Uniters Edge Paint Secrets Finally Revealed Today

Even in 2025, Uniters edge paint is still regarded as one of the top edge paint brands out there.

Easy to work with, great adhesion, uniform, not too rubbery when dry, yet doesn’t have the ‘plastic’ feel that some do. I like it.

After trying quite a few of the usual suspects, It’s quite honestly a step up in quality in my opinion.

Not many people realise there is an edge paint guide that was created by Uniters that you can download and keep for yourself.

However, there is a few points that need addressing, and some parts require further explaining. This is where I will share my thoughts after using it for the last 6 years.

Before I do that, here is the Uniters guide:

Uniters EP2000 'STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE'

So, after reading that, here are my thoughts:

1)

Uniters recommends keeping your 'hot iron', or fileteuse below 240 degrees celsius. I personally use closer to 100 degrees C. I think anything above 200 would be difficult to control as that kind of heat is pretty intense for edge paint.

I wonder if they mean Fahrenheit, as 240F would equate to about 115C, which is about what I use.

It’s also important to note your speed matters. Slow controlled strokes with a hot spatula tip is ideal for control and precision, as you smooth your edge paint after a final sanding. 

For example, you could use 115C, go super slow, and transfer too much heat to your edge paint causing the surface to smudge rather than smooth over. Or, you can go too fast and have no effect at all with the very same temp.

As you well know, you can move your hand across a flame without issue if you’re fast enough!

I recommend a speed of about 2-3 inches per second, something you can control easily. Then starting with a low temperature, gradually increase it until you notice the sanded edge beginning to smooth out.

Go just a touch higher in temperature to compensate for the tip of your spatula being cooler than the base. Record this temperature setting on a small label and stick it on your electric creasing machine (away from any vents). You could also put a dot of correction fluid/marker pen on the creaser machine dial where your preferred temperature is.

A quick note on using a manual creaser over a flame. It is possible to smooth edges using this method instead of an electric machine, however you will need to practice this in order to gain experience.

To get started, place a drop of water on your manual creaser, place over a flame and wait for it to boil. You will know at that point your creaser is a little over 100C. Top up heat periodically.

2)

You don’t really need a primer or leather edge sealer for great results.

Some users swear by it and use a primer religiously, however I think Uniters may simply be creating another product for you to buy.

I have tried their primer on various different leathers, from chrome-tan, veg-tan crust, oily leathers and waxy bridle hides. Often, edge paint alone is best.

One tip shared with me by a student who contacted Uniters was to apply your first layer of edge paint soon after applying the primer, before the primer has dried. 

This allows the paint/primer to intermix slightly and bond better with each other. I can attest to the edge paint peeling off the primer layer after letting it fully dry. Even after sanding the primer, edge paint doesn’t adhere very well to it. 

My trick with heavily oiled leathers, such as pull-up style hides and latigo leather, is to wipe the edge with alcohol, or better yet acetone to degrease the edge. Don’t super saturate the edge, just run a solvent soaked cloth along the edge, let it dry, then apply your first layer of paint. Wax in the leather can’t reject the water based paint if it’s not there. As always, test this for yourself before using it on a project.

3)

Regarding the ‘buff by rotative brushes’ bit recommended in the Uniters guide. Some of you may not realise that you can buff edge paint to a smooth finish with an electric rotary buffing machine.

Usually, these machines will have a variable speed, as a modified bench grinder can build up too much friction heat at the speeds they normally rotate.

One of my students ‘Buccino’, from Italy works as a teacher in a school for leathercraft located in Tuscany. He shared a picture with me of one of their buffing machines used for sanding and buffing edge paint:

If you’ve ever been to a store and seen incredibly smooth edge paint finishing on leather goods that are obviously not hand made, it's likely a buffing machine was used to speed the process.

No hand sanding multiple layers needed, just one thick application through a paint applicator machine, then a quick buff once dry. That’s it.

I have modified a bench grinder to do this before. You just need the smallest felt wheel you can buy (lowers friction), then create a concave groove in the center with a round file that is slightly wider than the leather edges you wish to buff (file the center as the wheel rotates). You can use this trick for burnishing too, but it’s easy to overheat wet veg-tan, so use caution.

6 years go (I know, it goes by so fast) I made an entire video course on how to finish leather edge paint using 4 completely different techniques. This way, YOU can decide what works best for your skill level, or what you have access to.

I discuss my best kept finishing secret, as I rarely use heat for finishing. If fact the technique I prefer requires hardly any skill, and costs less than a cent to do an entire bag!

So, no need to spend hundreds on a questionable hot creasing machine, or thousands on a well known brand if you don't want to.

I also share uncommon information and some rather odd tricks for correcting mistakes, preventing spills, and of course the 'precision bottle hack' that almost every serious crafter is doing now.

So, get started watching this course PLUS almost 100 other full length courses (1hr+).

Click the link below and choose your Video Plan today.

Click HERE to see Video Plan options

Thanks for reading! And if you have any leather edge paint hacks you'd like to share, comment below!