Using Masking Tape to Reduce Stretching

Although I might do some of the steps differently than described, the process of getting from start to finish will be pretty much the same. In the last post I mentioned that it is important to put packaging tape on the top surface of the tracing pattern to keep it from stretching and tearing. Usually, before I do this I will have my leather prepared for transferring the pattern onto it.

If I am using 9-10 ounce, or heavier leather, I like to get the leather wet and let it case in a plastic bag for a few hours. I would rather leave it overnight to case in a plastic bag so that the moisture will be more uniform throughout the leather. If I am using lighter weight leather, such as 3-4 ounce, I will spray the leather with a spray bottle and let the moisture absorb into the leather to soften the fibers on the flesh side of the leather. I may do this more than once to get the moisture to be consistent throughout the leather.

A trick that I learned from another leather craftsman many years ago is to use masking tape on the back of light-weight leather to keep it from stretching as much when it is tooled. I put the masking tape on the flesh side of the leather before I get it wet for the first time. (I do not think that you will gain anything by using masking tape on leather heavier than 6-7 ounce thickness.)

I use wide masking tape, at least 1 ½ inches wide, to cover the back. I let the edge of the first row of tape lap over the edge of the leather so that I can make sure that it is covered. I then place the next row of tape as close as possible to the first row of tape to help prevent large gaps between them. I let both ends run long because I believe that cutting it too short or having the edges lap over each other might add some unwanted bumps on your leather project. I continue placing tape on the backside of my project until it all has at least one layer of tape on it.

First rows of masking tape - notice the gap.

In the photo above you might notice that there is a little gap between the first and second row of tape. This may not present a problem when tooling, but it is a good practice to put a second layer of tape on over the first layer. I run this one at a 90-degree angle to the first layer of tape so that it will give more resistance to the leather stretching in the opposite direction. It will also give the back of the leather a smoother surface when carving and tooling. Again, on the second layer of masking tape, butt the edges of the tape as close together as possible and let the ends run long as shown in the photo below.

Second layer of masking tape

When applying subsequent rows of tape, make sure that you do not lap the edges over the previous row. Any masking tape should work to keep the leather from stretching. I used the blue tape because I got a better deal on it than the regular beige colored roll. Again, put the tape on before you moisten the leather so that you will not be turning the leather onto the grain side which might allow unwanted imprints from something on the surface. It is possible that when the leather is moist that you can also pick up stains that may be on the work surface. 

After all the tape is applied, use a sharp utility or craft knife that will allow you to follow the edges of the leather to trim off the excess. It is important to remove most of the excess tape that you see because when you turn the leather over the adhesive will be facing up and it will stick to your hand when you are trying to work with your tools. Trim off the excess tape only after you have the leather turned so that the tape is down.

The other thing that I like to do is leave the tape on the back of the leather until the leather has dried. It can take a few hours for this to happen and it may be best to wait until the next day to actually remove it. The second layer is a piece of cake to get off. The first layer will be a bit of a challenge sometimes because the areas that have been tooled will adhere more to the tape than the borders.

When pulling the first layer of tape off the project do not pull it straight up. It might be necessary to pull straight up when you initially begin to remove a piece of tape. After that pull the tape off in the opposite direction from which you started. For example, I am right handed and I have found that it is easiest for me to start pulling the tape off from the left side of the project. Once the tape starts coming off I try to keep the end of the tape on which I am pulling as close to the leather as possible and pull it off to the right side. This seems to minimize the potential stretching of the leather when removing the tape.

As with any process, putting tape on the back of your project can have its own set of challenges. I have already mentioned the stretching of the leather that may happen with the removal but sometimes the tape wants to tear somewhere in the middle of a row. The best means I have found to get the leftover tape off is to use the point of a utility knife or Exacto knife to carefully pick up the stuck end of the tape. Do not try to cut the tape off because it would be easy to cut through the leather and ruin your project. Try not to leave any tape behind as it may cause the area to be a release point for a piece of lining leather or fabric to come loose.

Update - Leather Weights and Tracing Patterns

Okay, I’m back with a new post but I am using my old computer and trying to get along with it. It is snail slow and very particular about the things I do with it. When I try to adjust the photos it can get a little cantankerous and freeze up. I will hopefully be back in full swing with my laptop within a few days.

This post started out a week ago to show the steps in creating a hand-tooled leather project. I did not cut out leather to make a specific item; I cut out a small piece of leather to show the process that I go through from start to finish when tooling the leather. I used every stamp that I described in the post about the basic stamps that you might want if you are just starting out.

I tried to get photos of the steps from the beginning to the end but it did not happen exactly as I planned. My intentions were to have a photo of how each stamp was placed as I did them. I am not sure if I forgot to photograph them or if the camera forgot to put them in memory. I would imagine that the memory that failed was mine. I hope that the manner in which I am presenting the next few posts will give you a fairly good idea of how I tool/stamp leather. Remember, just because I do it this way does not mean that it is the best or the only way to do it. You will have to experiment to find what works best for you.

