Master the edge
Hello leather masters,
I have two questions about better edge finishing.
The first issue is making an edge on soft leather where two layers that are not perfectly aligned come together.
As an example, you can see in the picture below that a piece of soft leather was cut using a cardboard template.
The leather is supposed to be folded and sewn along the edges, with a zipper in the middle. Since the rounded edges were made with a round knife, they are not completely straight (picture below).
How do you best approach such details? Since the leather is too thin, sandpaper cannot be used. Is it best to cut the edge after the layers are sewn, or is there a better trick?
For example, how do you suggest finishing an edge like this where the leather is very thin, is it best to leave it raw, paint it, or is it best to heat treat it? The second question is about the edge, on dyed leather. In the picture below you can see that two pieces of leather are sewn together and dyed with Fiebing's blue paint (the edge was also dyed).
The edge was heat treated - a mixture of water and Water-Based Contact Adhesive, then rubbed with a cloth. However, there is a white line in the middle, which I assume is because the paint did not absorb into the glue. For example, how do you patch an edge where the paint does not adhere to the glue? On the lower part of the edge, you can also see that where the glue is (in the middle), the edge is not well polished/finished. How to approach this problem? Thank you for your tips and tricks! Have a nice day!
Thank you Phil! Yes, scissors would be better for this case (thin leather). Or rather, cutting edges after sewing. I will try with PVA glue and water-based contact+sanding (as @Feather suggested). Another question about the edge. In the picture below you can see that there is a small notch on the edge. Will the paint on the edge repair this, or is there a better approach recommended to solve it (so that it doesn't lead to the edge tearing)?