Bone folder, what a name? It sounds like some kind of machine used to break bones, yet its anything but that. Bone folders have been used for centuries in various crafts, including leathercraft to fold, crease and burnish leather or paper. In this post I take a look at all its different uses, how much they cost, how to use them and where to get them.
A bone folder is a handheld, dull pointed tool used in leathercraft, origami, bookbinding and other crafts in order to create neat crease lines as the tool is dragged along leather or paper’s surface. Once the crease line is made the leather can be neatly folded in order to create a neat fold.
Bone folders come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are made from lots of different materials. They have a few functions besides creating crease lines in leather or paper and are used in a wide variety of crafts. Please read on for more info.
Why is it called a bone folder.
The bone folder gets its name as they were originally made out of bone and were used to make creases or folds in paper, leather and cardboard. Originally bone folders were made from cow bone, deer antlers and even whale bone. Baleen, a bone like substance found in the jaw of whales was the most common material for bone folders. Hence the name bone folder or bone creaser.
You can still buy genuine bone folders today, but timber, metal,plastic or teflon are now more widely used and preferred. They also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Why were bonefolders used.
Before the days of e-mail when letter writing was the only form of correspondence, people took great pride in the appearance of their letters and cards. Bone folders or bone creasers were widely used to make neat accurate creases in paper, cardboard or leather. The paper or leather could then be folded along this crease line without wrinkling or damaging its surface.
As bone folders didn’t leave marks or scratches on the surface of paper or leather, and were fairly cheap, they gained popularity. Bone folders also helped to speed up the process of having to fold numerous quantities of pages or cards without having to use your hands to make a crease.
What is a bone folder used for.
As stated previously bone folders are generally used to make creases and folds in leather or paper, but they can also be used in a number of other ways.
- Bonefolders can be used to shape or mould leather into a specific form, especially if you dampen your leather. They are commonly used when shaping holsters etc. as their flat surface allows the dampened leather to be worked into a new shape without creasing the leather.
- Bonefolders can be used to buff or burnish the edges of your leather if you don’t have access to an edge slicker. You can use the flat side of your bone folder to vigorously rub along the edge of your leather edge. The rubbing creates friction and therefore heat and will smooth burnish these edges. Some bone folders come with an attachment on one end of the folder (eg. The Tandy Leather Teflon Bone Folder) this attachment can be used as an edge slicker, depending on the thickness of your leather.
- Another function of the humble bone folder is that it could be used instead of wing divider to make scour/ crease lines on your leather. Normally you would make a crease line in order to fold your leather but the scour line along your leather edge can be a decorative detail to help your leatherwork look more intricate. You could even do 2 crease lines next to each other on the edge of a belt to create more interesting edges. This crease line can then be stitched in so that your stitches are recessed and protected from everyday wear and tear. Something to note when purchasing your bone folder is to make sure that it has a hard durable surface that doesn’t easily chip or dent as this will leave scratch marks or uneven creases on your leather.
- Bone folders, due to their flat surface and pointed ends can also be used to get into hard to reach places or areas. An example of this and where it’s commonly used is when you glue and stitch 2 pieces of leather together. Let’s say you are making a wallet and you need to get inside to the bottom of the wallet in order to get rid of some excess glue to prevent the 2 pieces sticking together. Your fingers might not be long enough but due to the thin shape of the bone folder it can easily get in those hard to reach places. Just stick it in there and rub around until the pieces are separated. Just make sure to clean your bone folder afterwards to get rid of any excess glue.
How to use a bone folder.
A bone folder is very simple tool to use and if its your first time using one have a few practice goes on a spare piece of leather before you try a crease line. The bonefolder is used in conjunction with the aid of a ruler. The ruler will act as a straight edge/ guide when you are making crease lines in leather. It helps to dampen your leather slightly and to let it dry out a bit before you try and make a crease line.
Place your steel ruler on your leather where you would like to make your crease line. Make sure the ruler is straight and parallel to the edge of your leather or page. Now use the bone folder and drag it all along the edge of your ruler where you want your crease line. You will need to use a bit of force when doing this in order to make a crease in the leather. You should now be able to fold your leather with the aid of the flat surface of the bone folder along this crease line.
If you are using the bone folder to burnish your leather edges then you will just need to a rub a slightly damp sponge along the edge before you burnish. Please check out my other blog post on leather edge burnishing if you would like to know more about edge burnishing. Check out this link to another post i wrote regarding edge burnishing
How much do bone folders cost.
Bone folders vary in cost and can be bought at many craft stores and leather supply stores. They are relatively cheap as they are now mass produced out of teflon, plastic or other synthetic materials. You can buy them on Amazon which has a wide variety available. They generally vary in price from about $7 to about $15 on Amazon. See the attached link to Amazon to see the various bone folders on offer.
I have seen custom made timber bone folders sold online. These are usually made out of a hardwood timber. They are a bit more expensive in price and range from about $20 – $25, but these are unique handcrafted ones so the steeper price can be expected. You can actually buy cattle bone bone folders on Amazon for about $8 if you are interested in a genuine bone folder. Some guys make their own folders out of cow bone and leave the bone on the roofs of their house in order to get the bones bleached by the sun.
Deer antler bone folders can also be custom made but you need to make sure that they leave no residue oils on your leather after use. Not sure how much a deer antler folder would set you back though.
Helpful hints and tips when using a bone folder.
Depending on the shape and choice of your bone folder and what you are using it for, you will need to make sure that it’s clean and free of any rough surfaces or lose bits on the edge as this will create scratch marks on your leather. When making crease lines always make sure you use the bone folder with a steel ruler that isn’t chipped or dented as this will
create uneven crease lines. What you want is nice straight even lines in your leather without any indentations.
Bone folders vary in size and shape so you need to buy one that suits at least 90% of the tasks that you will be using it for. They range in length from 8 inches or roughly 20cm but can be slightly bigger or smaller depending on what brand you buy.
It also depends on the craft type that you are using your bone folder for. This post is strictly about using bone folders in leathercraft, but if you are using it for origami then you would want to use a smaller one with a thinner edge.
Bone folder Alternatives
If you don’t have a bone folder handy you can try using a wing divider instead as this will also create smooth even crease lines in leather. If you need to burnish your leather edges then an edge slicker will do the trick. I have seen other blog posts on the net where people have used knives, the back of pens or orange peelers to create crease lines but i think the bone folder will surpass all these substitutes.
Should i make my own bone folder.
If you love a good DIY project then by all means go-ahead and craft one out of deer antler, bone or timber. It will take a while to shape and sand it smooth. If you choose to make one out of timber you will need to use a fairly hardwood to prevent any scratches or indentations in the edge of your folder. It may just be easier to buy one at your local craft store for $6.
Conclusion
All in all a bone folder is a fairly handy tool to have in your toolkit. It’s really inexpensive and can be used in a variety of ways. It’s therefore worth investing in one for using in leathercraft. Please don’t forget to check out some of my previous articles mentioned above as it may help you learn a bit more about leathercraft.