Hardening/toughening leather?

[wasteoid]

Hi All,

I make a few bits and pieces in leather usually sheaths, belts and some small pouches.

Recently I have had a couple of quite thick belt blanks sort of soften up on me (sort of making them sag a bit.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how to "toughen up" the leather, I usually soak it before dying with waterbased dyes.

All ideas gratefully recieved.

Chris

 

[Jeannius61]

Usually wetting the leather will make it stiffer. (once it dries, of course... )

 

[bushwacker bob]

Paint on hot (melted) beeswax,after its been wet moulded and dried It darkens it a fair bit but makes it rock hard and waterproof.I usually give it 2 or 3 coats.

 

[brancho]

You can olso use shelac also known as knotting apllied to the inside of a sheah

What type of leather are you using?

 

[Mooseman1]

Chris, you should PM Kepis on this one mate, he made me an awesome leather belt i received last week and its nice and firm. I think he mentioned something about carnuba wax??? not sure of the spelling.

 

[g4ghb]

There is an old technique called Cuir Bouilli - which I believe was how they made leather armour.


I will not attempt to explain how it is done as this link will explain more than I will ever know about the technique

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html

 

[troy]

I remember looking at a link like that when I made some kids armour - best advise is to first perhaps try each technique on small bit of leather and go by the results which would be best.

I would have to say that the boiling method is more for items that are meant not to be moveable but rigid, plus if you boil it too long it becomes brittle. I'd say that the soak in hot water should do the job then coat in hot wax and once thats cooled soak it in with a hot air hair dryer. But try out the different methods, just a simple soak maybe enough for your needs.

 

[JohnC]

I use a pan of hot beeswax, but a scrap leather tester is a good idea as you can overcook it, and end up with very brittle scrunched leather.