Leather Strips and Straps

Belts, handles, laces and hinges start as strips cut from a side of firm vegetable-tanned leather. A strap cutter holds the width while you draw it along a straight edge; the edges are then bevelled, sanded and burnished smooth with a little gum and friction so they do not fray or fuzz. Firm leather about 3–4 mm thick suits straps; thinner leather suits laces and binding strips.

初学者

1 hour

说明

The leather

How the firm, vegetable-tanned leather is made.

Cut a straight edge

Lay the leather grain side up on the cutting mat and cut one long straight edge along the straightedge, following the backbone line where the leather is most even.

此步骤所需材料：

植鞣革0.1 sqm

所需工具：

直尺规

美工刀

自愈式切割垫

6 英寸数显卡尺

Pull the strips

Set the strap cutter to the width, run its fence against the straight edge and pull it along the leather in one steady draw. Repeat for each strip.

所需工具：

皮带裁切器

卷尺

Bevel the edges

Run the edge beveler along both corners of each edge, front and back.

所需工具：

皮革削边器

Sand and burnish

Sand the edges smooth, dampen them with a little gum tragacanth in water, and rub hard with the wooden slicker until they shine. A touch of beeswax finishes them.

此步骤所需材料：