Haptic Edge Glider review - A better burnishing tool for leathercrafters?

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REVIEW – I became interested in leathercraft several decades ago when my partner and I were stranded in Nashville, Tennessee, due to a car problem. We managed to get our car to a service station, and while we waited for them to fix it, we walked across the street to check out a Tandy Leather shop. Inside the shop, we not only found the wonderful scent of leather, but also tools and instruction books for how to stamp and carve it. We walked out with a couple of bags of tools and kits, and I’ve been doing leathercrafting ever since. Just like any DIYer, you can never have too many tools, so I was happy to try the Haptic Edge Gliders when I came across them recently. Let’s take a look.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $55.00 – $245.00
Where to buy: Haptic

What is it?

The Haptic Edge Gliders are small burnishing tools for creating slick/shiny edges on leather projects quickly and easily.

As a comparison, here’s a traditional leather burnishing tool. With the traditional tool, you have to hold it in your hand and run it along the edge of the leather while trying to hold the leather taut in your hand. It’s not super easy to do.

The Haptic Edge Gliders are used flat on a table.

Design and features

Haptic’s Edge Gliders are available in several materials. I was sent the nylon version, but they are also available in different woods and brass. The nylon versions shown here are lower cost than the other versions.

There are two sizes (weights) of the Edge Gliders. The heavyweight version can be used with leathers from 8 ounces, up to 14 ounces.

The top and bottom surfaces have the sizes stamped into each glider.

As you can see, each corner has a different sized groove.

The idea is to rub the desired glider edge across the edge of the raw leather to burnish it. What does burnish mean? In leathercraft, burnishing is the process of rubbing or buffing the edges of leather to create a smooth, slick, and often glossy finish.

So, how does it work? You need leather with a raw edge, a beveling tool, some type of burnishing gum/paste like Tokonole or Tragacanth gum, a table top, and the Haptic Edge Glider.

The first step is to bevel the top and bottom edge, then put a little of the Tragacanth Gum on the raw leather edge, rub it in with your finger.

Then lay the leather flat on the table, grab the Haptic Edge Glider, and run the tool back and forth against the edge of the leather, applying light but firm pressure. That’s it! Having the leather and the Edge Glider flat on the table makes the task of burnishing much easier to do.

The Haptic Edge Glider worked great!

Final thoughts

The Haptic Edge Glider burnishing tool is a smart upgrade for anyone serious about getting smooth, professional edges on leather projects. After decades of using traditional hand-held burnishers, it’s a breath of fresh air to simply lay your leather flat and glide the tool across the edge, especially for thin leathers or tight spaces where control really counts. The fact that you don’t have to wrestle with holding the leather and the tool at the same time makes the process faster and more consistent—something both beginners and experienced leathercrafters will appreciate.

While the nylon version is affordable and gets the job done, the higher price of the wood and brass models will probably be a stretch for casual hobbyists. Still, the Haptic Edge Glider is a great update if you’re looking for a burnishing tool that saves time and makes your project look its best. It’s clear that this tool was designed with real-world leathercrafting in mind, and it delivers on its promise of making edge finishing easier. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been leathercrafting for years, the Haptic Edge Glider is a tool worth considering for your bench.

What I like about the Haptic Edge Glider burnishing tool

Small well well-made burnishing tool
Four leather weights per size
Easy flat burnishing instead of awkwardly holding the material in your hand with a traditional burnishing tool
Great for tight spaces

What needs to be improved?

Non-nylon versions are really expensive

Price: $55.00 – $245.00
Where to buy: Haptic
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Haptic. They did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.