Finishing Edges and Sealing Leather Dog Collars

A cut edge of leather is raw. Fibres show, and water gets in there first. Finishing the edge is the one job on a collar that you can't easily redo after the dog has worn it.

Safety first

Dyes, solvents and finishes can be harmful. Follow the maker's label and the safety data sheet for each one. That sheet can list how to use a product safely and what its hazards are.¹ Products sold under the same name can differ between makers, so read the sheet for the product you actually have.¹ Work with good ventilation. Keep blades and solvents away from children.

What burnishing does

Burnishing is buffing leather edges to a slick, glossy finish.² The shine has a job too. When you burnish, you seal the cut edge by applying friction, and the heat compresses the fibres.² The supplier says this creates a waterproof barrier, so the leather won't absorb moisture, and that it helps stop thread from rotting.² Note that this is one supplier's claim about the edge only, not about the whole strap.

Sailrite says burnishing works best on vegetable-tanned leather.² If your strap is another type, the sources used here don't say how to treat the edge.

Steps for a hand burnisher

1. Sand the edge, especially if you glued pieces together. Sanding makes the edge smooth and flat and removes any glue that seeped out.²
2. Bevel the edges so they're rounded. That also makes them easier to burnish.² Tandy's collar pattern bevels both the top and bottom of the strap.³
3. Wet the edge with a lubricant, working in short sections. Sailrite names water, beeswax, gum tragacanth and saddle soap.²
4. Rub the edge quickly with the burnisher, pressing hard enough to make friction.²
5. Repeat as needed. You may have to apply lubricant and burnish several times. If you don't get results, the edges may be too dry.²
6. Buff with a canvas cloth for extra shine.²

You can burnish before or after dyeing an edge. This supplier recommends doing it after, to keep a high gloss.² Tandy lets you dye, stamp and finish as you like before the edge work.³

If you use a machine

A burnishing machine follows the same steps: sand, bevel, lubricate and burnish. Watch the speed, or you can burn the leather.²

Oil and wet leather

Oiling helps leather resist water.⁴ But the natural oils in a hide can wash out after repeated soakings.⁴ A collar on a swimming dog needs a close eye. Vegetable-tanned leather isn't stable in water and tends to discolour.⁴

Beeswax and the dog's coat

Beeswax is listed by Sailrite as a lubricant for burnishing.² The sources used for this page don't say which finishes are safe against a dog's skin or coat. So read the label and the safety data sheet for anything you apply, and ask the maker if the answer isn't there. Let the finish dry or cure as the label says before the collar goes on a dog.

When the edges are done, put the collar together using the step-by-step collar page. For sewing the strap, turn to the stitching page.