waxing leather pouch ?

[Singeblister]

We just got a new sofa which means I have leather and now quite a few pouches , what I want to know is whats the best way to make them water proof ?
I did a search but must be putting in the wrong thing as I know I have seen it mentioned , do I use Bees wax candle wax ? mix it with something ,,,, I want it to stay supple and not go to hard , they will be used for storing milk powder sugar tea coffee flour and the like,. I would like to be able to use them without the nasty plastic bag inside , am I being daft ?
Anyone know a cheap supplier of beeswax ?

 

[British Red]

Aaah - now beeswax I have....natural form of course...how much do you want? I think I could do a pound or so

Red

PS - plastic is the way to go sadly. Or natural and throw the lot in a dry bag. I have used linen, canvas, leather etc. Sadly nothing says "element proof" like a good ziplock

Red

 

[shep]

I hear Neatsfoot oil is good for supple protection of leather. I hot-dip with beeswax, but that does harden it significantly.

 

[baggins]

Hot waxing leather makes it really watertight but also very stiff (my leather tankard is like wood). Neats foot oil is good, but, unless you line the leather, you'll get tainting. Not good for food stuffs and consumables. You could try furniture grade bees wax, it contains turps and other stuff, but shouldn't soak through the leather to effect the inside. i only tried this on my baccy pouch though so, again, not sure about edibles.
If in doubt, use a ziplock bag, you can get some from Lakeland shops.
Baggins

 

[Jedadiah]

Hi Singeblister,

just wondering if the bee's wax may harden and go brittle if not kept in a liquid state. I must admit i have not tried this, but have you thought about Nikwax Aqueous wax? It's designed for flexible leather footwear and i do use it on my boots. It's good stuff.

I'd tend to agree with the Neatsfoot oil, but i'm also aware that there is Neatsfoot oil and Neatsfoot compound available so it may be an idea to reasearch what is most suitable. I remember using too much Neatsfoot on a new pair of boots i was issued back in the late 80's. Because i used too much, the surface of the boots retained an oily feel that rubbed off and marked everything they touched and no matter what i did, it retained that oily feel. Boots were nice and soft though just couldn't get a shine, so had to be kept for field work . Remember though, that was because i used too much.

 

[weekend_warrior]

The best stuff I have found is an american product called sno-seal. It's a beeswax based waterproofing cream. Works great on my boots, my old leather hat and my possibles pouch. You apply it then gently use the hairdryer on it to melt the cream and it sinks into the leather. Smells nice too.

 

[leon-1]

The best stuff I have found is an american product called sno-seal. It's a beeswax based waterproofing cream. Works great on my boots, my old leather hat and my possibles pouch. You apply it then gently use the hairdryer on it to melt the cream and it sinks into the leather. Smells nice too.

That the same stuff that Feibings make?

They also make mink oil.

Something else that may be worth looking into is Mars Oil.

 

[Singeblister]

well lots to think about there
Thanks for the offer of some wax Red I will take you up on that and give it a bash see what happens , I have plenty of pouches for testing

thanks for all the replies guys

 

[weekend_warrior]

That the same stuff that Feibings make?.

Not sure to be honest - this is the stuff...

http://www.atsko.com/snoseal.html

 

[Eric_Methven]

The fact that you're using leather from old furniture has compromised authenticity at the outset, simply because it'll be chrome tanned. Traditionally food bags would have been made from tightly woven linen cloth, and washed when needed. If leather were used, it would have a linen bag inside. So the suggestion of using a ziploc bag inside your leather ones is not such a compromise as first thought.

A couple of pointers, bees wax WILL make the pouches rock hard. Any other softening products will keep the leather supple, but at the expense of impregnating the leather with chemicals. No problem for shoes, but I'd be wary of using for food without a plastic bag barrier between them.

If you want authenticity, make linen liners (calico will do as well) and store your food stuff in these, then put them into leather bags. Waterproofing shouldn't be an issue as you won't be leaving them out in the rain. If you are using them in a wet environment, canoeing for instance, use a dry bag to transport because no product will waterproof leather sufficiently to survive a dunking.

If you want to get really authentic, hot dip the linen or calico liners in beeswax, let it set, then boil the bags for a few minutes. This will melt the wax and impregnate the linen sufficiently to allow suppleness and still repel water. This is also a good technique for proofing canvas duluth packs and parkas.

Eric

 

[Singeblister]

Thanks Eric I will try and get some Calico and do as you suggest , I know the plastic bag is the best and easiest solution but I dont like them, I want to get this done ready for the bushmoot this year and also make a nice wooden box for my foodstuffs , as I will be going in the car weight wont be a problem
Is the Chrome tanned leather dangerous to store food in >? will it be safe inside the bees wax impregnated calico bags ?

 

[Eric_Methven]

Is the Chrome tanned leather dangerous to store food in ?

I don't think it's dangerous in the poisonous sense, it's just not authentic in a historical context.

will it be safe inside the bees wax impregnated calico bags ?

Yes, the beeswax will act as a barrier.

Eric

 

[leon-1]

Is the Chrome tanned leather dangerous to store food in >? will it be safe inside the bees wax impregnated calico bags ?

I wouldn't have thought so as most of the commercially made coffee / sugar bags which have been made from Reindeer skin are chrome tanned leather.