Source of Lanolin to treat my Bushshirt

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Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
362
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SE Wales
That's the stuff, but quite a bit cheaper on ebay............But yeah, give it a try and let us know how you find it in use; I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
362
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As far as I remember from first year chemistry Anhydrous just means it doesn't contain water.
I assume in this case it also means it doesn't have an emulsifier to mix the lanolin and water to bulk it out.

Yes it does mean without water, but I found in my hunt for the pure stuff this is what always comes back from searches as being the pure article suitable for the purpose proposed; Laziness on my part in getting my point across............:-(

On the Emulsifier; in the linked "how to", there's emphasis on the addition of pure soap to perform that function
 
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ateallthepies

Native
Aug 11, 2011
1,558
0
hertfordshire
Good stuff fella's, I look forward to treating my wool blankets. I'm really after extra softness as the wool in my blanket makes me itch if against skin. I ordered yesterday another smaller east european wool blanket so will try it on that first if needed before my jumbo Endicotts blanket.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
On a semi related not, how far does 50g or 250g of lanolin go? I too am hoping to make a wool bush shirt and want to give it some degree of water resistance.

Thanks

J
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
362
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Just now caught up with this again - Don't worry, Paul, 25g will be plenty to do your bushshirt; it goes a long way, and you really don't want too much on it - it's a lot more hassle to get it out than to get it in!
 

paulnb57

Full Member
Nov 18, 2007
439
9
Isle of Wight
So the Postie woke me this morning and thrust my pack of Lanolin into my sleepy palm......(then showered and left*) .my passaround shirt is made of Irish Tweed and I have 25g of Lanolin, so to the big question, how much Lanolin should I add to , for example, a gallon of water? Then hopefully I can scale up the proportions to whatever container I use......

* I have great relationship with the postie, we've both rebuilt Defenders, but not THAT close!......

Paul
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
362
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SE Wales
Here is Toddy's method. It doesn't make wool waterproof but the effect is similar to proofing cotton with Nikwax wash-in. It sheds some water and is a little less absorbent initially. I feel it also resists dirt better and dries quicker.

Ifyou prefer to use real lanolin to reproof wool then the method is tomake up a soapy water solution with about 4-5 litres of luke warmwater and either 2 tablespoons of soap flakes or pure soap rubbed upinto a good lather. Take out a little in a cleaned jam jar and add alevel tablespoonful of the pure lanolin. Heat in ten second bursts inthe microwave until the lanolin has melted. Pour this back into thesoapy water. The water should go very milky looking. Soak your justwashed and still damp swanni or jumper or bushshirt or cloak in thismixture for at least an hour though longer is more effectice. Move itaround pretty frequently or add more lukewarm water. Finally squeezeout excess water and hang to dry.
Lanolin last cost me £6 for500g from the local chemist. That's a lot of waterproofing

This is Toddy's method, I believe, it's the way I do it and I've had great success with it. For your tweed I would use two tablespoons of lanolin and just a little more soap; hope this helps, and let us know how you get on.
 

paulnb57

Full Member
Nov 18, 2007
439
9
Isle of Wight
Well, its done, following Toddy's method, I used about half the 25g jar, and non bio washing liquid in warm (not hot!!) water, it sat soaking in about a gallon of water soap and Lanolin for about 8 hours, its now drying after being spun in the washing machine, no rinse. Ill update tomorrow when its dry....
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,211
362
73
SE Wales
Two things spring to mind; washing liquid is not the same as pure soap, it's detergent...............and I have a feeling that the spin dryer will have spun out some of the lanolin.....................

See how you get on and let us know, and good luck, I hope it turns out really well for you.
 

paulnb57

Full Member
Nov 18, 2007
439
9
Isle of Wight
Mac,
Such wisdom, too late! Haha!
Well its dry, it feels different, slightly softer, but i fear you may be right, I reckon I spun most if the treatment down the drain, however nothing ventured etc.....I will redo it in the Summer when it can dry naturally in the great outdoors, it would take days to dry indoors at this time of year.....

Paul
 

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