ScottWolf

All the "lotions" I have encountered are in a creamy liquid state and conditioners are in either a semi solid(shoe polish tin) or straight liquid state(neatsfoot oil). As far as ingredients go, they all tend to have some of the same things known for conditioning leather. The lotions tend to use a combo of water and chemical mixtures to keep the conditioner(s) suspended in a fluid state if you look at the material safety data sheets for them. Most of the "lotions" are usually for items like car and furniture upholstery and even some clothing. The creamy liquid state makes the application easy and it doesn't run like a liquid would when applied to those type of items. Here is the kicker though. Having looked at a lot of MSDS, it has become apparent to me that Any conditioner that is in a lotion or a semi liquid state ( squeezed out of a bottle) is more water/suspension chemicals/preservatives than actual conditioner percentage wise. Typically as much as 50% or more is anything but a known leather conditioner. In some cases, several known conditioners are used, but they typically fall into the 5-10% range each in the combined mixture. This can sometimes also apply to semi solid conditioners, which is why the MSDS is so useful an item to look at if you want to know how much actual conditioner you are getting. With semi solids, this also falls into simple science, as mixture ratios of oils to non oils will determine if the end product is solid like shoe polish or soft like a body butter/balm. With liquids/creams, all they need to do is suspend the ingredients in their liquid form and don't have to worry about how solid they are, which is why 50% or more is that suspension liquid.

Well damn. I accidentally hit a button combo that double posted my long and unfinished reply. Then I somehow deleted both of them trying to correct the double post. Will try and repost it later.

accidental double post

Lanolin won't over soften leather when used in moderation, just like any of the many other ingredients used on/in leather conditioners. I use it in my conditioner without any issues without over softening of the leather. Its ratio in the mix is not a lot and doesn't need to be as high as the others. The carnauba is only used if you want to harden your product to a shoe polish like hardness or harder. The amount of carnauba needed in hardening or firming up a mixture that has a lot of oils in it is very small. If you decide to use it, I suggest you start off with very small ratios of it, as a little goes a very long way in getting a hard/firm product. If you used more carnauba then was needed in a product, I am sure that you might see some of the effects you mentioned. However used in the small amounts needed just to harden/firm a product up I can't see it having any negative effects on the leather in any way.In fact, it should be smallest ratio item in the mix, with the lanolin coming in just ahead of it. eg: .5, .25 If your product doesn't need firming/hardening up, I wouldn't add it. I use all organic 100% pure items. beeswax, coco butter, sweet almond oil, anhydrous lanolin, castor oil and carnauba for a hard version. For a soft balm/body butter version, I omit the carnauba.

I make an all natural leather conditioner that has several of the same ingredients. You mentioned that your product darkens the leather a lot. The Coconut oil is part of the cause for that, it's inevitable as long as it's used. Reducing the ratio of coconut oil a good deal may help. An alternative is to use 100% organic almond oil or even castor oil, in its place. Since this is a leather conditioning ingredient, all you need is an ingredient that does this, but doesn't darken the leather like coconut oil does. Coconut oil does have the lowest iodine value of all the natural oils but if its partly the cause of your product darkening the leather, I'd try replacing it with another oil I mentioned and see if that helps any. My guess is it may have a small effect since the birch tar is the other ingredient that is probably causing the darkening. Your goal is a water repellent/proofer so the addition of 100% organic anhydrous Lanolin would probably help in your formula, if it isn't already part of your antioxidants and vitamin E/tocopherol concoction of ingredients. Since the Birch tar is the heavy lifter in your formula, getting it in a clear or yellow state, if not too difficult or costly, will probably help eliminate the darkening without loosing the qualities you are using it for. I don't know what type of consistency you want the end product in, but if you want it harder than a balm/body butter, try adding a very small amount of carnauba wax, and it will harden it up a lot more than the beeswax alone will. With beeswax a 1:2 ratio, with 1 being beeswax and the 2 your oils, will result in a hard/firm and sticky and poor slip, final product. If you increase the second number after 2, it will continue to get softer and not sticky in the final form. This is where the dash of carnauba can help you out, as its only job is to harden the final product up if you find your oil ratio is 3 or higher.

I can tell you that 50/50 diluted Oxblood will give you a magenta looking color by itself. Multiple coats of straight oxblood will get darker with each application. I just put a second coat of Oxblood on an item about 20 mins ago because one coat wasn't dark enough. You *might achieve that faded look your customer wants by applying second, third, etc coats to only certain parts of the item that you want darker, while leaving the intended faded/lighter areas with just one coat or even a diluted coat, just a suggestion. The best way I think you can achieve what you are trying to do, if I understand what you are trying to do correctly, will involve using 2-3 separate dyes, using this technique, in series as shown/demonstrated in this video here. Hope this helps.

Yes, I have seen some of those. However they all use the parallel thread to run the X through as part of pulling the 2 pieces of leather together, towards one another. The stitch above does not. What I have concluded, is that the pictured stitch is a typical saddle stitch done in one direction and instead of terminating it at the end, it is doubled back on itself using the Cross stitch in the opposite direction. So it is a combination of both a saddle and a cross stitch all in one run. Not sure if there is a name for this stitch or not. My guess is no at this point.

Tom, thanks for the reply. That's exactly what I have concluded. To me, it appears they ran a saddle stitch in one direction, got to the end and instead of terminating it, came back the opposite direction with a cross stitch. I am wondering if there is a name for this particular type of stitch when the two types are paired up or is there no name for it?

Kydex is your best non leather option. It is what all knife makers use these days, both custom makers and commercially sold. For a time, it was common to see sheaths made of Cordura with a HDPE type plastic insert in the body of the sheath to prevent the blade from cutting the sheath, but those have also gone to the wayside. Suggest you go to bladeforumsDOTcom or any of the other knife forums to get an idea what is being done with kydex if you are unfamiliar with its application. As an aside, we haven't used canvas in the military since post Vietnam for individual's equipment ( TA-50).

I am cross posting from the Sewing forum, apologies if this is not permitted. I have been unsuccessful in finding this stitch anywhere on the internet or in the forum(s) here. The stitch shown is used to sew a welt on a baseball glove. I am familiar with 2 needle hand stitching and the typical types of stitches. What has me scratching my head with this one are the stitches that run parallel to the welt. I have an idea of how it may be done, but am not positive. Can anyone shed some light on what the name of this stitch is and what the sewing sequence is to get the parallel thread and the typical X stitch as shown? 

I have been unsuccessful in finding this stitch anywhere on the internet or in the forum(s) here. The stitch shown is used to sew a welt on a baseball glove. I am familiar with 2 needle hand stitching and the typical types of stitches. What has me scratching my head with this one are the stitches that run parallel to the welt. I have an idea of how it may be done, but am not positive. Can anyone shed some light on what the name of this stitch is and what the sewing sequence is to get the parallel thread and the typical X stitch as shown?