One of the things that differentiates good quality leatherwork from the rest is the level of finish, and part of this is edge finishing. Unfinished edges, like you see on many belts, are square-cut and although leather cannot fray, the corners will wear and the fibres rough up.
I finish edges in two stages:
- First using an edge beveller, to take the edge off the square-cut corners left by a strap cutter or when cutting blanks from a hide. Edge bevellers are available various sizes, depending on the thickness of leather. I tend to use only the small or the large one.
- Second, burnishing the edges using Gum Tragacanth. This settles the leather fibres and gives the edge a smooth, glossy finish. For thinner leathers you can use a burnishing wheel.
A bevelled and burnished edge is more resistant to wear and lets belts and straps slide smoothly in loops and buckles. It also looks a lot nicer. It's quite a bit more work, but definietly worth it.
Burnishing is one of those little tasks that is very satisfying as you can see, feel and hear the rough fibres settle to a glossy, squeeky finish. It's just as well, because I do a lot of it.
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My hide supplier has recently started a new line of slightly thicker cow hides 3.5 - 4.0 mm thick. This extra weight is great for moulded armour, giving that little extra stiffness and solidity. It means I'll need to buy in more hides as this is just a little too heavy for belts, but it is going to be worth it for the extra quality. |
AuthorDave Gullen, leather craftsman, writer, and grower of tree ferns. Archives
November 2008
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