Edges of Leather

[Joe P]

I am working with 7oz tooling leather, and i havent painted or laquered my pieces yet, but the edges are not as clean as i would like them to be. I cut them with an exacto knife relatively nice, but after some punching the edges seem to be a bit frayed. Does any one know how to fix this? or does the paint/lacquer clean up and harden the edges?

Joe

[Tarquin Bjornsson]

buy an edge beveler they just run around the de and create a nice round edge

tarquin

[Joe P]

Good idea, thanks. Do you know where i can get one other than Tandy? I am getting killed on shipping on handling charges.

[Tarquin Bjornsson]

try the local leather shops maybe eve craft stores take a piece of scrap material you hve and they should be able to hook you up witht hte right size or even ebay

[Sigeric]

Another name for the edger beveler is a "Slicker" and there are several types, usally made of plastic or stone. One way to help get rid of the fraying is to wet down the edge slightly and then run your slicker over the surface. Tandy and a few other companies also make a special edging compound which hardens and prevents the fraying.


[This message has been edited by Sigeric (edited 10-14-2002).]

[Lurker]

Actually, I'm pretty sure an edge beveler and a slicker are two separate tools. A slicker, as described, is a stone or plastic tool that, when the leather edge is wet, is run along it to blend in the fine fibers that remain after a cut. An edge beveler, on the other hand, looks like a small chisel that is run along the skin side of the edge creating a rounded pattern. Think of it as a leather router if you will. Both tools are excellent additions to a toolbox.

For those "on a budget", take a small square of scrap leather, bend in a 'U' shape, and run along the edge of an item as you would a slicker. Not as good, but works in a pinch. As for the edges being fraying, try getting a new exacto blade: your existing one may be dull. A dull blade will still cut, but it will tear more creating the fray. Try re-cutting the edge, leaning "in" toward the piece (skin side) so the edge is at an angle instead of being square.

|\ - this
|| - instead of this

Also, get a small piece of plywood to cut on and use a straight-edge. I cut my leather (when I use exacto knives that is) on a piece of plywood (MDF catches the blade, particle board is messy) using a small piece of plywood as the guide. In my experience, exacto knives get dull rather quickly going through thick leather. A good box cutter that uses replaceable razor blades tends to work just as good, but is cheaper in the long run.

Happy cutting.

Paul

[Kristoffer]

I havent tested this, but in theory you should be able to heat wax or oil and apply to the edge of the leather and then heat it slihtly again. This should contract the edges and round them nicely.

[Konstantin the Red]

Here's how I do it, and it's just like they say on the directions. I prefer a rounded edge beveler -- I suppose a pedantically precise person would call it an "edge radiuser" -- to take the corners off the edge. I wet the edge with a damp sponge, and rub with the slicker, which gives the edge a glossy smooth rounded surface. They are indeed separate tools, btw. Slickers are round, smooth things with rounded-bottomed grooves to shape the leather edge by rubbing it back and forth with the slicker. Slickers come as nylon or wooden wheels (the nylon type look suspiciously like some kind of clothesline-weight pulley wheel) or as a semicircular attachment to a nylon tool called a "bone folder," a smooth tool for neatly creasing leather. Edge bevelers are among those tools-with-handles that leatherworkers have, that do some kind of cutting job, which bevelers do.

For a really smooth finish, as the last step, rub a small amount of beeswax on the rounded edge by running your lump of beeswax along it, followed by rubbing it in hard with the slicker.

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."

[Joe P]

Wow, thanks for all the info. You guys have been extremely helpful. I might have wasted some of the leather pieces after continual use if dont do something about the edges.
By the way, will paint and lacquer take to the leather, after the beeswax application?

Joe

[Grimmwar]

I use a 3-step edge finishing process. I start with a beveler that's rated for a thinner leather than I am using and use it to just "break" the edge, getting rid of the 90 degree angle. Then I wet the edges and run a slicker over them (you can do this by hand but it's much quicker if you attatch the slicker to a bolt and put it in a drill). After that I generally hit all the edges with Fiebings edge-kote, although beeswax works as well. This process takes a lot longer than any mentioned above, but IMO looks much better than using just a slicker or beveler. It never ceases to amaze me how many people do absolutely no finishing whatsoever to the edges of their work. Props to you for asking about it.
(EDIT): Actually upon re-reading this is pretty much the same process konstantin told you about.

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Grimmwar
(Marcus of Black Company)
mparker876@yahoo.com
Black Company Homepage

[This message has been edited by Grimmwar (edited 10-15-2002).]

[Konstantin the Red]

Indeed, Grimwar, with the exception of the power-tool idea, which is one I never thought of, so thanks!

Joe, bevel the edges, then dye the leather, then slick the edges, and put the coat of sealer/shoe polish/beeswax on last. Wax will resist dye and keep it out of the leather. I definitely recommend some sort of sealer over all of your dyed leather, or you will be plagued with dye coming off on your clothes. All of the above will work.

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."

[Joe P]

Thanks alot guys. I ordered the beveler, slicker and i actually ordered the leather gum for the edges. Now i guess, all i need to do is not mess it up. Thanks Again

Joe