ShortBBL Report post Posted November 3, 2010 This is not 100% dry yet, but I cooked it in the toaster oven on 150 for 35 minutes..... my wife thinks there is this crappy coloring/stain because maybe it was too hot. Might this dry out to match, by tomorrow or is she perhaps right? I hope this can be saved.... it fits and came out really good except for the color issue! Thanks for your thoughts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted November 3, 2010 Sad to say, that ain't water stains....that's scorched. 150 degrees is too hot, shoot for a max of 130. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCKNIVES Report post Posted November 3, 2010 I agree, you cooked it.Your lucky thats all the damage you got.Toaster ovens are notorious for not having accurate temps so a light touch is needed.Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasJack Report post Posted November 3, 2010 Find that can of black dye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShortBBL Report post Posted November 3, 2010 Son of a......... Dang it.... I hate when she is right!! What really boggles my mind is on another holster made today also.... with different leather (Bridle) same settings, came out perfect!! I guess I just need to turn this WAY down and if need be, give it more time? Lower temp but longer? Will that work? And..... Why would most of the holster turn out fine, but one area like this, burn!? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olliesrevenge Report post Posted November 3, 2010 The lowest my main kitchen oven goes down to is 170, and I stuck a holster in there for 30 min once & it turned out ok. The bottom heating element was the one that did the heating, so I laid the holster on a cloth hot pad and then put that on a cookie sheet, to protect the leather from the hot metal. It looks like the end of yours that got scorched was maybe close to a heating element and took more than it's fair share of radiant heat? Before I built a hot box (which is currently still in R&D mode) I used a small space heater to blow warm air on my holsters to harden them. I probably built 20 like that, they got pretty hard & I never damaged one, so I guess it's pretty safe. The trick is remembering to turn them and "cook" both sides. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShortBBL Report post Posted November 3, 2010 I have a new convection oven, bought just for holster/sheath making. I use the grates to set the work on, maybe I should use the pan instead? Also, now that I think about it a little.... the end that is cooked may have been positioned closer to the lower element. In any case, I will turn it way down and try cooking off another one! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted November 3, 2010 I've been heating my holsters in a counter top oven and I go for the lowest setting of 150 for 10-15 min. But....that time starts when I put the holster in, so a lot of the 'cooking time' is used up by the oven coming up to temperature. Actual time at 150 (ish) is probably less than 8 min. You'll just have to play with the oven to learn when it's too hot. Also, most ovens have 'hot spots' in them, and that was my impression of what happened to the holster. In general, if the leather is too hot for you to hold, it's just too hot. Same thing applies to water used to soak/wet form- if you can't put your hand in it, don't put the leather in it. After all, it's just skin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShortBBL Report post Posted November 3, 2010 That's what's stranger here! The leather didn't feel hot at all! The first 10-15 minutes, the reinforcing piece was dry.. the rest was still very wet looking. I left it go for another 20 at least. Maybe I should have taken it out and just let the air finished it. I was hoping it would be 90% dry so it would be super dry by morning. Maybe I am just pushing it too fast. How long do you guys soak the leather? I have been dunking it for 10 seconds or so.. maybe I am soaking it way too long too? I've been heating my holsters in a counter top oven and I go for the lowest setting of 150 for 10-15 min. But....that time starts when I put the holster in, so a lot of the 'cooking time' is used up by the oven coming up to temperature. Actual time at 150 (ish) is probably less than 8 min. You'll just have to play with the oven to learn when it's too hot. Also, most ovens have 'hot spots' in them, and that was my impression of what happened to the holster. In general, if the leather is too hot for you to hold, it's just too hot. Same thing applies to water used to soak/wet form- if you can't put your hand in it, don't put the leather in it. After all, it's just skin. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Denster Report post Posted November 3, 2010 That's what's stranger here! The leather didn't feel hot at all! The first 10-15 minutes, the reinforcing piece was dry.. the rest was still very wet looking. I left it go for another 20 at least. Maybe I should have taken it out and just let the air finished it. I was hoping it would be 90% dry so it would be super dry by morning. Maybe I am just pushing it too fast. How long do you guys soak the leather? I have been dunking it for 10 seconds or so.. maybe I am soaking it way too long too? About a three second dunk is enough for 8/9OZ. More is too much for forming and molding but has no effect on heat drying. Get a oven thermometer you can read through the glass and set the temmp to turn off at 130 degrees. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bitone40 Report post Posted November 3, 2010 ok here is my set up . I have a little over thermometer to watch the temp carefully , I have the oven on the lowest setting which is rght before the 100 degree mark and I get right below the 150 mark on the thermo so im asuming is is in the 130-140 range and turn it on when I start forming so it can be ready when im done and then set the timer for 20 min and it turns off when done . I cut two of the wires on the rack to i can supend the holster so it wont give it "grill marks" if I leave it to long here are some pics and I picked the oven up off of craiglist for 20 bucks , Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorts Report post Posted November 3, 2010 A good rule of thumb is treat your leather like you would your skin. If it would burn you, it will burn your leather. 140* is about what it gets in a Texas attic in the summer, or in a vehicle with the windows rolled up. Gradual sustained heat is better than a big hot flash when your drying out the holsters. Even better is warmer dry airflow to keep the humidity out. Humidity can be hell on the dye finish. I have trouble with black dyes sometimes getting it where I need. It doesn't like a damp piece of leather. I use a little space heater (keeps the room warmer & dryer in the winter than the rest of the house) and a hair dryer for my drying needs. I found the oven/kitchen environment introduces surface contaminants and hazards that would not be present in my leather-only shop environment. I also found that the oven rack would leave a mark on the back of the holster where it made contact. I started laying down a scrap piece of leather so the holster would sit on it. I decided to quit the oven because it was getting complicated and convoluted for what I was needing to do. I just needed warmer moving air - duh - hair dryer and space heather. I'd suggest setting up a particular little corner in your work area for drying so you can keep an easy dedicated setup. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bronson Report post Posted November 4, 2010 My oven also only goes down to 170 on it's lowest setting. I hang my holsters from a bent piece of coat hanger in the oven when I turn it on. When it hits 170 a beeper goes off to let me know it's preheated then I set the timer for 5 minutes. If it's still damp after that 5 minutes I shut the heat off and crack the oven door and let it sit in there for another 5 or 10 minutes. So far it has worked well. It warms the leather up slowly and I don't let it sit the full heat for very long. The holsters end up firm but not brittle. Bronson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaymack Report post Posted November 4, 2010 (edited) I don't have a lot of experience except that I've made plenty of mistakes while learning about leather. Leather is a skin and reacts accordingly. Put some neatsfoot oil on it and place it in the sun and it tans and changes color. heat it too much and it burns. I struggle with the time it takes to case it properly while waiting to carve and stamp it, but every time I try to rush the process, I damage the leather. Just my 2 cents. Thank goodness for black dye! John Edited November 4, 2010 by Jaymack Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShortBBL Report post Posted November 4, 2010 Here is how it all turned out...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrampaJoel Report post Posted November 4, 2010 Ya gotta love black dye! Makes everything alright. Looks good btw. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reaper Report post Posted November 4, 2010 Looking nice, did you treat the hard parts so they won't crack? Or did you catch it before it baked to that point? Black is definitely a savior at times, thats for sure.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShortBBL Report post Posted November 4, 2010 Looking nice, did you treat the hard parts so they won't crack? Or did you catch it before it baked to that point? Black is definitely a savior at times, thats for sure.... It didn't get that hard. I thought it was just not dry..... alas..... it was marked for life. Yes, Black dye is ones best friend in times like these! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
