Trouble burnishing/finishing edges

[Chiro75]

OK, so I've become watch-obsessed in the past year or so. Since I'm not making knives anymore, I started thinking that making straps would be a good creative outlet, so I bought some tools and stuff a couple days ago. I've made two straps so far. Like any art/craft, making a watch strap is easy... making it look good is hard! lol. But, so far so good, no carcinogens, hours of being alone in the basement, or real hazards of losing a hand or an eye, plus I can do it in the evening in front of the TV.

One big challenge I am having is with finishing the edges. I bought some remnant leather @ Tandy that is nice stuff... pretty thick, soft, with a chocolate brown, sort of waxy top. The back is really soft and the grain raises easily. I can't seem to get the gum tragacanth to do anything other than soak in, though. I don't have an edge finisher/slicker, so I was trying to use a small round glass cylinder. Is it my choice of tools? Is this leather maybe too soft to finish? Any help is appreciated!

 

[sheathmaker]

Bingo! and Bingo! You just answered your questions right there. Too soft. Any chrome tanned or oil tanned leather is either impossible to edge finish.....or worse. Veg. tanned top grain leather is the easiest and the best. Watch straps would probably be easiest with 2 layers of 2/3 oz. barged flesh to flesh. This gives you top grain on both sides and the edges WILL finish nicely.

As to tools, I use saddle soap and water, sandpaper 50, 100, 220,320 and 400 and a piece of an old bed sheet to hand burnish.

Oaul

 

[Chiro75]

Does Edge Kote harden the edge like burnishing, or does it just dye it? Good news is I only spent $15 on the leather, so it's not a total loss.

 

[sheathmaker]

Does Edge Kote harden the edge like burnishing, or does it just dye it? Good news is I only spent $15 on the leather, so it's not a total loss.

This is MY opinion only. Edge Kote will dry relatively hard. If you put it on a sh*tty edge, you will have a colored, hard sh*tty edge. If you put it on a well finished edge you will have a colored, hard sh*tty edge.

I personally never use Edge Kote, but there may be others who have, and have had great success with it.

You might try it on some scrap leather and make you own decision.

Paul

 

[Chiro75]

Bought some vegetable tanned leather today and it burnishes very easily. It was simply a matter of the leather. I might get some beeswax and see if that helps for the oil tanned leather I have.

 

[sheathmaker]

Bought some vegetable tanned leather today and it burnishes very easily. It was simply a matter of the leather. I might get some beeswax and see if that helps for the oil tanned leather I have.

Oil tanned leather is pactically impopssible to get a good finihed edge and when you do it won't last long with use. Bees wax would probably work but the original statement still applies. It won't last long.

Paul

 

[Swivelknife]

The only thing that I have ever seen that looked decent with edge coat was the edge of shoe soles. It is like a heavy enamel, thick and messy.