Reddit reviews 3M Sanding Sponge, Fine/Medium, 3.75-Inch by 2.625-Inch by 1-Inch, 3-Pack - 908NA-3P-CC, Black/White

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Section 1: Tools

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Note: Just because it is more expensive doesn't mean it is better. You could get by just fine with the "cheaper" options.

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| Tool | Required vs. Optional | Use | Notes | Price & Link |
|:---|:---:|:---|:---|:---:|:---:|
| Tandy Wholesale Membership | O | Allows you to get better pricing at Tandy. | This is definitely optional. Items will cost slightly more without it OR if you have a tax ID you can get the membership with better pricing for free. | $35 / Free|
| Awl Haft | R | The handle which will hold your blade. | This particular haft allows for different blades to be added or removed with ease. | $16 / $35|
| Diamond Awl Blade| R | This is the blade used for piercing the holes in your projects.| This goes in the awl haft.| $4.80 / $28
| Channel Groover | R | Used to measure and gouge channels where your thread will lay. | Some say gouging a channel is optional however I find it to be required. It further protects your thread from damage. | $16 / $80 |
| Overstitch Wheel | R | Marks where you will punch your holes. | This particular overstitch wheel is a few dollars more than the versions that only offer one wheel. | $24 / $225 |
| Edge Beveler | R | Used to bevel and round off the edges of your project prior to burnishing. | Sizes vary. The smaller the number, the smaller the round edge. | $12 / $55 |
| Adhesive Glue | O | Used to hold your pieces of leather together prior to piercing the holes. | Some people prefer binder clips instead of glue. I've found that the clips end up making marks on my projects so I've always stuck with glue. | $6 / $30 |
| Gum Tragacanth | R | Used as a burnishing agent for your edges.| Some people use saddle soap. I prefer gum trag.| $6.40 / $21|
| Harness Needles | R | Used in combination with the thread for your projects. | Avoid the stitching needles. They break very easily.| $5.99 / $7.50 |
| Xacto Blade | R | Used for cutting projects. | You may have one of these at home already. Be ready to have replacement blades handy ($21.95) | $2.49 / $50 |
| Self-Healing Cutting Mat | R | Used for cutting your leather projects.| You may have one of these at home already. If so, you can obviously use that.| $14.73 / $50.80 |
| Cork-backed Ruler| R | Used for cutting straight lines.| I highly recommend the cork-backed version. It will save from accidental cuts/slips.| $4.80 / $14 |
| Burnishing Tool | R | Used in combination with the gum tragacanth to get a good burnish.| A good piece of canvas can be used as well. | $8.99 / $80 + $99|
| Sanding Tool| O | Used to sand down the edges prior to burnishing.| You might have sandpaper at home. Feel free to use that too.| $7.30 / $0 with dremel|
| Steel Square | O | Used for creating nice, even squares/rectangles for projects. | Learn to use this correctly!| $8 / $14|
| Thread Cutters | O | Use these for cutting your thread in the hard to reach places without running the risk of damaging your project. | Scissors work for cutting thread and the xacto blade can work for cutting thread inside your projects -- just be careful! | $3.95 / $39 |
| Maul | O | Used for end punches, rivets, snaps, chisels, or irons. | You really only need one of these if you are planning on doing any of the activities mentioned previously. | $20 / $55 |
| Pricking Iron/Chisel | O | Use these to mark or punch your holes instead of an overstitch wheel and awl. I prefer using the overstitch wheel and awl but others like the irons/chisels. | There is a big difference between irons vs. chisels, diamond vs. lacing. They all produce different results. Definitely ask before purchasing! The ones I linked are very different.| $12 / $259|
| Creaser | O | Used for decorative creases on things like card slots. | Definitely optional and definitely personal preference. | $14.40 / $72 |
| Wax | O | Used for burnishing. Gives the edges a nice seal. | The $10 is my top secret wax I use. I bought a bunch on sale for $5 and it is fantastic. | $4 / $10|

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Thank you! Of course, I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

The shield is actually a sled from Amazon, but it can be found on other sites too for about 25$.

While a dremel can be used, because of the extent of the sanding required I prefer some good old fashioned sanding sponges. Any mistakes that were made in the cutting can also be fixed here.

I used a Dewalt DW317K Jigsaw, and specifically a DM3778 Blade, though any blade that is small and fine will do nicely (the finer, the better).

The straps are belts with holes cut in them, and screws are simply glued onto the shield before a bolt is screwed in. This video explains what to do - it's not the most efficient way but the rest of the video can also be used as a guideline.

It probably took me a month and a half to two months, but I have been busy and had to take long hiatuses ranging up to three weeks at a time. You can probably buff the whole thing out in about two weeks (four days cutting and sanding), (four days painting), (two days attaching the straps), (two days repairing any mistakes and adding an optional gloss) with only an hour or two every night.

No need to apologize - your questions are great! PM me if you have any more! Best of luck friend.

I’ve used these before...wrapped with several spare microfiber cloths I had laying around...
3M Sanding Sponge, Fine/Medium, 3.75-Inch by 2.625-Inch by 1-Inch, 3-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061JM4GC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apu_GP4YAbPSQHEYD

It hasn't been said here yet, so I thought it might be worth mentioning that you should get the finest grade of grit you can.

Even better if you use a sanding sponge like this one

It will wrap the shaft more closely than sandpaper would.

Long light strokes, turning the shaft as you go.

You won't need to remove much at all, probably less than you think, so test the glide often.

Good luck.