Finishing flesh side

[OurJud]

I recently bought some 2" cowhide to use for a notebook cover project. It has been dyed black, but the flesh side is rather rough (furring and bobbles). What is the best (preferably cheapest) way to finish this side of the leather and give it a more professional, less rustic look.

Thanks in advance.

[Peaks]

One way is to paint it with pva adhesive - I have used a proprietary leather cement thinned down a little, applied with a sponge. Dries quickly and gives a sealed surface.
Or you could glue a piece of silky type material on?

There are other more skilled + experienced leather workers than me who will no doubt be along shortly.....

[Tony1948]

I recently bought some 2" cowhide to use for a notebook cover project. It has been dyed black, but the flesh side is rather rough (furring and bobbles). What is the best (preferably cheapest) way to finish this side of the leather and give it a more professional, less rustic look.

Thanks in advance. 2" cowhide
I hope you mean 2mil you'll have a job to bend 2" cowhide:jumping-joy:If it's black the cheepes way is to go to the £shop and buy a bottle of instant boot polish,take the top and spunge off the top and paint it on the inside.

[OurJud]

Thank you both, and yes, Tony, I mean 2mm :D

I like both those suggestions, especially the boot polish one as I bought a tin recently.

Although, wait, you said a bottle of boot polish... You don't mean the Kiwi stuff in the round tin, then? Still, easily fixed and my kind of price.

[dave budd]

i would be careful using the boot polish idea, it tends to come off on things ;) Your best bet is to paint it with a sealer as Peaks suggested. I've never tried pva, I use gum tragacanth since that's what I have (its used for sealing the edge of sheathes before burnishing, corn starch is the same thing). Paint on, wipeoff the excess and leave to mostly dry. When mostly dry, burnish over with a smooth pebble or glass bottle. Make sure you dye the leather first though, if you are dying it

[Tony1948]

Thank you both, and yes, Tony, I mean 2mm :D

I like both those suggestions, especially the boot polish one as I bought a tin recently.

Although, wait, you said a bottle of boot polish... You don't mean the Kiwi stuff in the round tin, then? Still, easily fixed and my kind of price. No I mean the liquid polish in a bottle.

[OurJud]

[...] corn starch is the same thing). Paint on, wipeoff the excess and leave to mostly dry. When mostly dry, burnish over with a smooth pebble or glass bottle. Make sure you dye the leather first though, if you are dying it

Thanks, Dave. Are you saying I could use corn starch instead of this Tragacanth?

Also, the leather is already dyed, could I still do it?

[dave budd]

When I was last looking to buy some gum trag, I kept coming across corn starch being sold as gumtrag substitute. So I bought some and it it is fine :) Much much cheaper too! I only mentioned the dying because you wouldn't be able to do it once the gum is applied

[OurJud]

Thanks again, Dave.

So how would I apply the corn starch (I presume corn flour is the same thing?). Do I simply mix it with water, and what sort of consistency am I looking for?

[dave budd]

dunno if starch and flour are the same thing or not to behonest. I bought a small bag or the powder and mixed some with water until I had a thin gloop (same as the gum trag that I had been using). Then I paint the gloop on to the leather (or tip some on and spread about with a finger), wipe it around on the surface and then wipe off the excess with a cloth. Leave it to dry for a bit and then burnish. If the goo is still a little damp then you get different results than if it is fully dry, so try on some scrap to see what you like

[OurJud]

Okay. Thanks very much, Dave :)