This method of finishing leather edges is the most laborious of the three. Unlike dye, paint sits on top of the edge rather than sinking into the leather fiber. The three main approaches to edge finishing are burnishing only, dyeing and burnishing, and painting. Apply the dye with smooth, consistent motions using a brush, dye pen or wool dauber. Especially where multiple pieces have been glued together, sanding ensures a straight, flush and smooth edge. Run a leather burnisher over the edge to lightly seal the edge and remove any lint. This ensures you don't change the dimensions of the front of your project. The process of manufacturing a leather wallet handmade. Because no pigment is added to the leather, burnishing brings out the natural colors of the leather. You want to see the laminations, and you want them to be perfectly straight. Copyright 1995-2022 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. View cart for details. 296,966,339 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. To burnish, apply water, wax or gum tragacanth to the leather edge. Let the paint dry; alternatively, you can speed up the curing process with a heat gun, hair dryer or electric edge creaser. Lightly sand your edge after each coat of paint and reapply until the desired results are achieved. Leave to dry naturally. Burnishing does darken the edge slightly and leaves a glossy finish. Working from a low to high grit when sanding is the key to a mirror-like shine; when in doubt, sand more. This compresses the leather fibers and seals the edge against moisture. This two-step process ensures consistent color and proper dye saturation, as well as a finished, sealed edge. What's your favorite leather finishing technique? Beveling is an important finishing step, especially when burnishing. Leather dyes penetrate the fibers of the leather for a more thorough color, unlike edge paint, which sits on the surface of the leather and is more likely to wear with time. Leave the leather to dry and cure naturally. Once set, sand the edge smooth and apply another layer of paint. If you like the look of beveled edges, just be aware that it can make it more difficult to get a clean, precise application of paint. Alwaysstropyour bevelers to keep them sharp. When creating a finished edge, you first want to trim edges as close as possible to reduce the amount of sanding you will need to do later. The beveler should stay at a 45-degree angle when edging to produce the best results. Surprise free shipping on orders over $149!

Apply a thin coat of your preferred burnishing solution. Captions are provided by our contributors.

Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. Burnishing is the simplest way to finish an edge and works best on veg tan leather. Edge paint is available in a wide array of colors to complement or contrast with the finish of your leather project. Bevel both the grain and flesh side of the leather for best burnishing results. Each of these methods seals and protects leather edges and provides a professional-looking finish. This video demonstrates how to apply edge paint in three ways: Craftool Pro Edge Dye Roller Pen, Craftool Stainless Steel Edge Paddle, and Wool Daubers. Run your burnisher up and down the edge to compress the fibers. Be sure to angle your knife out slightly so that you are trimming on the liner, not your project's face. Sailrite Enterprises Inc. 2390 E. 100 S. Columbia City, IN 46725, USA, How to Adhere Leather Pieces Before Sewing. Bevel here if desired. Something went wrong. To prepare leather for dye, sand the edge until smooth and then bevel. The artisan sewes leather wallet. Each leatherworker will develop their own taste and preferences for the best products and techniques for edgework. Clean, smooth, professional-looking edges are the key to any leather project, and we've broken down the process in step-by-step detail to help you learn this essential leatherworking skill! For additional shine, buff the burnished edge with a piece of canvas. OurCraftool Sanding Sticks are almost like an emery board for leather. For this demonstration, we used theTandyPro Tools Skiving Knife. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. Once the edges are flush and square after sanding, run a beveler along the edge. Apply the first coat of edge paint using a brush, roller applicator or an awl. Finish by applying beeswax to the edge and buffing with a canvas cloth or by adding a sealant. See what others are creating and get inspired! Multiple layers of edge paint can help fill in gaps and level uneven edges for a smooth finish. Regardless of how you proceed with finishing your edges, the first step will always be to sand the edges. In place of burnishing, edge paint can be finished with a sealant for additional protection against water and abrasion. 7 product ratings - Black Seiwa Leather Craft Edge Finish TOKONOLE Burnishing Gum 120g from Japan, 13 product ratings - Fiebing's Gum Tragacanth for Edge Burnishing and Finishing | 4oz, 2 product ratings - Seiwa Leathercraft Cova Super Black Leather Edge Finish Color 30g, 4 product ratings - Seiwa Leathercraft Cova Super Brown Leather Edge Finish Color 30g From Japan. Once youre comfortable with the basics, theres a lot of room for customization in the finishing process. By removing the 90-degree angles, the leather edge takes on a more rounded appearance for a more professional-looking finish. Leather edge burnishing, leather edge finishing by handmade tools. Repeat this process until the edge is smooth and reflective, like glass. Always angle your sanding stick or sandpaper away from the face of your project. We are burnishing our edge with our TandyPro Tools Burnishing Tool Set. Keep your blade sharpwith regular stropping. Use 80-grit sandpaper for rough sanding 120-grit sandpaper for fine sanding. Because dye itself does not create a seal on the leather edge the way that paint does, edges should be burnished after dyeing. Remember that burnishing the edge will darken the color slightly. And be sure to check out our other blogs on popular leather techniques. One of the final steps in producing high-quality, professional-looking leather goods is deciding how to finish the edge of your project. We have information and resources on how to burnish, bevel, skive and more plus all the tools you need to start your leather crafting journey. Painted edges are best suited for leathers that are thin, supple, pliable and generally do not burnish well like chrome tan, bonded or exotic leathers. These sticks have just the right mix of grit to sand down leather edges properly. If you want to paint, the edges of your project follow all the edge finishing steps, but you do not want to use a burnishing solution. 739 x 492 px 26.1 x 17.4 cm (72 dpi) 1 MB, Search for stock images, vectors and videos. Dyes are most commonly available in more natural or neutral shades and can be used on the surface of leather as well as the raw edge. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. Non-commercial use only, not for resale. There seems to be a problem serving the request at this time, {"modules":["unloadOptimization","bandwidthDetection"],"unloadOptimization":{"browsers":{"Firefox":true,"Chrome":true}},"bandwidthDetection":{"url":"https://ir.ebaystatic.com/cr/v/c1/thirtysevens.jpg","maxViews":4,"imgSize":37,"expiry":300000,"timeout":250}}. It takes three or more layers of paint to achieve a smooth edge. Use multiple coats to achieve your desired color. Here, were going to discuss three of the most common ways to finish the edges of your leather goods. Find the right content for your market. It seals the raw, cut edge and creates a water-resistant barrier. These tools come in a variety of sizes; choose the appropriate size that corresponds to about 25% of your leather thickness.

