What is an Edge Beveler? Complete Guide for Leather Workers

The difference between amateur and professional leather edges? One tool: the edge beveler. It's the tool used by leather crafters to take a square edge on a piece of leather and turn it into a rounded corner. This makes the edges easier to finish, more comfortable to handle, and more durable. Edge bevelers are surprisingly affordable—they range from $10 upwards of $100 USD.

A leather edge beveling tool is used to remove the sharp, straight edge from a piece of leather. It creates a more rounded transition from the top to the bottom, adding eye-catching appeal, and durability when finished. You can think of edge bevelers as the "chamfering" in woodworking. Have you ever seen a nice end table with a rounded edge? That's precisely what an edge beveler does for your leather projects.

Sharp edges can be uncomfortable against your skin—especially with stiffer leather.

Think about a belt or bag strap. If the edges aren't beveled, they can dig into you or catch on clothing. Rounded edges are smoother and provide less resistance.

• Comfort: Sharp edges irritate skin

• Durability: Rounded edges resist cracking

• Aesthetics: Professional, polished look

• Better Finishing: Easier to burnish or paint

New to leatherworking? Think of beveling like sanding the sharp corner off a piece of wood—you're just using a specialized blade set at 45 degrees to the leather edge instead of sandpaper.

To bevel leather edges, run the blade across the edge of your leather. It will remove the corner from the leather in long strips, leaving you with a more rounded edge. This is called a chamfer.

And how do you know if your edge beveling technique is working? As you run the beveler across the edge of the leather, it will produce what I call wispy curls of leather that result in a more rounded edge than when you began.

Depending on the context of your leather project, you may or may not need to bevel both the top and the bottom edges of the piece.

But what if, after using a leather edge beveling tool, your edge isn't as rounded as you'd like? Maybe it's rounded across the top half, flat in the middle, and rounded again on the bottom half? You may need a different type of edge beveler for leathercraft.

I use fixed-size bevelers—each tool removes a set amount of material. Here's what that means: each tool only removes a fixed amount of leather due to a fixed cutting depth.

There are adjustable options available, although I've never used one.

But how do you know how much material a fixed-edge beveler will remove from the leather's edge? You can take a few approaches to this.

1. You can take a measuring tape and measure your leather edge at a 45-degree angle and see its length, then choose an edge beveler that will take off around that amount of leather.

2. You can start with the smallest edge beveler in your collection and use others that remove more material if you find enough leather wasn't removed from the edge.

3. You can measure the gap in your edge bevelers to give you an approximate amount of leather each one will remove.

Fixed-size edge bevelers come in different sizes and are numbered. Unfortunately, numbers don't translate equally from brand-to-brand, so measuring the gap of an edge beveler on one brand isn't going to translate into the same around of leather removed by a different brand. I did a video on this in my tool reviews section called Best Budget Edge Bevelers for Leather Work post if you'd like to see more about how edge bevelers work and how I measured them.

Now that you know what an edge beveler does, how it works, why to use it, and the different types. But when exactly do you use an edge beveler?

I mentioned earlier in this post that you may or may not need to bevel both the top and bottom edge of a leather project. It really comes down to whether or not both sides need to be beveled, the look you're wanting to achieve and whether or not the leather piece being worked on should have both sides beveled.

While this post doesn't get into creating leather projects, there are some guidelines to follow, though.

If you're going to bevel, it should happen after you've cut the piece of leather to size but before you finish (paint, dye, burnish) the edge. According to Sailrite's website (makers of leather sewing machines), finishing produces high-quality, professional-looking leather goods.

Generally speaking, you want to bevel exposed edges but not interior or hidden edges.

Edge beveling can be done on all sorts of projects, from wallets to belts, to bags, to straps, key chains, and any leather project where you feel a rounded edge gives the right aesthetic.

Projects That Need Beveling:

• Bifold wallets (all exposed edges)

• Belts (both long edges)

• Bag straps (all edges)

• Card holders (top edge and sides)

• Watch straps (all edges)

When NOT to Bevel:

• Edges being glued together

• Interior wallet pockets

• Edges that will be folded over

Leather working has so many different tools that it can be easy to get them confused, so understanding the differences can help you sort through which tools you need.

Quick comparison

If you plan to make any leather goods with an exposed edge, an edge beveler will certainly help with its aesthetic and professionalism.

If all of your edges are rolled, you can likely forgo the use of an edge beveler.

But if you think you're ready to get started with buying an edge beveler for leathercraft, I have a quick read and video for you so you won't make the same mistake I did with buying poor quality tools.

Bevelers can cost anywhere from $10 up to nearly $100 USD. I've bought the cheap ones and found that you get what you pay for, but I also didn't buy the most expensive ones either. It helps to know the best ways to use an edge beveler so you get excellent results.

• Always work on a stable surface. Get yourself a table that doesn't wobble or even a sturdy tv tray for your beveling.

• Use consistent pressure and angle. If you don't use enough pressure, the beveler isn't going to cut through the leather. And if your angle is too steep, you risk gouging your leather edge. I'll be honest—my first several attempts at beveling looked terrible. I used too much pressure and gouged the leather. But after practicing on scrap for a few minutes, I got the hang of it. Now it's one of my favorite steps in the process. Seriously. Using an edge beveler is one of the most satisfying processes in making leather goods.

• Work away from your body. While the blade for the beveler is tucked away in the groove, the beveler tip is oftentimes pointy enough to hurt you. Just like with anything with the potential for harm, don't point it at yourself.

• Practice on scrap leather first. Take a piece of the leather you plan to bevel and practice on it before you do the real thing. You'll learn how to do it right every time in no time at all.

• Keep blade sharp for best results. Metal does get dull after use. Bad metal gets dull more quickly. No matter which beveler brand you buy, sharpen it before you start your project and, if it feels like it doesn't want to cut, sharpen it again.

Leather edge beveling tools are small tools that can make a huge difference in the final appearance of your leather project. Ready to add one to your kit? Be sure to first read my Best Budget Edge Bevelers for Leather Work post so you don't make the same mistakes I did. Then pick yourself up one or two to start and do a little practice first on a piece of scrap leather before diving head-first into the real thing. Start with a single #2 beveler, practice on scrap, and you'll wonder how you ever worked without one.

And remember: the best time to start your new leather project is today.

Q: Do I really need an edge beveler?
A: If you're making anything with exposed edges (wallets, belts, straps), yes. It's the difference between amateur and professional results.

Q: What size edge beveler should I start with?
A: A #2 size works for most projects. Start there, then add other sizes as needed.

Q: Can I skip beveling and just burnish?
A: You can, but results won't look as polished. Beveling first makes burnishing much easier and more effective.