Cutting on the back side

[Trapper Trent]

I'm very new to the leather craft scene, and have some "rooky" questions.

I cut the outline of my holsters on the smooth side down to the back side.  Is there any advantage of cutting from the rough, back side through to the side that will be finished?  Would it help prevent the initial hack lines around corners from showing up in the front?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I'm very new to the leather craft scene, and have some "rooky" questions.

I cut the outline of my holsters on the smooth side down to the back side.  Is there any advantage of cutting from the rough, back side through to the side that will be finished?  Would it help prevent the initial hack lines around corners from showing up in the front?

This is an interesting question. I never gave it much thought. I'm sure some of the other pards here can shed a little light on it. I always cut mine from the back but that is because I often use a ball-point pen to transfer the patern. If marked on the back, the ink won't bleed into the top grain of the leather if I tool a design on it. The mark line usually gets beveled off anyway but if the leather is wetted, there may be a possibility of the line bleeding. In addition, I've had alcohol-based dyes cause the line to bleed, too. This is not an issue on black, but some of the lighter colors make a difference.

[Klondike]

I agree with Will, I always cut from the back because of ball point pen marks. Also if you mis-mark and have to re-do, the mistake mark does not show.

[Nolan Sackett]

Cutting from either side is fine - won't make a spits worth of difference as to the smoothness/cleaness of the cut.

Now being contray to ordinary (based on the above answers anyway  ) I always cut from the smooth side - when drawing the pattern out I use red ink in a roller ball so that I don't press hard and leave marks - red is a transient color and "disappears" on anything dyed except for the lightest of tans........I do check the back before cutting to see if there are any problem areas to be avoided.........

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I'll remember the red roller ball, Nolan. That's a good trick for the times when I want to cut something from the front. Thanks.

[Trapper Trent]

I'm going to try cutting on the back side on my next holster.

The nearest Tandy store manager showed me how she cuts patterns, and it was from the back side.  Her demo convinced me that I should give it a try. 

[Slowhand Bob]

I cut from the front side. I am using the new Sharpie ExFine Point pens in brown, black and orange for marking, expensive but convenient.  They are highly visable, disappear completely (no oil residue or smudging) and do not tend to bleed as wide on the grain side.  Getting old and senile requires that I work on the same side all the time or I gits my patterns rights and lefts all confused!

[Trapper Trent]

If we only had dissapearing ink that goes on dark with a light touch, then gives a three hour working time before it fades to completley invisible.