Thought I'd try a hot foil press on leather and it went sideways

I got a cheap foil press from a craft store last month to try titles on leather covers. The first test on scrap leather looked okay, so I went for it on a finished cover. The heat was way too high and it burned right through the leather grain, leaving a dark brown patch. My friend saw it and said, 'You cooked it.' Learned that leather needs a much lower temp than paper. Anyone know a good temp setting for vegetable-tanned leather?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.emma1mo ago

Cooked it" is right, so try a low temp test on a hidden spot first.

sethtorres1mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, the "cooked it" warning is real. I saw a video where someone totally melted a synthetic fabric by not testing first. That low temp spot check is the only safe move.

lisa_hill2318d ago

Did you see the same video I did, @sethtorres? That one where the guy’s iron just ate through the fabric like butter? Oof, gave me chills. I’ve definitely had my own close calls, like when I accidentally set my iron to cotton and touched a poly-blend shirt. The smell alone was enough to make me swear off skipping the test patch forever. It’s such a small step but it saves you from ruining a whole piece of clothing. Honestly, that low temp spot check is the only thing standing between me and a melted disaster.