TIL my round needles were why my leather covers kept puckering

Switched to flat paring needles about a month ago and the difference in my book covers is night and day. No more wavy edges on the leather after glue-up. Has anyone else struggled with tool shape affecting their final results?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wren28d ago

Have you tried different leather thicknesses with them?

jenkins.reese28d ago

220 grit sandpaper is the real game changer here, nobody talks about it. I spent a year messing with thicknesses and nothing clicked until I tried roughing up the flesh side before glueing. It changes how the leather grabs the metal frame way more than the thickness does. You can use a thinner hide and actually get better hold if you scuff it right. Plus it saves you from buying those expensive heavy bends.

grantp2828d ago

Dude yes! 220 grit is totally the secret. I went through a whole phase buying 10-12oz leather for frames and it was both a pain to work with and wrecked my wallet. Then I grabbed some 4-5oz scrap, hit the flesh side with some 220 grit, and it grabbed onto the frame like it was glued with concrete. No slipping, no sagging over time. I actually switched to doing that with all my projects now, even when using heavier stuff. It's one of those tricks you wish someone told you on day one.