stacked leather handles, how?

[SDS]

How do you finish out stacked leather handles? Do you just sand them to a fine grit then buff or do you use some sort of sealer on them?

Any tips are appreciated.

Thanks,
SDS

 

[Hmathews]

I like to soak them with the thin superglue. It hardens the leather and makes it easier to work. You just shape it, sand it and polish it. The superglue penetrates and seals the leather better than anything else I have tried.

 

[SDS]

Thanks, I'll give the superglue a try.

SDS

 

[Rick Lowe]

Another method for leather tacked handles is to sand to shape and then saturate with Danish oil or Tung oil. Do several coats letting it dry in between. This will seal the leather and protect against moisture. When the last coat is dry, buff for a finish.

 

[Will52100]

I've used super glue before and it works, but I've tried accure glass and like the results a bit better. I used to wet leather squares, stack about 7 at a time and squess in a shop press and jig, let dry then soak with super glue and re-stack and compress. Now I just brush the squares with accure glass and soak them good and compress. I use a 20 ton shop press and a jig made out of 3/4" flat bar, don't forget the wax paper to keep from sticking the press and dies together. Block comes out looking like a block of stabilized wood and I just trim the edges with the bandsaw, drill and use like a block of wood.