My first commission for a custom poetry book almost went up in flames

I was edge gilding with a spirit lamp and knocked it over, scorching the cover. Had to redo the entire leather tooling in one night to meet the deadline. Ever had a project nearly ruined by a simple mistake?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_rivera1mo ago

Spirit lamps are a menace. I switched to a small electric hot plate for edge gilding after a similar close call. The consistent heat is actually easier to work with, and you can't knock it over.

mason7561mo ago

My neighbor's shed caught fire last year from a tipped lamp. Scary stuff. The hot plate idea sounds way safer.

the_dylan1mo ago

Yeah, the tipped lamp thing is no joke. I had a friend who used a candle warmer for his wax seals and it still managed to singe his tablecloth when the cat got involved. William_rivera is right about the control with electric heat, but I've even seen people get good results with one of those little induction cooktops. They only heat the metal pot, so the surface stays cool. It's a bit of a shift from an open flame, but you sleep better at night.