Edge finishing sequence?

J

jkf96a

Well-Known Member
I'm having trouble figuring out an edge finishing sequence that I like.

I've tried- wet form sheath, sand edge to 220, Edge Kote
- sand to 220, wet form, sand to 220 then 400, Edge Kote- seems like extra steps.

I'd like to move away from the Edge Kote.

I have gum trag, saddle soap, and various dyes.

Assuming the sheath has been sewn, wet formed, and dried. What's your edge finishing recommendation?

Dye before gum trag or after? I assume saddle soap last?
 
Grind on a 60 grit belt. Trim the outside corner with an edger. Wet the edge and rub with saddle soap. Rub with plastic tool to slick it down.
Leather friend who showed me this rubs his with a canvas glove to smooth.
 
Here's my sequence.

Glue up
Level edge on 60 grit wheel or belt
Run stitch groove and stitch
Re-level edge on 100 grit wheel or belt
Dampen edge thoroughly
Run edger to radius the edges
Paste saddle soap and water and then burnish with a cloth, canvas, whatever.
One more light pass on the 100 grit wheel or belt KEY WORD LIGHT
Hand sand with 220 grit
Hand sand with 320 grit
Saddle soap and water treatment again and burnish with cloth
Hand sand with 400 grit
Apply dye if wanted and other finishes NO EDGE COAT EVER< NO NONE< NOT ANY... IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH????? NO EDGE COAT !!! :58:
Step back and smile!

Paul
 
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Thanks, Paul. I've bought your first sheath video, but I either left it at my mom's at Christmas, or my brother took it home. I have figured out that dye doesn't penetrate well after gum trag, but I just bought my first saddle soap last weekend. I'm impressed with it so far, and encouraged that the edges will take dye after the soap. I've been wanting to get away from the black-goop-that-shall-not-be-named for quite a while, just hadn't stumbled upon a better alternative.
 
" Apply dye if wanted and other finishes NO EDGE COAT EVER< NO NONE< NOT ANY... IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH????? NO EDGE COAT !!!
58.gif
"

I believe you Paul, but what is the reason? I dye and use gum trag but I have used edge coat before.
 
Denny Eller said:
" Apply dye if wanted and other finishes NO EDGE COAT EVER< NO NONE< NOT ANY... IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH????? NO EDGE COAT !!!
58.gif
"

I believe you Paul, but what is the reason? I dye and use gum trag but I have used edge coat before.
Click to expand...
Because to paraphrase the late Col Cooper - "it's a crappy solution to a non-existent problem" that is if you take the time to do it right in the first place. Edge Coat was originally developed for the shoe trade and to speed up the process for the big companies where speed is often more important than quality.

I do a similar process to Paul but don't hand sand - my last sanding is with 220 in the grinder and then I use powered edge burnishers - either hard paper wheels with grooves I form myself or with one of the wooden burnishers offered by several makers. I load them with beeswax for the final coat and then finish off with Gum Trag and a final hand burnishing with cloth. All dying is done fairly early in the process due to the fact that over the years I have had the welt shrink slightly after dying even after gluing properly and with quality leather which can have a soft spot now and again that only is apparent after dying....with two blown discs in my neck power burnishers are my friend.....
 
After burnishing my dyed edges, the only thing I use is called Montana Pitch Blend. it's good stuff and I highly recommend it for leather work.
 
Thanks for the info, Chuck. Ya know any cobblers that want to buy a couple of almost full bottles of Edge Coat? : )
 
D E,
Here is a link to go with all the other good information-http://leatherworker.net/bob-park/FinishingEdges-2-15-11.pdf
Fred
 
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