Belt liner cracking

[Matt S]

Ron Edwards, an Australian bushman, horseman and general craftsman who grew up in his family's saddle shop, had this to say when making a nail bag:

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Chrome tanned leather is usually chosen for this sort of work. Vegetable tanned leather would do the job just as well, but the trouble is that the average carpenter never ever gets around to putting a bit of leather dressing on his nail bag and so the leather soon cracks and splits. Chrome tanned leather can go for longer without any attention.

Heat, sunlight, salt and water (from the environment or the user) significantly affects leather. The effect on veg tannages is especially noticeable. Over time the oils, greases and waxes that are added at the tannery or on the manufacturer's workbench are lost and so the fibres of the leather shrink, get brittle and do not slide smoothly against one another. Some treatments (such as oil) are far quicker to leave than others (such as grease). This is where periodic cleaning and dressing of the leather comes in, which is sometimes called "feeding".

Proper maintenance of leather gear has largely gone out of the average population's skillset, at least where I live. I've had to show grown adults how to apply a tin of Kiwi and a pair of brushes to their smart/formal shoes. Or even the concept that they can/should be polished every now and then -- let alone periodic cleaning, inspecting and greasing their belts.

Like Ron Edwards I find it worthwhile to take into consideration the skillset/mindset and workload of the user when choosing materials. People likely to be outside in all weathers tend to get recommended chrome tanned goods rather than veg tanned.

[doubleh]

During my working life I did a lot of waterflood work, i. e. welding up leaks and replacing pipe. This involved a lot of work boots frequently soaked with oilfield produce water which is really nasty stuff. I was friends with the local boot maker/shoe repairman and finally asked him what to use on my work boots as neatsfoot oil wasn't getting the job done. Huberd's shoe grease was his recommendation so I bought a can. My boots which were Redwings and I started wearing that brand back in the '60s started lasting twice as long as before. He knew what he was talking about and I have used it on my work boots every since. I seldom wear work boots anymore and the the ones I wear are the ones I had when I retired in '96.  They are seriously beat up but still don't leak and get greased at least once a year. Rub it on and just keep rubbing. It will liquify and absorb into the leather. I do two coats.

Edited August 18, 2022 by doubleh

[tsunkasapa]

Hubbard's is good stuff. I used to do a lot of concrete, and that stuff eats boots. Hubbard's was great protection from it.

[Kolton45]

Yeah looking back on it I wish he woulda told me he was gona use it for a work belt. He just told me the tooling and everything he wanted so i assumed he wanted it as more of a dress belt