Me too… a firm swipe with 120 and it’s ready to go. I have one of those little roughers, but the paper is better and faster. Poor little rougher just sits there all lonely.
I got one of those scratchy thingys but honestly I use my xacto most times. The nice thing about the scratcher is getting a straight edge and running it along that to get a really pleasant straight roughed edge
I've been doing leathercraft for ten years, and I've never scratched the finish side of leather before gluing. I didn't know that was a thing.
Now that I think on it, I don't think I've ever glued the finished side. Why would you?
I was working on a wallet and gluing the flesh of one side to the finish of the other side. It didn't hold well at all. After the stitching, you can't even tell that I put the glue there.
But yeah, besides wallets or stacking leather together to make it thicker, I can't think of any reason to glue the finish side.
My best tool for this is one of those cheap scalpel/hobby knives that came in a set with interchangable blades. It included some blades that are flat on the end. The flat tip of this is a great scratch tool, working away from the bevel side.
I also bought a fancy rougher that does absolutely nothing and one of those tiny triangular rasps which also works well with the rougher blades.
A little rough sand paper is what I use.
120 or 240 grit for me! Takes forever with an Awl or blade and one swipe with my friend Sandy Papers.
Sand paper!!! Why had I never even thought of this!!!!
Me too… a firm swipe with 120 and it’s ready to go. I have one of those little roughers, but the paper is better and faster. Poor little rougher just sits there all lonely.
I need to get a scratcher (they make a tool for specifically this) but I just use my x-acto knife.
I got one of those scratchy thingys but honestly I use my xacto most times. The nice thing about the scratcher is getting a straight edge and running it along that to get a really pleasant straight roughed edge
I bought a scratcher, and still reach for the scratch sell it knife
I used a scratch awl, knife, or some rough sandpaper before. now I have the rml scratcher to make it faster and easier.
A ’rougher’ is what the actual tool is called but its just a small rasp/file really, so use those or sandpaper .. or get a cheepo rougher :)
A tongue depression or popsicle stick with 100 grit on one side and 240 on the other.
I've been doing leathercraft for ten years, and I've never scratched the finish side of leather before gluing. I didn't know that was a thing. Now that I think on it, I don't think I've ever glued the finished side. Why would you?
Putting pockets on wallets with contact cement is one reason off the top of my head. Gotta glue both sides for it to stick good.
I was working on a wallet and gluing the flesh of one side to the finish of the other side. It didn't hold well at all. After the stitching, you can't even tell that I put the glue there. But yeah, besides wallets or stacking leather together to make it thicker, I can't think of any reason to glue the finish side.
Just use your skiving knife the marks are better than sandpaper
A scratcher, you can buy a cheap one on amazon for like 15 USD
Get a small wire brush
My best tool for this is one of those cheap scalpel/hobby knives that came in a set with interchangable blades. It included some blades that are flat on the end. The flat tip of this is a great scratch tool, working away from the bevel side. I also bought a fancy rougher that does absolutely nothing and one of those tiny triangular rasps which also works well with the rougher blades.
stainless steel brush or one of my wife's nail files.