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I thought using a bone folder on leather was always the right move
I was working on a leather journal cover last month and kept getting these faint, shiny streaks on the grain. I pressed really hard with my bone folder for about 20 minutes trying to get a crisp crease. The result was a permanent, polished mark that ruined the natural look. A binder in a workshop chat said to use a softer tool like a teflon folder or even just my fingernail for delicate vegetable-tanned leather. I switched for the next panel and the difference was night and day. Has anyone found a good middle-ground tool for firm creases without burnishing?
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margaretramirez1mo ago
Check the temperature of your leather before creasing. I've had good luck letting veg tan warm up a bit from my hands first, then a light pass with a bone folder works without that shine. Cold leather seems to polish no matter what tool you use.
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logan5611mo ago
Disagree completely with the temperature focus. That shine comes from too much pressure on the tool, not the leather being cold. You can get a clean crease on cold veg tan if you just ease up and make one smooth pass.
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