First Time With Vinegaroon, Questions

[markush]

I'm "cooking" my first batch right now (5th day so far), and have a couple questions about the length of time I should submerge the leather at each step...I just dunked a sample piece in my vinegaroon for ten seconds, It was pitch black almost instantly. I then let it sit for about 3 minutes while I made a Baking Soda bath. Dunked it in there for 6 seconds then dunked it in fresh watter for 10 seconds. It's been drying a couple of hours and I just now see it starting to slightly shift from pitch black to grey...my questions are

1. How long should I submerge the leather at each step, Vinegaroon, Baking Soda bath, and fresh water rinse.

2. When I did the baking soda bath I saw bubbles...Will I still see these bubbles when the Vinegaroon is fully "cooked"

3. This will be a IWB holster and I will be wet forming while the holster is still wet from the above vinegaroon process...when should I apply oil..after it's totally dry?

[TwinOaks]

You don't have to submerge the leather, per se. I made a big batch in an old 2 gallon pickle jar and I use a 1 inch paint brush to apply it. I apply "enough" to make the leather black. With the baking soda- a rinse is all you need. You don't want to change the pH of the leather (which should be slightly acidic). The bubbles you saw were probably a result of the alkaline solution reacting with the acidic 'roon. Depending on the age of the brew, you may still see them. As the brew 'matures', you'll reach a point at which all the acid has basically been used up- it can't 'eat' anymore metal at that point. If the bubbles look like they're coming out of the leather (instead of a reaction on the surface) it's probably just a case of air escaping from the leather. Apply oil or conditioner after the leather has dried in LIGHT coats, with drying/settling between coats. With wet forming, you don't want to over oil the leather or it will lose it's rigidity.

[ChuckBurrows]

Apply oil or conditioner after the leather has dried in LIGHT coats, with drying/settling between coats

FWIW - I always oil while the leather is still damp, which 'opens the pores' so to speak and allows the oil to penetrate better.

As for time - it all depends but one thing it DO NOT over do the baking soda step - too long and it will 'burn' the leather and cause cracking, etc.

Bubbles, some times they happen - just ignore them.