The photo below shows a comparison between weights of leather. The leather on the upper side is 9-10 ounce and the piece on the bottom is 3-4 ounce. 9-10 ounce leather can be used for a number of projects such as belts, holsters, and many other items which require leather with more strength. The 3-4 ounce leather can be used for wallets, small purses, and items that will not be very heavy. I would not use 3-4 ounce to make a hand-tooled holster to carry large caliber revolver because I am afraid that it would stretch out too much, especially where it is carved. I would opt for 5-6 or 6-7 ounce leather at the minimum.

 

9-10 ounce 3-4 ounce comparison

It may be a little difficult to get a good distinction of the real difference in thickness of the two leathers shown above, but the one on the bottom is less than half the thickness of the upper one. The instructions will be using the 3-4 ounce leather for the tooling project. By the way, I have a tendency to use the words “tooling” and “stamping” synonymously. I do not think that I would make a big fuss about the words; they have the same effect no matter what you say.

One of the first things that I like to decide before I start a project is what pattern that I will be putting on the leather. I like to have it all ready to go before I even begin to think about starting. You might find it important to decide if you want to go borderless or if you want to have the carving stop at a carved border. No matter what you do, you will need to know the size of the pattern in relation to the size of the area to be tooled. If you purchase a kit for a wallet or a small purse there will generally be a tracing and tooling pattern included in the kit.

My advice is that no matter what you do; copy the pattern onto some tracing paper so that you will have a bit of translucency in the paper. This will help you line up the pattern in accordance with the borders or edges of your project. I like to weight my tracing paper down on the pattern to be traced. This will minimize the movement between the two pieces of paper and will assure that you have the pattern in the right position before it is transferred to the leather. You will notice that the lines are pretty easy to see on this tracing pattern. That is because I did something that has been counter intuitive to what I normally do. I used a black marker to highlight the lines on the pattern so they would be more visible for the photo. I will not use a water-based marker to trace a pattern because the ink will bleed through onto the leather. It does not look a bit good when the edges of a leaf or flower have red or blue ink on them. I used a permanent, indelible ink marker to enhance the lines. Otherwise, I use pencil only for tracing a pattern.

Project tracing pattern on tracing paper

Another thing that I like to do is place packaging tape over the top of the pattern on the tracing paper. This will insure that you do not force your ballpoint stylus or other item through the paper. The paper, no matter which kind you use, will generally absorb a little of the moisture that is in the leather and will stretch out as well as tear very easily. The photo below shows the same tracing pattern with 2-inch packaging tape placed on the surface. The second photo shows the tape and dispenser that I use. You can find a fairly inexpensive roll of packaging tape with a dispenser at any place the sells office supplies. Fancy is not the key word for getting this part of the project done.

Tracing pattern with packaging tape - already on the leather.

Packaging tape roll on dispenser

In the next post I will discuss some more ideas for preparing your project before beginning the tooling.

Have fun!

Comparing Damp and Wet Carved Leather

I have a couple of photos of leather that I want to share with you concerning the moisture content of your leather. The first photo shows two pieces of leather with which are carved and each has a line has been beveled. If you look closely at the photo, you will notice some differences besides the color of the leather. Obviously, the one on the right is very wet and the one on the left is much drier. These two pieces of leather are part of the same scrap and if all things were equal should look the same.

I have numbered some points on this photo that I would like you to compare. It may be a little difficult to see because of the not so high quality. I will try to become more acquainted with my camera as I continue making posts on this blog. I tried to place the numbers as close to the points that I want you to consider.

Compare the numbers on the photo with the list below.

1. What I see when I look at this photo comparing the left sample to the right is that the lines on the left are more distinct than they are on the right. This photo does not show a good contrast between the two, but if you look closely, you might be able to see that the lines on the left are a little bit darker
2. Although these lines are not carved exactly the same, they are similar in that they are on the same portion of the pattern. The carved lines are almost equal in the width of the cut and the leather would be easy to stamp with either one. Look at the upper curve of the leaf on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The upper curve on the right-hand one has the peeling effect on it. This comes from carving it too wet
3.  Look at the color of the line on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The color of the beveled line on the left will stay that color when it has completely dried where the one on the right will have a bit of a washed out look. The preferred look for a finished project will be the one on the left. 
4. The same lines have been beveled on both pieces of leather. Do you notice anything different about them?  Look at the color of the line on the left and compare it to the one on the right. The color of the beveled line on the left will stay that color when it has completely dried where the one on the right will have a bit of a washed out look. The preferred look for a finished project will be the one on the left.

4.       When the leather has too much moisture some stamps can have an effect on areas that you do not particularly want them to. If you compare the two pieces, you will notice that the heel or backside of the beveler caused the carved lines to be compressed a little. The one on the left is not too bad, but a portion of the line on the right is almost obliterated. This will make it more difficult to use other stamps in completing the stamping process. One would almost want to use something to open the line up a little more before using other stamps here.

