Celebrating Slickers

There are a lot of details and finesse to the art of leather working that often aren’t immediately pointed out… and sometimes even pretty far down the path you might not learn about. I have an active interest in details and workmanship, so scoured the internet for more in-depth tutorials and YouTube videos (I highly suggest 20 Ways to Improve Your Leatherwork!).

You can do leather working with a razor blade instead of a swivel knife.
You can use a spoon to smooth edges instead of a stylus.
You can use a nail instead of an awl to poke holes to sew pieces together.
You can go the opposite direction and have so many tools it takes you 20 minutes to locate the right “seeder.”

I’m probably somewhere in between, but one tool I won’t be without now is an edge slicker.

When I started, none of the introductory tutorials and supply lists mentioned an edge slicker, a tool used to “burnish” edges and provide a more uniform, finished look to them.

Tandy’s basic set doesn’t have one. Not even the deluxe set has one. You have to get the “Ultimate” set before one is included and I think that’s a shame. It means a good chunk of the population learning this craft isn’t taking the time to finish edges. While I understand leaving them raw and unfinished can be a particular look, it is clear to me the majority of people just don’t know there is another option.

While I haven’t reached the level of Bob Parks (Read his tutorial on Finishing Edges on Leatherworker.net), I’m still happy I know about finishing edges and have tried a couple different slicker options.

The first slicker I purchased was a round, nylon slicker. I still have it and use it sometimes, but it has a major flaw- it only accommodates a small range of weight/thicknesses. I got it because it was really inexpensive and I wasn’t sure at that point I would ever need anything else. I had no idea still just how involved in leather working I would become.

Unless you’re only working with a medium weight of leather, do yourself a favor, go up one notch, and get a multi-size wooden slicker. I know, the price is much higher, but it’ll be worth it when you decide you want to make bracelets instead of bracers or decide to make armor out of something super thick. And you can wait until it goes on sale, it’s not super frequent, but it isn’t something that rarely goes on sale.

You might also want an “edger” as slicking edges that haven’t been beveled doesn’t provide as nice of a result… and while you can use a knife to shave the edge, it’s much quicker and more uniform to use an edger tool. I have a number two (#2) and have found it to be a good all-around size.

The next step up would be Cocobolo burnishers that you can find custom created on places like Etsy and Ebay that attach into a rotary hand tool. While I sometimes pine for such a quick system (and maybe some day I’ll try my hand at creating one), the ones I have work for now.

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