Proper Moisture Content When Casing Your Leather with Joe Meling

[@NMiller_]

Best video on moisture content and its impact on tooling I've ever seen! Thanks for this one.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thanks so much, Nathaniel - glad it was helpful!

[@robertmcelroy1389]

I am teaching 6 of my grandchildren. Now that they have had a few lessons and have experienced the moisture problems their next lesson will begin with this demonstration. This is really the best and is going to absolutely enhance their tooling. Thanks!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Robert! So glad you're passing the craft on to your grandchildren!

[@redseal28]

This is, by far and away, the best video I have seen on casing leather. Thanks Joe for another great video!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Shane! So glad the video was helpful!

[@bluejeans8001]

Wonderful demonstration and very useful information. Thanks for sharing

[@PLAZALOT58]

I have been doing leathercraft and carving off and on for many years with reasonable success. Recently I decided to pursue it more seriously and try to develop my carving to a higher level. However my current attempts at carving have only produced frustration and defeat. After watching your video I can see that my biggest problem is trying to carve cheap import leather from Brazil . I was about ready to give it up but seeing that even someone as skilled as you has problems with the imports has given me the motivation to get some Herman Oak and keep trying! Thank you Joe for making this video!!

[@rickmartin7674]

I only came here because I was learning about casing for strops, but I ended up watching the whole video - top shelf instruction and demonstration! I can almost feel the mush and deformation of the too-wet and the almost "sterile" resistance of the too-dry. Amazing, thanks - except now I want to learn leatherworking *as well as* all the other (too many) hobbies I have lol

[@chadcooperconsulting]

I can see now my tooling skill has exceeded the import leather. I had no idea the expensive leather looks so much better. Time to buy a side of the good stuff for me.

[@Lordstephen7813]

Very good demo. I've done the let it sit for 24 hours but as you say they both work, I did find the import sprang back a bit the next day ,so had to go over it in some places again. As you say there's an odd coating on there. I did try very dilute soapy water on the import and it soked in better. Thanks for the upload 👍

[@tamerkhalil2751]

Great video Joe

[@silvianaamethyst]

Incredibly helpful. I'm a beginner, and this helped me identify that my leather was too dry. Thanks!

[@BBQNerds]

I’m pretty new to leather working and I have to say, this was really helpful! When I first started, I was definitely over-wetting everything. Thank you! I’m going to keep practicing.

[@franotoole2702]

Great video Joe. Since i live in ireland i mainly work with european leather. Quality leather definately makes a huge difference in everything. You managed to get a nice burnish on the import. So far ive only managed it a few times. Have had leather from 3 or 4 suppliers now and all of them are the same, almost impossible to get a good bevel burnush no matter the level of moisture. I wiil at some stage work with herman oak and wickett and craig to see the difference. Just too dam expensive right now to import it.

[@mkwflyinglife5166]

Hmm, now I have to redo my last project with wetter leather. I don't think I've been cutting deep enough and I have not been getting that great burnish. Thinking, I am not that far from Pendleton I should take a drive down.

[@adamrasmussen6087]

Use some deglazer on the import leather to improve the water absorption

[@karenmcclure2000]

Thank you so much, I'm just starting out ,helped understand it better

[@seandepoppe6716]

Finally another leatherworker that have hands that look like mine!!! 👍😎👍 Working hands!!!

[@jasonsammis7240]

I'm shocked by the difference between the Hermann Oak and the import product when correctly wetted, it makes me feel much better about my progress so far since I've only used the less expensive stuff. Also makes me feel better about ordering 2 single shoulders of the HO yesterday. Great video, very helpful.

[@voodoo0202ify]

Awesome video brother, great instructions. This really helps for someone who is just starting out in leather tooling. I appreciate the information. Thank you.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Glad it was helpful!

[@manuelmancia3911]

Good night Mr. Meling, what is the number of the tool that you use to bevel the veg leather You moistened?

[@JnJShiffler]

Have you ever heard of anybody experimenting with distilled water versus tap water versus well water versus spring water? Heck maybe even alkaline water? When video I watched recently about chasing leather the guy added saddle soap to the top after adding the water and rubbed it in.

[@b.djones1608]

So helpful been working way to wet thanx

[@qtfusiondance]

I dunno man, it seems like I couldn't get my leather too wet. I totally soaked mine for a good 15+ seconds and it still seems like it was too dry because the leather was resisting me for anything curved. It worked okay for straight lines, but I wasn't able to get the fade effect from slowly pulling up on the swivel knife. I tried tooling it immediately after drying as well as after waiting 15-20 minutes. Maybe it's because I'm a noob with the swivel knife, but my leather seems lower quality than all three of these.... and I thought it was high quality. The effect looked closer to your "too dry" than your "too wet" versions, yet I did more or less what you did to the "too wet" ones. Then again, maybe the "import leather" does seem most like mine, since you said the "too wet" version kind of worked better for carving?

[@paulrobertson7980]

Great tutorial

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Paul!

[@bubba7531]

Ditto! Thank you.

[@alwentzel4776]

Very interesting

[@ashtonmccracken8310]

Is there a way to bevel your engraving without a beveler tool

[@bjornsworkshop9288]

It is definitely possible, but there is a reason that a beveler is the gold standard. You can use a modelling spoon, regular spoon, butter knife, or any number of other things to compress one side of your swivel knife cuts. The specialized tools make things faster, easier, and/or more consistent, but you can definitely make other options work!

[@tinoyb9294]

Investigate push bevelers.

[@jackkrag]

Thanks

[@meirdeaph]

🙏thanks

[@harrisonbergeron9746]

is it the same for casing leather for moulding rather than carving? i don't carve much but i soak more for moulding bags and such

[@burkhardt7372]

It did for me, I had a mold and I couldn't figure out what had changed since I used it last. All about moisture content.

[@harrisonbergeron9746]

@@burkhardt7372 good oh, cheers for that

[@qtfusiondance]

You keep saying "import leather," but what does that mean? How do I know if my leather is import leather?

[@notwrkn2mch]

Perfect....... sure helps me Thnx :)

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Glad to hear that, thanks!

[@b.djones1608]

I was thought to wet my project let it soak overnight then let it come back to color. What a waste of time! Thanx

[@d0nn13m0n0]

The tooling set being promoted in this video is sold out. What a bummer. My neighbor lent me his tools to get started and I just gave them back. No tools. No fun.

[@karenmacomber1106]

I know, right? I requested to be informed when this came back in stock on Jan 20th. Still no information. I ordered a cheap set on Amazon in the meantime.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

So sorry about this. The tooling set should be in stock on the 22nd of this month.

[@stormyeffects4795]

Where’s the other guy? I want chuck back, but I guess you’re cool for now

[@stevethomas7463]

🤔💥......😲👍

[@jsunshine4]

Thank you for this .. .. . . . I'm just getting ready to start and with this Info I will be making a more Polished design...... Awesome, cheers @JBFOUR_ on Insta