Burnishing vs Edge Painting?

[JackPeter]

Hi everyone,

Question - what is better, burnishing or edge painting? I’m still learning constantly and i wanted to know if there’s a method that works best for veg tanned, or if either can work veg tanned and chromed tanned. Also, if there was a better method between the two, if its a matter of preference, and what do you do get the best possible outcomes?

 

Thanks

[Hardrada]

Weird, I do both.

Except on chrome tan, that is: chrome tan doesn't burnish well, so it's either just edge paint or folded edges for it .

Edited August 25, 2021 by Hardrada

[Klara]

I think - somebody please correct me if I'm wrong  - that burnishing works well for leathers that are natural colour or died through. Or where you don't mind if the edge is a different colour. If you do mind, edge paint is the way to go (would leather dye and burnishing work? The sales woman said no, but maybe she wanted to sell edge paint or maybe my question was not clear).

And only fairly stiff, thick leathers can be burnished.

I've also thought, but maybe I'm wrong, that edge paint was just a product like Tokonole, which one applied prior to polishing. In other words, first one applies a clear or coloured substance, depending on the look one wants, and then elbow grease for shine.

 

 

[Hardrada]

28 minutes ago, Klara said:

would leather dye and burnishing work?

Of course they do! I do it all the time.

Two coats of Edge Kote followed by application of Tokonole and then burnish to shine. You can even follow all that with a final coating of wax and a final burnishing.

Take a look (@ ~7 minute mark he performs the dye followed by burnishing):

 

[RockyAussie]

I believe in this video he is using edge dye (not paint which is what edge coat is). The man in this video likes the effect he achieves but to be honest it is way to long a process for my own purposes. Burnishing an edge whether it is pre dyed or not is and should be a fair bit faster than a painted edge can be done for the same high quality finish. That is so long as it is a veg tan leather. Most of the products we make get done with edge paint and that can be used on veg or chrome tan leather equally well but as we mostly do crocodile leather products that can be quite time consuming. At no stage do I recommend any burnishing either before painting ,during or especially after. If we mostly did veg products I would burnish in preference. I would check through the discussions in this previous post to help make your own decisions as to what is best. https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/87437-edge-kote-rubbing-offsolution/page/2/

 

[battlemunky]

My personal preference is to avoid edge paint, I just don't like application and durability. That said though, as previously mentioned, if using chrome tan, it usually doesn't burnish well at all although there are a few that can, so paint or rolling the edge are your options. Veg tan...I burnish using water, dye, gum trag, glycerine & water, hell, I've even licked an edge a time or two prior to burnishing.

Edited August 25, 2021 by battlemunky
die grammar, die!

[Hardrada]

10 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

I believe in this video he is using edge dye (not paint which is what edge coat is).

Yes, and as for that I'd like to add a caveat emptor of sorts: I wouldn't recommend using dye due to it penetrating the leather and potentially staining beyond the edge, and also due to possible rub-off issues.

Now, Edge Kote can also rub off a bit, which is why we seal it after application by means of a burnishing agent and... burnishing.

Speaking of burnishing agents, Tokonole comes also in black and brown versions, for those interested in "dying" the edge and burnishing it in one fell swoop of the slicker.

 

10 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

At no stage do I recommend any burnishing either before painting

I wouldn't recommend burnishing before edge painting/coating either: compressing the fibres makes the dye way more difficult, even impossible, to stay put.