Preparing Veg-Tan For Long Storage In Un-Heated Outdoor Shed.

[SandSquid]

The Craft Hut here at Camp in NOT climate controlled in any the leather wrist-band straps I have prepared are starting to get a bit funy pretty fast in the humidity here in middle TN.' alt=''>

my wrist-bands are already picking up a mildewy smell and some have mold spots on them...

To protect my substantial investment of time preparing them, I would like to treat them so they can at least last a through the summer season 6 more weeks, but still be toolable and braidable.

common household ingredients that can be procured at the grocery store/walmart would be best, so as to avoid shipping charges.

I've seen passing references to a dipping solution using Listerine/water/dish-soap and hope this would do the trick and I can acquire all three easily, but I cannot find the proportions

[WinterBear]

I was poking around last week and ready some old threads when I came across this one post. Art suggested Thymol crystals to control mildew when dealing with cased leather. It might work for storage too. Maybe you can store the leather in a fiberboard box or drum (to keep the pests out and to allow the leather to breathe, and place they Thymol crystals in the case to ward of mold and mildew. Art would be a good person to ask about this.

[SandSquid]

I was looking for something to treat the leather and allow it to dry back out, not actually store it cased.

If I'm having a leather-working session the night before I take one of each bands along with various chunks to experiment on for each camper coming and case them and store them in a gallon zip-lock baggie until about 2 hours before class....

[WinterBear]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear in what I meant. Yesterday was rough, and my brain isn't up to speed. I meant that maybe the thymol crystals could be stored with dry leather to prevent spore growth?

Maybe you could just spray Listerine and water mix on the leather and allow it to dry on the leather before the leather is stored.

[SandSquid]

Maybe you could just spray Listerine and water mix on the leather and allow it to dry on the leather before the leather is stored.

That's exactly what I'm after, a spray or dip to treat teh leather with and allow it to dry before laying up on the shelves o the craft-hut storage area.

[Sylvia]

Tandy has a video on how to clean leather after mildew growth. You just need to wipe off any spores, milew powdery stuff... then with a clean cloth, dampened with "real lemon" (green bottle at the grocery) wipe it down.

Here's the video.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/Mold-and-Mildew-Treatment.aspx

As for preventing mold and mildew... I imagine your best recourse is to prevent humid conditions as best you can.... so some sort of desiccant would need to be required.

[dirtclod]

Put it on a south facing side of the building or at least on a side that gets a lot of sun if you can and set away from the wall if you can. I was noticing that the outside walls on my shop have mildew or something growing on them where the sun doesn't hit for very long or at all and the worst place is on the north side. As i'm sure you know the humidity here in Kentucky is high to. A low day for humidity is something 75%. Several years ago i was working in the mountains of Colorado and the news came on telling folks to stay inside because the humidity was so high 25% and i though it never gets low round home.

[drphil]

I am having a similar situation. I am wondering how to store the leather rolls in a shed outback of my house as well. I am going to be in mississippi where it gets hot and humid. Is there a safe way to keep the leather work in the shed (since there is not much room for it in the house - no basements or storage rooms down in MS and the wife wont let me use the kitchen table). So I am concerned about the leather rolls being exposed to the heat mostly, but I think mold and mildew is also a concern. or would you all recommend just not doing it? Anyone have experience with that type of setup? Thanks for any help!