Things You Will Need
Gum tragacanth is particularly recommended for treating vegetable-tanned leathers. You can obtain it easily from a leather crafts supply store and use it to create smooth, stiff edges on leather belts. You can also use gum tragacanth to prepare leather for finishing, and as a backing for soft leathers.
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Prepare the leather for treatment by beveling the top, bottom and buckle end edges of a belt with an edge beveler, or by cutting nappa or nubuck leather into the shape you want, to prepare for further finishing or embroidery work.
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Mix 2 or 3 tablespoons of gum tragacanth with a few drops of water in a small mixing vessel, to thin it for use in firming soft leather. Stir with any plastic tool and add water, a few drops at a time, until the solution is thin enough to spread easily. Use undiluted gum tragacanth to finish belt edges.
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Apply the thinned or undiluted gum tragacanth to the leather surface, using a wool dauber for small, narrow surfaces such as belt edges, or a soft cloth or sponge for larger soft leather surfaces.
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Rub the gum tragacanth into the surface of the leather with a piece of canvas or a coarse, dry cloth. Use an edge slicker or a bone folder to rub the gum tragacanth into the edges of a belt. Repeat the process until the belt edges develop a burnished, smooth finish, or until the soft leather is firm and smooth enough for its intended use or finishing procedure.
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Allow the gum tragacanth to dry thoroughly, for about an hour, at room temperature. Continue finishing your leather belt or soft leather creation as desired.