leathstitch

Hello. I read with interest your posts about "boiled Leather'. I have found some information about the subject and as a medieval reenactor of leather craft I undertook some experiments. It seems that the "Boiling" was not as it seems actually boiling the leather but the bubble given off as the hide was soaked. I will explain. I dissolved an amount of rabbit skin glue in warm water and then soaked the hide in it. During soaking the hide released bubbles and when the bubbles stopped, I knew the hide was saturated. I removed the hide from the solution and straight away the liquid in / on the hide began to gel and set. I folded the leather over a wooden shape and as the gel became firmer, I removed the excess. After a few hours, the glue had set and the leather was quite firm but with still a little flexibility. No shrinkage occurred and the leather withstood attempts to cut it. I have used this same solution of rabbit skin glue in warm water to harden up cases that I make for medieval spoons and other cases. Even thin calfskin leather is made firmer but not brittle.