The second photo that I want you to consider is the same two pieces of leather side by side two days later. As I said before, these pieces leather are from the same scrap of leather and were the same color when I started. You might notice that the color of the leather on the right is a little darker. What you cannot see is that there is what I can best describe as a “bubble” effect of the extra moisture. The surface of the leather is a little rougher because the additional water evidently caused the grain to raise a little in some areas. I will not say that this will happen with all leathers, but it did happen here and I have seen it on other projects as well.

Notice the color of the beveled lines. The one on the left has the reddish-brown color still showing because the moisture was still in the flesh portion but not showing in the grain. The beveled line of the example on the right does not have the same color and it is a little washed out due to being too wet. The lines that were transferred from the tracing pattern are a little more pronounced on the left because it was not so wet.

Notice the differences between the two examples.

 

In the next post I will begin showing you how to use some of the leather stamps and I will have photos of what I think is the best way to use a stamp and I will try to show something similar to what I did when I first began carving and stamping leather.

Have fun!

More on Carving Leather

Carving a pattern onto your leather can be similar to the difference between the proverbial “silk purse and a sow’s ear.” Ranking the importance of the tools from one to ten with one being the highest, I would say that the swivel knife is the most important tool that you will have in your arsenal. A good piece of leather can look as if it had been run over by a semi-truck if the carving is not done well. I have talked with other leather craftsmen and they said the same thing.

Over the years, I have seen people take on a carving project that they were not skilled enough to complete. I did that myself when I first started out. In the first year that I worked with leather I did not have a good example of what good quality hand-tooled leather should look like and I put out some pretty “scabby looking” belts and wallets. I did my best as most people would do, but I did not take the time to practice carving like I should have and I made a lot of mistakes.

As for caring for your swivel knife, if it did not come in a box you will want to find one to put it in or make a pouch that you can slip it into for safe storage when you are not using it. Treat you swivel knife as if it is a precision surgical instrument and do not put other tools on top of it that will allow the blade to be damaged. If your swivel knife blade does happen to get damaged you will want to take the time to make sure that you re-sharpen it evenly. Trust me; doing it properly the first time will save you a lot of headaches and heartaches.

When carving a pattern onto the leather you will eventually notice that, the blade seems to have a lot of drag to it. Turn the swivel knife 180 degrees to switch edges and carve the pattern until the blade begins to drag again. At this point, you will want to “strop” or polish your blade. This is the process similar to what some barbers still do to get their straight razors ready to shave someone’s face. It is more like re-polishing the cutting surface of the blade than actually sharpening it. To sharpen your blade every time that it gets difficult to carve with will add a lot of extra time to your carving process. I will not say that you will wear out the blade more quickly, because, I still have the same swivel knife blade that came with it when I bought it over 40 years ago!

Stropping your swivel knife blade will make carving a whole lot easier as time goes along. I say that because using something like white jewelers rouge will actually help to smooth out some of the rough spots on your blade each time you strop it. It is amazing how much easier it is to take three or four minutes to strop a swivel knife blade and have an easier time of carving than it is to take out the honing oil and put it on the stone, drag the blade over the stone, wipe off the oil off the blade, turn the stone over and repeat the whole process all over again. When stropping your blade it is not necessary to remove the blade from the swivel knife barrel if you are careful to keep the edges flat as you strop it. This process can make a good quality-carving blade out of one that was rather rough ground in the beginning.

Getting the perfect surface on your blade will not happen with the first time that you strop it. It will need to be done many times, even midway of carving your pattern. It is not unusual for me to do this multiple times when I am carving a pattern. Keep in mind, white jeweler’s rouge is a very fine grit that is used to polish jewelry metals to a lustrous shine. I have a tool that I made many years ago for lifting the edges of flowers and leaves to give them a little more dimension. This tool was made from a concrete form snap-tie and the metal oxidizes occasionally making polishing necessary. When I finish the process, it looks as if it were made of a different kind of metal because of the shine.

If there was a contest that I had to judge between sharpening and stropping I would take stropping hands down. Stropping is less time consuming and carving is much easier with a smooth blade. Remember “peeling?” I found that I had more problems with peeling after I had gotten my swivel knife blade sharp after using the tonsorial gem. It may have been only me, but I would chalk it up to having the blade too sharp.

Now you read my speech about trying to carve or stamp your leather when it is too wet you will notice that trying to carve leather that is too dry will have a detrimental effect as well. The idea behind having the right amount of moisture in your leather is that the swivel knife blade will spread out the edges on each side of the cut more if it is moist than too dry. Carving the leather too dry will make the edges of the cut too round to get a good quality stamp. Instead of the carved lines having a good “V”, type of cut it will look more as if you cut it with a pocketknife. Remember, you can stamp your leather too wet or too dry if you want to do it. There are no police out there who are going to ticket you for not making sure that the leather is neither too wet nor too dry.

I cannot say enough about practicing with your swivel knife. Get some scrap leather that can be carved and stamped to use for practice. Take the time to try carving a piece that is bone dry and one that is completely soaked and compare those to a piece that has the correct moisture content. You should notice a great difference. I believe that you will want to make sure that you don’t start when the leather is too wet or allow it to get too dry.

Have fun!