Leather Brushing?

[SooperJake]

Note the hide being brushed in this video. Note the appearance of the hide before he starts, and after the brushing.

What's the secret? Is it most likely horse hair, like a big shoe brush? The mottled appearance is gone. How he do that? Any ideas are welcome.

http://vimeo.com/27862521

Jake

Edited July 6, 2012 by SooperJake

[shtoink]

The hide initially has a typical raw look before brushing, but is darker after. My guess is an application of some sort of wax or finish. It may not be have been applied with the brush, just touched up to even up the surface texture. That is only a guess, since the video is very short clips of the many steps involved. They may have edited out any trade secrets, too.

[SooperJake]

I assumed it was like shining shoes, the brush appearing to be some sort of similar horse hair type brush .I'm just shocked no one else on the forum had an idea.

Jake

[Sylvia]

it could be to simply remove dust.

[lightningad]

the change in colour could quite likely be down to how the video was shot / edited / compressed for web distribution.

Speaking with my professional hat on (I'm a video editor!) - a slight change of camera angle can change the light reflected off a surface, or over 10-15 minutes, daylight can change its colour - imperceptible to the naked eye, but edit those minutes out and the colour change can be quite noticeable. The editor might not have been quite as vigilant in correcting the colour shift, or when it was compressed for the web, vast amounts of image data will have been averaged out and discarded - often leading to inaccuracies in color fidelity.

adam

[HellfireJack]

It could be that it's bridle leather and the brushing evenly distributes any spew over the entire surface of the hide.

[lightningad]

"spew"??? surely not !!

in the UK spew means vomit, so i hope it has another meaning across the pond.

[WinterBear]

Spew in this instance means the wax used in the preparation of some hides has worked out to the surface of the leather, leaving a dull white coating on the leather.

[lightningad]

thats a much more pleasant mental image - thank you.

[HellfireJack]

Don't worry Lightningad, spew also means the same thing here in America. In terms of leather it's just different.

[lightningad]

i have heard of soldiers softening new boots with urine and wondered if throwing up on your leather was an alternate way of giving it some fancy designer surface treatment.

[shtoink]

Spew in this instance means the wax used in the preparation of some hides has worked out to the surface of the leather, leaving a dull white coating on the leather.

That would certainly explain the initial mottled color and the response to being rubbed with the brush. I had suspected some sort of wax finish being applied during the brushing, but during the tanning process makes more sense.

[Kevin]

He's just brushing the wax off the surface of the leather. I used to have to do that with pigskin, it also lets you get a really good look at the surface so you can avoid any small scratches that you wouldn't otherwise see.

Kevin

[BearMan]

Hi Everybody,

I've been watching this post to see if I was the only one that Brushes the leather. I was taught many years ago, to brush the leather after the dye has dried. I was told that it helps to clean up the surface & give it a nice glow. It seems to help close up the pores also, as after brushing, the dye doesn't take as well. What I use to brush with is a white bristle shoe shine brush. It's just a small step,,, but well worth it. Ed the"BearMan"

[SooperJake]

finally some wisdom hath spewed forth..

thank you all.

Jake

[mlapaglia]

It is also possible that the leather we see after the brushing is not the same piece that was being brushed. It is not unusual to have more than one piece of whatever is being shot. They could have changed it for a better piece after the first shots and the editor decided to use some of the original footage anyway.

[SooperJake]

Every time I watch the Dunhill video I wonder about the brushing. So, last week I sent an email to Dunhill and asked what kind of brush it was. today I got a response. From the Alfred Dunhill leather team :

"The brush in question is an oval stubben brush which should be able to purchase from an equestrian tack shop. We originally brought them from a company call Leymill Limited in Corby Northants. Please note that these brushes must not be used on any Dunhill products which we do not supply a care kit with."