How to Finish the Edges of a Piece of Leather

Give a smooth finish to the cut edges of your leather-work project.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cut Leathers
• Flat Work Surfaces
• Misting Spray Bottles
• Soft Cloth
• Sponges
• Soft Cloth
• Sponges

1. Lay the leather out on a flat work surface.

2. Use an edge-beveling tool to smooth the cut edges.

3. Place the beveler so that the two prongs that form its "V" shape are facing upward on both sides of the leather's edge.

4. Push the beveling tool away from you along the cut edge of leather, keeping the tool at a 45-degree angle to the work surface. Make sure the leather is held firmly in place by the nonworking hand.

5. Try a variety of cutting angles in order to achieve the edge you desire.

6. Expect to see a thin curl of leather come off the surface as you move the beveling tool along the cut edge. These curls can be discarded as you work.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for edge-beveling tools at any leather supply store. They come in a variety of sizes.
• Practice on a piece of scrap leather before edging your project.
• Keep the leather uniformly damp while you work it. This makes the leather easier to manipulate. Use a spray bottle of water or a sponge to dampen.
• Keep water from dripping onto the surface of the leather. If water drops do spill onto the surface, wet the entire piece so that the surface is uniformly damp. This will help prevent water spots.

on 11/22/2005 I only wet the leather enough to tool it well. If it is too dry, you don't get crisp detail, because the leather is too firm to yeild to the tooling. If it is too wet, you get mushy detail, because it yields too easily. If it is soaked too much, the leather can lose its natural characteristics and end up stiff. It's a lot easier to add a little more moisture than to take some away. You can control the moisture better if you are only wetting the small area that you are currently working on. Some say this will leave water marks at the edges, but I just re-wet the whole thing slightly when I'm done to eliminate any water marks.