When creating a finished edge, you first want to trim edges as close as possible to reduce the amount of sanding you will need to do later.

Because painted edges arent burnished, you dont have to bevel the leather for the sake of the finish. Keep your blade sharpwith regular stropping. These sticks can also be used to rough up the surface for adhesives on thinner leathers. When liberally applied to the flesh side of a larger piece, it locks down the fibers giving you a professionally smooth back. Personal prints, cards and gifts, or reference for artists. Like paint, dye adds color to an unfinished leather edge. We are burnishing our edge with our, ** total_quantity ** | ** unit_price ** / ** unit_measure **. Share your tips and tricks in the comments section below. Veg tan leather can be painted as well. Restrictions apply. When liberally applied to the flesh side of a larger piece, it locks down the fibers giving you a professionally smooth back. The beveler itself should only cut one-third of the stacked leather and should never cut through one entire layer of leather, so the layered edge does not get crushed under burnishing. Rub a burnishing tool vigorously back and forth with a good amount of pressure; you want to create heat to work the wax or gum into the leather fibers. This step will also remove any excess glue that may have seeped over, which could potentially ruin your edge finish. Copyright 30/07/2022 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Be sure to angle your knife out slightly so that you are trimming on the liner, not your project's face. To start, sand your leather project until it is smooth. For this demonstration, we usedTandyPro Burnishing Solution; this fiber filler will significantly ease the burnishing process. Make sure the delineation between the face and the liner is visible and straight. Once the dye has dried completely, follow up with your preferred burnishing method for a smooth, glossy finish. This first coat should be fairly thin; you want just enough paint to start filling in the leather fibers. Alternate sanding, painting and curing until the edge is smooth and has a consistent coating of paint. Next, lightly sand your edges, apply burnishing solution, and burnish the edge again. For a more in-depth look at burnishing leather, check out our blog, How to Burnish Leather (#300565XHT). This ensures the leather wont mushroom or fold when you burnish. The goal is to get a nice round edge. Choosing whats best for your project depends on the type of leather, the application and your personal preference. Some people choose not to bevel the edges of their project when painting. For this demonstration, we used the, ; this fiber filler will significantly ease the burnishing process. It's essential to use these sticks in between coats ofedgepaints to give your projectsa professionally finished look.