nebula Report post Posted February 21, 2012 Hello guys I purchased a necklace which has a pendant that consists of leather and cowry shells. Upon removing the item from packaging and trying it on, I noticed a strong saliva like smell emitting from the leather part of the pendant. I asked the company that shipped the product about the acrid odor, and they said the leather has its own unique smell and it's a sign of authenticity not inferiority. I'm sorry if this a stupid question, but it is really supposed to smell like that? The fact that it smelled like dried saliva and I put the thing on worried me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nebula Report post Posted February 21, 2012 By the way guys, photo of said pendant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladykahu Report post Posted February 21, 2012 Ok.. so I don't wanna know how you know what dried saliva smells like! But you could try giving it a rub with some beeswax to seal it and hide the smell. or some other beeswax based leather conditioner. Natalie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nebula Report post Posted February 21, 2012 Ok.. so I don't wanna know how you know what dried saliva smells like! But you could try giving it a rub with some beeswax to seal it and hide the smell. or some other beeswax based leather conditioner. Natalie Haha, thanks for answering I mean, the odor is quite obvious, even my family agreed with me on what it smelled like but more importantly, why would leather even smell like that? That was my question. The company said it was a sign of authenticity and the smell is typical with the local material the jewelry is made out of,.... but is it really supposed to smell like that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted February 21, 2012 Haha, thanks for answering I mean, the odor is quite obvious, even my family agreed with me on what it smelled like but more importantly, why would leather even smell like that? That was my question. The company said it was a sign of authenticity and the smell is typical with the local material the jewelry is made out of,.... but is it really supposed to smell like that? Do you mean saliva or Salvia? One is spit, the other is an herb. He he he.... you said it smells like dried spit. If it smells acrid, it's probably a chemical in the tanning process. If it came from "over there" it may be have been tanned with who knows what. Some cultures even tan with urine. But to try to solve your problem, before waxing, I would wrap the necklace in permeable tissue like toilet paper and bury the entire thing in activated charcoal which you can get from fish tank supply stores. Keep it buried for about a week, then check for odors. It may, however, be a lost cause. I had a silk outfit that when warmed by body heat would give the most awful rotting fish smell. I washed that thing over and over in all kinds of solutions but was never able to get rid of that stink. It finally went in the trash. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nebula Report post Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) Do you mean saliva or Salvia? One is spit, the other is an herb. He he he.... you said it smells like dried spit. If it smells acrid, it's probably a chemical in the tanning process. If it came from "over there" it may be have been tanned with who knows what. Some cultures even tan with urine. But to try to solve your problem, before waxing, I would wrap the necklace in permeable tissue like toilet paper and bury the entire thing in activated charcoal which you can get from fish tank supply stores. Keep it buried for about a week, then check for odors. It may, however, be a lost cause. I had a silk outfit that when warmed by body heat would give the most awful rotting fish smell. I washed that thing over and over in all kinds of solutions but was never able to get rid of that stink. It finally went in the trash. Yeah, unfortunately I meant saliva, like it'd been in chewed all day in something's mouth, which is still a little scary and to be honest, I think my item will finally have to go in the trash as well. For safety reasons, if nothing else... No one seems to have heard leather emitting this type of odor before Edited February 22, 2012 by nebula Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted February 22, 2012 Yeah, unfortunately I meant saliva, like it'd been in chewed all day in something's mouth, which is still a little scary and to be honest, I think my item will finally have to go in the trash as well. For safety reasons, if nothing else... ha! Come to think of it some native cultures chew their leather to make it soft. I think I would request a refund and send it back. It is a cute necklace its too bad really. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nebula Report post Posted February 22, 2012 ha! Come to think of it some native cultures chew their leather to make it soft. I think I would request a refund and send it back. It is a cute necklace its too bad really. Oh, Do they do that in African cultures as well? (if by native you mean Native American that is) If so, that could explain it then. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted February 22, 2012 (edited) Oh, Do they do that in African cultures as well? (if by native you mean Native American that is) If so, that could explain it then. Alaskan natives chew the leather. I don't know if African cultures do, or not but one online source says that some tribes use the Urine method. Read more here.... http://www.gateway-a...nimalskins.html Edited February 22, 2012 by Sylvia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nebula Report post Posted February 22, 2012 Alaskan natives chew the leather. I don't know if African cultures do, or not but one online source says that some tribes use the Urine method. Read more here.... http://www.gateway-a...nimalskins.html interesting, thanks for the link Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
