Similar to the bulldog plier post I’d like to ask if anyone knows how a traditional European burnishing wood stick is used.
On the left is the European pattern stick and to the right are 2 versions from Japan.
In Japan the stick is used to flatten the welt and burnish the sole. Mamoru sells the one in the middle but a lot of shoemakers modify them to change the angle or round the edges. Some also make their own using rolling pins or hammer handles.
The European stick is also used to burnish the sole but I am not so sure what the 2 ends are meant for.
One end is a rounded rectangle, shown above. I find it quite nice for burnishing the toe puff and other rounded areas.
The other end is like a beveled convex spoon shape, shown above. I have no idea what this is used for. I thought maybe it was also used to flatten the welt but its quite thick and doesn’t really work well.
Does anyone know how the ends are used traditionally? This European pattern seems really common but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use the ends.