guide repoussage du cuir

Learn the technique of embossing vegetable tanned leather with Yves Lesire: master craftsman (saddle maker) and certified trainer for several years. Since 2016 he has been a judge at the World Leather Debut Sheridan Wyoming USA.

Download the pattern
This free pattern is for private use only. It is to be printed in real size. Download the PDF pattern

WHAT IS LEATHER REPUSHING?

Embossing is the highlighting of a pattern on vegetable tanned leather. To carry out this relief and thus highlight your design, the leather is pushed back with various stamps. Pushing therefore consists of crushing the leather fibers around the lines of your pattern.

embossing leather working guide

How to repel leather?

We invite you to watch our 7 videos which explain the work of leather re-pushing step by step. Don't forget to download the template (the floral pattern) at the top of the page.

PART 1: Leather embossing: transfer of the design. PART 2: Re-pushing the leather: cutting with a swivel knife (opening knife).
PART 3: Re-pushing leather with bevelers. PART 4: Leather Reembossing with Thumbprints Stamps - Shading work.
PART 5: Reembossing the leather with camouflage, veiner and lifter stamps - Raising work. PART 6: Leather embossing with the backgrounder stamp and decorative cutting - Background work.

leather embossing RTC use

PART 7: RTC and PRO RESIST: filler & fixatives for spun leather. Leather coloring and finishing.

Which leather to choose for leather embossing?

Natural vegetable tanned leather is the most suitable leather for leather embossing. We advise you to opt for the PREMIUM range of vegetable-tanned collar leathers (thickness 2.5 mm - 3.3 mm and 3.8 mm). PREMIUM leather is softer and thicker than CLASSIC leather: this makes the work of embossing easier and will allow you to better showcase your creation.

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Sale price5,60 €
  • SIZE: 15x20cm 20x30cm 30x40cm 8x50cm
  • THICKNESS: 2.5mm 3.3mm
Gamme suivie
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Sale price71,28 €
  • THICKNESS: 2.5mm 3.3mm
  • SURFACE: from 0.50 to 0.59 m² from 0.60 to 0.69 m² from 0.70 to 0.79 m² from 0.80 to 0.89 m² from 0.90 to 0.99 m² from 1 to 1.09 m²
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Sale price12,90 €
  • THICKNESS: 2.5mm 3.3mm

dico leather embossing stamps

What tools for leather re-pushing?

  • The modeler/plotter allows you to transfer the design onto the leather (with a tracing sheet).
  • The opening knife, also called a swivel knife, allows you to incise the leather to give relief to your pattern. The index finger is positioned on the stirrup, the thumb and middle finger on each side of the handle as if holding a pencil. The index finger controls the depth of the cut while the other fingers are used to rotate the tool to make the desired shapes.
  • The beveler stamps allow you to give relief to the design by hammering them on the contours (cutting). The Beveler 6197 - 6203 -6935 stamps are essential for much of the leather embossing work.
  • The Barry King Tool maul / mallet has a perfect balance between the handle and the head which allows ease of use. Pay attention to the striking force which must be regular.
  • The marble will give excellent inertia to your mallet blows when pushing back your leather (it will absorb vibrations).
  • Without forgetting Easy-Carve or Pro-Carv : professional product for leather before spinning (to be diluted with water). The leather absolutely must be moistened to be able to push it back.

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Sale price19,90 €
  • CAPACITY: 236ml 946ml
easy-carve-protection-teinture-cuir-2621-02-gp.jpgPreparation of leather for modeling - Eco-Flo Easy Carve concentrate - 236ml
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Sale price18,64 €-10% Regular price20,70 €
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Sale price104,00 €
  • POIDS - WEIGHT: 400 g (14 oz) 450 g (16 oz) 570 g (20 oz) 680 g (24 oz) 800 g (28 oz) 1360 g (48 oz)
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Sale price48,00 €
France 🔵⚪🔴
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Sale price54,50 €
Premier prix
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Sale price12,90 €
Premier prix
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Sale price13,00 €

The dictionary of stamps

We have listed for you our range of more than 400 stamps for leather embossing. Discover the function of each family of stamps on handles and find a pattern, a shape, a dimension more easily thanks to our stamp dictionary!

SEE THE MATERIALS GUIDE >

dictionary of Deco Leather stamps

LEATHER DECORATIVE TOOL KITS

We have drawn on our experience to offer you the essential tools for leather refinishing in starter kits.

Pack économique
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Sale price54,10 €-11% Regular price61,09 €
  • RANGE: Essential Essential + Premium

How to choose your swivel knife blade?

swivel knife deco leather

The 7/32 attachment blades are compatible with all open knives from the Oka, Tandy Leather and Ivan brands. The 1/4 attachment blades are only compatible with Barry King Tools brand opening knives. Original blades are generally straight and flat. For a better grip we recommend curved blades. Beveled blades are generally used for small lines (finer cuts).

VIEW SWIVEL KNIFE >






What is embossing?

Embossing consists of transferring an existing pattern to the leather by pressure. As with embossing, only natural vegetable tanned leather allows this cold technique to be implemented. For all other types of leather, it will be necessary to resort to hot embossing which requires industrial heating presses.

Marking is done using a generally metallic tool. There are numerous 2D and 3D stamp stamps offering a multitude of patterns such as animals, flowers, Celtic symbols, etc. The alphabet and number stamp sets also work using the embossing technique. To transfer the pattern to the leather, you must attach a stamp to a handle that you hit with a mallet (or use an embossing wheel). It must have a weight adapted to the size of your stamp. Indeed, large patterns require much more pressure to properly mark the leather. The mallet is usually made of wood or polymer. We do not recommend the use of a metal hammer which, with use, will damage your stamp.

The advantage of this technique is the saving of time and the quality of the pattern which is directly linked to the quality of the stamp used.

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Sale price4,20 €
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Sale price4,20 €
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Sale price9,90 €
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Prix serré
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Sale price15,04 €-15% Regular price17,70 €

EXPLANATION OF BASKETWEAVE TECHNIQUE

The Basketweave (X) handle stamps take their name from the pattern created which resembles a woven basket. They allow you to quickly reproduce the same pattern in order to give a material effect and avoid keeping a large smooth surface.

To begin the embossing work, moisten the leather with a mixture of water and easy carve. Then draw (with a plotter) a reference line using 2 points on its creation.

Position the stamp on the handle (for our example: Basketweave fagot bias 11mm - X510) as close as possible to an edge. Then, strike the hammer on each side of the line. Be careful to tilt it at the edges so as not to exceed the decorative line. Have a maul heavy enough not to have to tap twice.

To learn the Basketweave technique, watch the video between minutes 12:35 and 19:03.

See the free “Knife sheath” tutorial >

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Sale price6,90 €
  • WIDTH: 7mm 8.2mm 9.2mm 10mm 11mm
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