BWL Posted March 16, 2012 Report Posted March 16, 2012 I was doing a little research today on buying beeswax wholesale; which I was successful. While I was on the website I downloaded a formula for waterproofing leather. The formula read 5 oz. beeswax, .5 oz of tallow and 5 oz. of neatsfoot oil. Together heat all to 160 degree F. This sounds like a good process for waterproofing but, has anyone used this or something like it? If so please tell me what tallow is and where I can get it. Would I be using something like this and not even know? Quote It's the impresion you leave that counts. Michael
Members radar67 Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Tallow is the fat rendered from beef or mutton. If you have ever made lard from a hog, you can do the same with beef. At room temperature, tallow is solid. Quote
Members Dwight Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Unless I am mistaken, . . . suet and tallow are pretty much the same product. You can buy suet any place you can get bird feed seed. When you do the melting thing, . . . put them all in a jar, . . . put the jar in a crock pot with just enough water to float the jar off the bottom, . . . put on the lid, . . . doesn't take too long, . . . I make a finishing product using equal weights of beeswax and neatsfoot oil, . . . May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members HellfireJack Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Suet and tallow are not exactly the same thing. Tallow can be made from suet. If you buy suet you then have to render it and remove all impurities before putting it in your mix. If you don't you can wind up with meat and gristle in your mix which probably isn't the best. You can buy tallow online but it's probably cheaper to produce yourself. There are how-to/tutorials online on making it. Quote
Members oldtimer Posted March 16, 2012 Members Report Posted March 16, 2012 Tallow is the fat surrounding the animals kidneys, and it is not the same as suet. Suet will go rancid , tallow will not. Quote "The gun fight at the O.K. corral was actually started by two saddlemakers sitting around a bottle of whiskey talking about saddle fitting"...
BWL Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Posted March 17, 2012 Thanks for all the GREAT information. Now all I have to find is some tallow. Any ideas? Quote It's the impresion you leave that counts. Michael
Members HellfireJack Posted March 17, 2012 Members Report Posted March 17, 2012 if you just want to buy it you can find it online or you can check places that sell candle making equipment. Quote
Members BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted March 17, 2012 Members Report Posted March 17, 2012 Look for a product called Sno-Seal. It is beeswax based, and is excellent for water, and snow proofing leather. Yep, there is a difference, you can have boots that are waterproof, but not snow proof due to the snow not having any surface tension like water has. Quote You laugh at me because I am different. I laugh at you because you are all the same.
Members oldtimer Posted March 17, 2012 Members Report Posted March 17, 2012 Pure lanoline could be a substitute for tallow as it is very water repallant, and probably easier to find than pure tallow. Quote "The gun fight at the O.K. corral was actually started by two saddlemakers sitting around a bottle of whiskey talking about saddle fitting"...
Members Sovran81 Posted March 17, 2012 Members Report Posted March 17, 2012 Pure tallow (except mutton) is readily available on ebay. I lucked out and got 26 pounds for $9. Tallow can be made by boiling any fat on the animal. The best fat to use is from around the kidneys and the best tallow is gotten from mutton. There are many different formulas for conditioners and waterprooing. Be aware that the 2 are not always the same. Conditioners are designed to maintain a small amount of moisture so the leather doesnt dry rot. Waterproofers are only used on 1 side so the leather can breathe on the other to maintain a certain moisture level by absorbing from the air. Quote
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