Hello all,
I chose a combination of suede and wood to build a tool sheath, in part because my tool edges are quite sharp and their shape is curved. I am about to complete the prototype and I have a few questions. Please keep in mind that this is my first project using leather:
Can leather be glued to wood with elegant results? If so, should I use Renia Aquilim 315 glue or Titebond to add leather to wood?
How do I maintain the visibility of "holes" from pricking irons on suede? I am having a hard time "seeing" them after I punch them.
How does one finish suede? I used wax and heat on my edges but the results were not as elegant as I wish they were.
Thanks for reading and for your ideas and input!
Laura
@sanders07 Some excellent advice from Ivo there!
I will add that the glue depends on the surface of the wood. For example, if the wood is of an intricate shape that the leather has to bend tightly around it, then a strong contact adhesive may be a better idea.
If however you are gluing leather on to a flat area of wood (box, attaché or trunk) then you can alternatively use PVA.
As for suede edge finishing, a turned edge or bound edge is my personal favourite.
Hello! I'll try to answer you to the best of my knowledge:) 1. Leather and wood can be glued together quite well, I would suggest taking a scrap of the wood and leather you intend to use and test a few glues to see which works best. In my personal experience simple PVA has worked amazing and the bond is very good. The reason to test it out is that some woods have more or less oil than others and this could affect your bond. Renia 315 will likely work perfectly fine too.
2. In short, have a strong light source and that's pretty much it. Some times you can shift your leather to "open up" to holes allowing the light to hit it at a different angle making it more visible. But it's mostly a guessing where it is and feeling for it with your needles/awl. This will be the case for many softer leathers unfortunately.
3. For finishing your suede edges I would recommend edgepaint, although suede can still be tricky to edge paint since it can sometimes pull the paint in a direction you don't want it. Check "techniques of the edge part 2" for edge painting :)