finish for harness leather ?

[rawhide1]

I posted this question in the how do I do that section. I think I should of put it here. So here goes again. What does everyone use as a finish on harness leather in particular split reins. When I worked in a tack shop years ago the fella running the shop had his own stuff he mixed up. And it really slicked the reins up and layed the fibers down on the flesh side. It had the constancy of mayonnaise. I know it had lanolin(sp) in it but what else I don't know. So does anyone know of a good dressing that will do that or something similar. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

[RWB]

Mike,

Use regular Feibings yellow or white saddle soap. Dip your leather in water and then really slick them with a piece of coarse canvas that has some of that soap on it. Harness leather slicks up pretty well with that treatment. Then generally I put Tan-kote on my reins to give them a nice shop shine.

Ross

[rawhide1]

Ross

Thank You very much!! I will give that a whirl.

Much Appreciated

Mike

[hidepounder]

Mike,

I use Leather New (by Farnum) on my saddles, but for splits I've been using Horsemans One Step. It is a a white cream with the consistancy of mayonnaise. It will darken the leather however.

I recently found an old bottle of Tanners Saddle and Harness Dressing tucked away in the tack room and I used it on my reins this last time and I am crazy about it! I don't even know where it came from or if it is still available, but I like it! It also darkens the leather, though.

Bobby

Edited August 23, 2009 by hidepounder

[rawhide1]

Ross

I tried the saddle soap and canvas and it worked good. I about wore my arm off though. LOL I want to try a few other things such as the products hidepounder mentioned. But until then I will use the saddle soap and canvas method.

Your help is greatly appreciated

Mike

Hidepounder

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try the horsemans one step and if you find where to get the tanners let me know. It doesn't bother me that it darkens the leather. By the time I get done with all my testing I'll have more bottles of stuff around than I can shake a stick at.

Your help is also greatly appreciated

Mike

Edited August 23, 2009 by rawhide1

[RWB]

Mike,

That's kinda odd that you had to work at getting those edges slicked. We use that method here in the shop on all our harness because it is fast and effective. And I mean fast. We can slick a pair of reins in I think we have it down to like 4 min a pair. And it gets them really smooth It works well for us on latigo and bridle leather as well. Sorry it didn't work as well for you. What kind of harness leather are you using?. I generally use Thoroughbred.

Ross

Edited August 23, 2009 by RWB

[barra]

Ross

I tried the saddle soap and canvas and it worked good. I about wore my arm off though. LOL I want to try a few other things such as the products hidepounder mentioned. But until then I will use the saddle soap and canvas method.

Your help is greatly appreciated

Mike

To avoid the arm dropping off I rigged up this clamp. I have rivetted 2 peices of leather to a length of Aircraft aluminium. When I use the clamp I sandwich my strap between the leathers. The bottom leather is just some soft chap leather and this peice stops the strap getting marred by the edge of the bench. The top is to stop marring by the aluminium stick. I then clamp the ends of the stick to the bench. I can then use the coarse canvas and saddle soap method and really put my back into it. This really saves the arm strain. Depending on the strap I sometimes use another coarse canvas with beeswax rubbed in liberally.

Barra

Edited August 23, 2009 by barra

[rawhide1]

Ross

There aint nothing to be sorry about it worked good. Maybe I just aint holding my mouth right.LOL I reckon the more I do it the better I'll get at it(thats what I tell the wife). I used wicket&craig. The edges slicked up pretty fast. It took a little bit to get the back layed down especially the closer I got to the neck end. I reckon if I split all the hangy things off it would go a lot faster. Although with that homemade brew I used to use it would lay that stuff down. I'll keep after it.

Barra

That looks like a pretty good setup. I'll have to build one and give it whirl.

Thanks fellas

Mike

Edited August 23, 2009 by rawhide1

[barra]

I forgot to mention that I can have 2 straps in the clamp at one time and by having a rub rag in each hand I rub up 2 straps at once. I grab the straps up near the clamp, grip tight and walk backward, grab again and repeat until satisfied.

This clamp also doubles as one of my plaiting clamps for when I am doing flat plaiting.

Barra