Cutting corners in leather can be tricky if you don't have a corner punch, especially when the leather gets thicker. Scissors tend to angle and slide and leave a messy edge, although they will work on very thin leathers. We hope the following tips might help.
If you don’t have a corner template make your own by collecting up some objects to give a flat round smooth hard edge – old buttons, lids, plates work well.
Difference in methods between thin leather and thicker:
Thin leathers such as suede, lambskin nappa, metallics (up to around 0.5mm) use leather shears, or a rotary cutter.
0.5mm-2mm thinner leathers such as firm calf, veg tan calf, oil tanned calf or bullhide use a precision craft knife.
For thicker leathers you can still use the precision craft knife but start with a new blade and strop often, or use a click knife such as the Industrial Craft Knife.
Thicker leathers
With thicker leathers it is important that you cut straight down as you cut your curve to avoid a bevel to the edge. Use a good sharp knife and strop before starting. Don’t try to get through the leather in one move unless your knife is very sharp.
Template Method – cutting around a hard edge
* strop the blade – work with a good sharp blade and tip (see our Guide to Stropping)
* carefully work around the template ensuring it doesn’t move. Use light strokes and keep working through the layers, trying to go into the first cut channel made.
Straight line method
- Light score the curve shape into
- the leather.
- Take a series of straight line cuts
- Each at slightly different angles
With this method on thicker leather, you might will need to lightly sand off the leather edge with a piece of fine grit sandpaper before edge slicking.
For a video tutorial watch our demonstration here:
Did you know we stock corner punches? - Click here to shop
