said:

To be clear... When heat creasing... It's best to crease when the leather is completely dry? I figured dampened leather would crease the best. In that video, his leather was WET. I'm not talking wet, but damp. Basically back to original color. Or is dry best for heat creasing?

Dry. Dry. Dry.

If it's damp you'll burn it.