Burnished edge turning white?

M

Maelstrom78

Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Messages
1,574
Hi all. Got my first sheath done and for #1 it turned ok enough. I see that the edges I tried to burnish have turned whitish after the leather dried.

Did I need to sand more or something? My gum traganth did freeze during shipping and it said it would ruin the product. Could that be it? I should include that the leather is black drum dyed.

Could I re burnish after putting on the atom balm?

Thanks!

29co378.jpg
 
Now that it has dried more there is more edge that has turned white. I ground it to profile on the disc grinder and it did heat up. Could I have overheated/burned it?
 
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I'm surprised someone hasn't stepped in here and helped you out .
I'm not really the guy for the job , because I've never had that happen before , but then I don't use Gum Trac either .
How much leather is there between the stitching and the edge ?
Is there enough to sand it back to fresh leather and start again ?
That's what I'd be tempted to do if it were mine and you get no other replies .

Good luck

Ken
 
I'd also recommend getting some Fiebings black oil dye, that stuff works GREAT and yes if you can see you sanded it a tad to long and it burned, I'd lightly sand over that area again, as Ken pointed out, if you have enough land are outside the stitching.

And I wouldn't think that Gum Trag would cause the white part myself, I've not seen that and have used it for years. But, stranger things have happened!

So, I'd lightly sand

apply some black oil dye

burnish once you applied the dye

apply some Gum trag, I burnish after that's set in a little bit

lightly sand with some 2000 grit or finer, so it doesn't take much if anything

apply some Gum trag and burnish again and then your water coating after it's dry and brush it.

G2
 
OK thanks guys. I do have enough to take a sixteenth off and retry on the edges.

Does anyone know if it freezes is the gum traganth really ruined?
 
I can only offered limited advice as I've not worked with drum dyed leather very much. That being said I've had the same thing happen to me with regular veg tan. It was the leather. I advised the supplier and they asked for a sample back (it was a premium double shoulder). I sent them a sheath and a piece of the leather. They were able to duplicate the problem. They replaced the double shoulder and the second one did it too. I seldom use double shoulders any more and when I do I don't get them there any more. Thats probably not fair because I've used a whole herd of double shoulders from them in the past and never had a problem. I agree with Gary that its not the gum. I too until recently had used it for years and until last year and this year we use to have winters. I've never had a heated shop and I can remember a two week span years ago where it never got above zero. I know my gum froze. Never had a problem. Where did ya get your leather and who made it?
 
Thanks Dave, that point went over my head that it was drum dyed leather, not sure what I thought I read ;)
I've had some leather like that and it can act pretty funky, I'd be careful as maybe it isn't veggie tanned leather either, could be harmful to some steels, depends on the source.

G2
 
Interesting. It is a premium dyed double shoulder from Hide House.

I'll re sand and re gum and update.

Thanks!
 
Gary and Dave ,
How thick a layer of Gum do you put on ?
What do you burnish with when you use Gum ?

Ken
 
I apply it with my fingers a folder sheath doesn't take too much, I burnish with the bone folder

Dave has given up the trag for the new slick stuff and I think he burnishes with that grooved wood spindle
G2
 
I've received nothing from Hide House except really good stuff. They've been one of my suppliers for years. I'd try the resanding and then going over it with the dye as Gary suggested. You might try doing one part with your gum and another part with say saliva to see if there is a difference on the second go round.

Ken I do all my burnishing with that lathe as shown in the pancake sheath tutorial. I want it wetter than damp but not gobbed on when I use gum.
 
We was typing at the same time Gary. BTW if you read the fine print on the gum your not really suppose to touch the stuff. I never knew this (I use to use my finger as an applicator too) for years. One day I actually read the label and saw that. I checked my ear lobes for thumbs growing out of them but seemed to be ok. After that I tried not to touch it too much and used a dauber as an applicator. Like ya said a folder sheath ain't too much but when I do a martingale its like 350 linear inches of edges to do, (I measured one time). That' be a bunch of gum to use.
 
That's what I thought .
I was wondering if maybe the Gum hadn't been applied or burnished correctly ?
Is that a possibility ?


Ken
 
I'm far from an expert, but had something similar happen.

I'd say sand it down with finer sandpaper by hand, apply some dye and then burnish.

When I had the same I have only sanded with coarse sandpaper and then burnished. When it dried some of the rough fibers 'stood up' and they didn't have as much dye in them.
 
I don't apply gum trac to my edges, that's a first. I dye the edges then sand to 400-600 grit in one direction, like Mr. Paul Long. Then apply fiebings saddle soap and burnish with a deer antler. I use gum trac on the flesh side of my sheaths to slick the grain and lay it down in one direction. I also use my finger... just the way I learned.
IMHO buy the videos either from Paul Long or Chuck Burrows. It will help you greatly.
Laugh at your mistakes, they aren't wrong, just different. They will turn into successes down the road. I know I have.
 
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Horsewright said:
We was typing at the same time Gary. BTW if you read the fine print on the gum your not really suppose to touch the stuff. I never knew this (I use to use my finger as an applicator too) for years. One day I actually read the label and saw that. I checked my ear lobes for thumbs growing out of them but seemed to be ok. After that I tried not to touch it too much and used a dauber as an applicator. Like ya said a folder sheath ain't too much but when I do a martingale its like 350 linear inches of edges to do, (I measured one time). That' be a bunch of gum to use.
Click to expand...

Well, this explains a LOT about my three daughters!!! :)

But yeah, it smells so good, and I don't use that much at a time and wash hands immediately afterwards but, now, I think I'll go the safer route!

G2
 
Thats pretty funny Gary. You know the problem is using a finger is just a better applicator than a duaber. Its easy to get it in all the right places and with the dauber its easy to get it in places ya don't want it. Maybe a guy could try a nitrile glove? The perfect compromise.
 
:D Seen those finger cots, and yea, I agree. :p

I tear up old tee shirts for Gum applicators, it allows me to rub that stuff in real good before I take to burnishing. Actually more often than not it helps me to not have to burnish so much. I really dont like that extra glossy look that too much burnishing causes.

Your Mileage May Vary.

also, I agree, I love the smell of that stuff, as such I wont use anything else. :p
 
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