Vinegaroon Belt Self Distructed In 1 Year? Input / Advice

[asitcomestome]

Hi All,

I thought I had the vinegaroon all figured out my batch was yeilding great looking results. Also I was (so I thought) neutralizing the acid with a baking soda bath.

I had made a plain belt for a friend with a vinegaroon finish a little over a year ago. I ran into him at a crew call and asked how it's holding up, .....it had huge fissures and cracks through out, the thing looked like a 30 year old tire! The fissures also tore out a belt hole and the keeper loop!

My friend claims that he rots out watchbands all the time and wasn't upset.

I was though and am making him a complimentary replacement.

Anyone have some thoughts? When I replace his old one I'll post some pics of it.

[TwinOaks]

It sounds like your friend has some pretty caustic sweat.

On the next one, don't neutralize a whole lot- Leather, as tanned, has a little bit of an acidic pH. Also, go ahead and seal the inside of the belt with something like Resolene. That should offer some protection for it.

[Southtexas]

While unlikely... did you oil the leather well after the vinegaroon? The first time I tried it I didn't, and it got very dry and cracked as it aged.

[asitcomestome]

Thanks for the replies!

I think Southtexas nailed it on the head. After I gave it a baking soda bath I cleaned it with saddle soap but didn't oil it. I suspect that's the culprit.

We also have a 'death valley' equivalent humidity level here so the oil is probably an essential on all future projects.

Would neatsfoot work or is there some thing better?

Also thank you TwinOaks for the pH tip I'll be more mindful of it from know on.

The replacement will last considerably longer now!

Edited July 18, 2011 by asitcomestome

[amuckart]

Get some logwood extract and wash the leather down with that beforehand, or add it to your vinegroon before you apply it. I've had iron-dyed things self-destruct this way too, and according to the early 20th century book I have on the topic this can be caused by the iron oxides in the vinegroon stripping tannins out of the leather and leaving it brittle.