Members Neillo Posted April 12, 2012 Author Members Report Posted April 12, 2012 Hello: On Youtube there is a video where a dude dips his leather sheath into melted wax then bakes the thing on low in the oven for a while. The result is hard and he says, it's water proof. Sylvia to the rescue! This is kinda what i had in mind, but didn't know if the leather would survive hot oil or wax! Will give this a go and see how it turns out, would be fun experimenting with what temperatures are needed for the liquid to penetrate the leather. I've seen some luthier tour vids where they submerge the pickups in 140 degree wax for 24 hrs to get the beeswax into the pickup windings, so i'm sure that leather would be even harder to get the same penetration! How's those pick holders coming along anyway? Quote
Members Sylvia Posted April 12, 2012 Members Report Posted April 12, 2012 Sylvia to the rescue! How's those pick holders coming along anyway? LOL Just make sure you don't get the wax too hot. I microwaved some water once to do do wet molding and my leather shrank to about 1/3 it's original size not to mention the "leather tea" I made. lol Pick holders are coming right along. I learn something new every time I make one. Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
Members Neillo Posted April 12, 2012 Author Members Report Posted April 12, 2012 "Leather Tea" sounds tasty, maybe something to prepare for your guests someday! I was thinking of using a light oil and starting off cold with the item in, then bringing it to temperature and holding it there, much like you'd make a stock in cooking; the theory is that the leather would get a chance to open up as the oil heats up so it could wick it up over time. I might try this with my really thin camellia oil for starters, got plenty of it left over! Quote
Members Sylvia Posted April 12, 2012 Members Report Posted April 12, 2012 LOL Don't serve leather tea to guests! Well, the process is osmosis, that might just work. Just I would test first of course to see the results. The oil might make the piece too soft to hold a shape though. I would probably try the oil, then try the wax... then try a few with various ratios of the two mixed, to see which one works the best for you. Hmmm.... I wonder if deglazing the leather first would help the process by removing any factory finishes. Quote A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"
Members Neillo Posted April 12, 2012 Author Members Report Posted April 12, 2012 Hmmm.... I wonder if deglazing the leather first would help the process by removing any factory finishes. Depends on what the finishes are made of i guess. I, for one, have no clue! Quote
Members TexasJack Posted April 13, 2012 Members Report Posted April 13, 2012 Picture leather as a sponge. Now picture what it would take to make a sponge waterproof. Quote
Members cdf Posted April 17, 2012 Members Report Posted April 17, 2012 Randall Knives used to use an oil/wax ( bee's + Paraffin ) hot melted dip, it worked . I'v used similar preps , you need to add drain holes , you also need to warm the project prior to dipping , dip it , then hit it with a heat gun to suck up any excess . Try on a few test pieces first . Done properly , this witch's brew will work , and resist rain , dunking , even diving . Exact proportions are done by eye , and by experiment . Chris Quote
Contributing Member UKRay Posted April 26, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted April 26, 2012 I make waterproof straps for all kinds of purposes and find that a total immersion in neatsfoot oil works very well as a waterproofing agent. The trick is to leave it submerged in the oil until the leather is absolutely saturated. The downside is that the leather always feels greasy to the touch afterwards. For survival kit that may not be a problem - I wouldn't use it for belts or anything that will touch absorbent fabric as the oil will almost certainly 'wick' out. and could spoil the fabric. I have straps that are thirty years old that were treated in this way. They have not rotted and still seem water resistant (and feel slightly greasy!). Heating beeswax is also a winner for me as I use it to dip seal leather bottles. I use a commercial deep fat fryer to melt the wax - it has a thermostat so the temperature can be controlled easily. I find three submersions necessary to get a good seal. It is possible to re-waterproof old beeswaxed leather bottles by re-dipping them. Never tried dipping knife sheaths but I'm keen to give it a go. Ray Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Members Hagrid Posted November 20, 2020 Members Report Posted November 20, 2020 On 4/12/2012 at 3:50 PM, Spinner said: I've used it on wood vases before to make them 100% waterproof but again, it ends up looking like Glendon said, a piece sealed in a hard acrylic shell. But surely that could be a desired effect? Like if it lasts longer then hooray? Quote
CFM tsunkasapa Posted November 20, 2020 CFM Report Posted November 20, 2020 After 45 years of construction in the PNW, I can say with 100% certainty that you will NEVER make leather waterproof. I have used every product out there on my boots and the BEST will keep them reasonably dry for 2-3 days. And then you are reapplying for the next 2-3 days. That is why Gore-Tex is so popular. Quote Hoka Hey! Today, tomorrow, next week, what does it matter?
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