AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted January 31 (edited) Making a sunglass case for a friend....Anyone have some experience in stiffening Crazy Horse leather? Can it even be done? Cold water soak? Resin coating? Edited January 31 by AWORKOFMARC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DieselTech Report post Posted January 31 I'm wondering if something like super sheen or resolene would stiffen it up. I've heard of people also putting melted wax of some sort to stiffen the leather also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted January 31 37 minutes ago, DieselTech said: I'm wondering if something like super sheen or resolene would stiffen it up. I've heard of people also putting melted wax of some sort to stiffen the leather also. I heard that wax is a method but not to do it bc it has a nasty habit of leeching out and permanently staining whatever it was on -- like car seats, furniture clothing etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted January 31 I suppose I could always sandwich some sort of stiffener used in garment making in between a liner layer and the crazy horrse.. but that's way more invloved. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handstitched Report post Posted January 31 Some cases that I have done , I soak the vt leather, mold , shape etc. and then put them out in the sun , or near our wood heater if its cold outside. They come out quite stiff Then cut , shape, dye, seal etc. Just a thought. HS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NatesLeatherGds Report post Posted January 31 8 hours ago, AWORKOFMARC said: Making a sunglass case for a friend....Anyone have some experience in stiffening Crazy Horse leather? Can it even be done? Cold water soak? Resin coating? Boiling water? How much do you have to spare and experiment with ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SUP Report post Posted January 31 (edited) Soaking should work. Routinely done when molding leather, is it not? But will not boiling water shrivel or shrink it like it does all veg-tanned leathers? Edited January 31 by SUP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted January 31 I'll try the soaking method... thanks for the feedback. I'll report back the results after some investigation on how I soak it in cold water properly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NatesLeatherGds Report post Posted January 31 56 minutes ago, SUP said: Soaking should work. Routinely done when molding leather, is it not? But will not boiling water shrivel or shrink it like it does all veg-tanned leathers? Might. YMMV. I've stiffened chrome leather with boiling or just off the boil water. Anyhow -- no promises, that's for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SUP Report post Posted January 31 Crazy horse can be chrome tanned or veg-tanned, it appears. @AWORKOFMARC you need to determine that first. Chrome-tanned does not shrink or warp in boiling water - one of the ways to determine if a piece of leather is veg-tanned or chrome-tanned. You could try on a small sliver of the leather. See here: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NatesLeatherGds Report post Posted January 31 Well now! Answered. Great video. Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted January 31 (edited) Not working. Soaked in cold and soaked in heated water. Same outcome. NO stiffy. Plan B -- anyone know of an ultra thin plasticy material I can heat and mold into a sort of one side flattened oval and then place inbetween the outter Crazy Horse and an ultra thin goatskin liner? UPDATE!! Just tried the above water test. It's Chrome. Boo. Oh well. But the GOOD NEWS -- I found this stuff. PERFECT Thermos form thing plasticy material I can shape and use as a form inbetween the leather out and inner line! YIPPEE! https://www.wonderflexworld.com Edited January 31 by AWORKOFMARC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted January 31 (edited) 42 minutes ago, AWORKOFMARC said: Not working. Soaked in cold and soaked in heated water. Same outcome. NO stiffy. Plan B -- anyone know of an ultra thin plasticy material I can heat and mold into a sort of one side flattened oval and then place inbetween the outter Crazy Horse and an ultra thin goatskin liner? Kydex is the word there. With a heat gun . . . you can virtually form it into almost any shape you want. Give it a good sanding before forming it (whole lot easier while it is still flat) . . . and then you can contact cement your liner and your outer cover to it . . . holds good. May God bless, Dwight Edited January 31 by Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AWORKOFMARC Report post Posted February 25 @Dwight Thanks for that. I just ordered some to try. That and this other stuff called Fosshape Black 400 by Wonderflex https://www.wonderflexworld.com/ I'm pretty sure the Kydex is going to be the best solution tho.. I'll report back with pics... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
