MMArmoury

Would that be boiled linseed oil? Or the same kind of oil used in artist's oil paints? Because I have read that you should wait at least six months for an oil painting to dry before putting a varnish over it. And I painted something once with oils that was still sticky five years later. I cannot wait that long for things to dry.

What sort of paint for leather would have been used before the invention of acrylic paints?

I am making a fire bucket, and I am looking into waterproof paints and top coats that would be suitable for leather. Does not have to be flexible (well a little bit, but not like for a belt or handbag). What do you guys recommend? Are there any old time beeswax based top coat recipes, like mixed with linseed oil or shellac or varnish? I am also thinking of using artists oil paints.

Here is the clamp I bought a few weeks ago. I found it in an antique shop. My best guess is that it was maybe used for repairing machine driving belts in the old mills around here as it resembles a similar clamp shown in R.A. Salaman's Dictionary of Leatherworking Tools. I used it for the first time yesterday at an event.

I can see that you are the person who recreated the Lemuel Lyman pouch. I also have been trying to make it. I met the collector who owns the original years ago but I never was able to personally see the original. I would like to share info with you.

Does anyone have pictures and specs for recreating an 18th century horse bridle?

It is a good place to start, though if you choose to use a drill you should use a 1/16 bit instead of the 3/32 listed. I also mix in brewers pitch in the formula, it raises the melting temp a bit and adds some shock absorbsion to the wax making it less likely try dry out and flake.

I have made about 60 bottles myself so I can say that yours came out quite well. Congratulations!

I just got contacted by a movie prop studio. They are looking for a used (aged) old portmanteau to use as a prop for an upcoming movie. Needs to be available within a few weeks. I don't have one, and I'll put you directly in touch with the contact person. Contact me through e-mail: mmarmoury@hotmail.com

I am trying to decide on a leather type for making hunting pouches/possibles bags. Right now I am working on a pouch with Tandy's Deertan Cowhide, which I believe is a chrome-tan. Yet the book "Recreating the 18th Century Hunting Pouch" by TC Albert recommends lightweight veg-tan (which I am very familiar with). And someone else recommends oil-tan leather. Which is best? Chrome, veg, or oil-tan?

I already use a pitch and beeswax mixture for waterproofing my leather bottles, but I don't want to use pitch just for regular exterior leather finish. I am considering a beeswax/lanolin/neatsfoot oil mixture, trouble is I don't know what ratio to use because I don't know if the lanolin behaves more like a wax or an oil (to compliment either the beeswax or neatsfoot). I am consider a 2/1/1 ration of beeswax/lanolin/neatsfoot or a 1/1/1 ratio. Which one would be better?

After years of searching for the right finish for my leather projects, insisting on natural and historical ingredients, I settled on Kiwi Beeswax Waterproofer. It contained lanolin as well as beeswax and made for a lighter and more flexible finish than pure melted beeswax. But unfortunately it has been discontinued. I was thinking of making my own, with beeswax, lanolin and neatsfoot oil. I also just heard of a recipe with equal parts beeswax and petroleum jelly. What do you guys think? What about Tandy Atom Wax, is it similar?

Sir, Thanks a lot. It is exactly what I was looking for. But someone else was supposed to be sending me one, if that falls through I'll contact you.

I know the subject of stitching clams has been brought up here in the past, but I want to know what the availability is of them on the market now. Is there anyone (in the USA) selling them? I am looking for the freestanding ones, not a pony or stitching horse or floor base model.

I brought my pre-1906 Osborne round knife into a Tandy store recently to compare it against the managers own modern Osborne. I noticed right away how paper thin the blade of the modern one was and I didn't like the feel of the cut. Mine was much thicker despite being slightly smaller, I noted that when cutting heavy lathers like 9oz veg tan you have to push down as the blade pushes the leather aside but it cuts very clean and smooth. I think it is much like a traditional japanese katana sword with a convex edge that pushes apart what it is cutting through as opposed to a western style blade with a hollow ground edge. Though I still think there is something cheap and lacking in the modern blade.

I want to revive this thread for an important question. Someone gave me an old horse bridle; bit, head stall and reins to use as a display. While the head stall appears to be salvageable, the reins are heavily covered in fungus mold, I think the reins cannot be saved. Big question: While I handled this stuff for examination what are the health risks for exposure to this fungus mold? I plan using the above mentioned vinegar treatment for the head stall, which has a tiny bit of that fungus but is in much better condition, and I think I should dispose of the reins but I already handled them.

I have been cleaning it up over the past few days, it looks very nice, the pictures don't do it justice. I have also been carefully putting an edge on it, I have gotten a clean even bevel. I bought a new hard stone (about 600 I think) but that is the highest I have now, I know I need to go finer. Do I need one more step up in a stone, or do I go straight to a strop and rouge?

I just managed to pick up my first head/round knife, after a long search through many antique shops (I couldn't afford a new one). I picked up this nice Osborne for just $35, the blade measures exactly 4.0 inches wide, the knife overall is exactly 6.0 inches long. The blade is marked "C.S. Osborne & Co." in a circle, and the inside of the circle is marked "Newark". There is also a deep cross stamping above it. I know what head knives are for, what I am interested in is the history of this one if there are any knowledgeable collectors here, dating, etc....And yes I have already started cleaning it up, so please don't tell me it's a priceless 19th century rarity.

Does anyone own, or have good photos, of a medieval style round knife (the ancestor of todays round knife)? I have some pictures here taken from various period artwork. I was wondering if anyone has ever tried making a replica. Would be cool for my demonstrations.

No, sorry, I don't get out that far.

I've had great success making and selling these. I sold a dozen last year and I just sold another eight. I think I am getting pretty good at it.

All my leatherwork is hand saddle stitched. I do low volume so a machine isn't worth it, plus I advertise as hand stitched and it adds a level of authenticity to my historical goods. At an outdoor event last year I had a shoe maker try to convince me to go with a machine to increase production. He didn't seem to grasp the concept that I can charge more and get a higher profit margin with hand stitching. Like what was said in an older thread here it's better to make one thing and sell it for $100 then make three and sell them for $33.

OK I know that somewhere deep in the forum threads here people have talked about the right paints to use on leather but I can't track them down so far. I am looking for the right type of paint for use on an archery armguard. Since it will curve and the straps will pass through buckles what is the best choice? I know of Tandy Cova-dye, but someone mentioned a better one.

I am very familiar with vinegroon, I have used it myself. I am curious what it's toxicity is VS dye when used on leather drinking vessels such as bottles and mugs. Mine are lined with pitch and beeswax inside and beeswax out side. I'm just wary of rust poisoning. Then of course I know that dye is not healthy, but it is much more widely used and its effects more known.

They are lined with a mixture of pitch and beeswax, and beeswax on the outside.