When the entire face of the tool is not needed, or to create tidy corners, the tool can be tilted so only part of the face creates an impression. Method All leather needs to be prepared a certain way for leather carvers to carve the leather. The leather carver will "case" the leather by soaking it in water, then letting it dry to the proper dampness, thus making the leather easier to tool. If the leather is too dry, impressions will fade over time, or will not be made to a consistent depth. Too wet, it will not hold a sharply defined carving. Properly cased leather feels cool to the touch, and has the feel, of firm, wet clay. A damp sponge can be used to maintain the dampness while tooling but should never be used to replace proper casing. Swivel knife cuts When the leather has been properly cased, the swivel knife is used to make the bold cuts that form the backbone of the carved image. These cuts are made to a depth of up to approximately half the thickness of the leather being used, depending on the effect desired by the leather worker. Care must be taken during this step to keep the swivel knife vertical at all times, as any tilt is detrimental to the ability of the leather to be properly stamped later in the carving process. Beveling After shading is completed with the Pear Shader, the Beveler is used to compress one side of the cut. This creates the impression of depth by pressing down parts of the image relative to the foreground. The Beveler is used by holding it vertically, with the foot of the tool in contact with the leather, and striking it lightly with the rawhide mallet. The tool is then moved forward along the cut about half its width, and struck again with the mallet. This process is completed until the entire length of the cut has been appropriately beveled. As a general rule, the outside of curves and the outside edge of anything overlapping another part of the design is beveled. The exception to this rule is leather that will later be stamped with another tool, and, if the background is to be treated with the background tool, the background itself. Decorative cuts This is the final step in creating a carved design. The swivel knife is again used