Leather Allergies

[Randy Cornelius]

Stay away from that cheep tandy stuff and buy Herman Oak or Wickett & Craig.

Rancy

[SmkyTheBr]

I worked in a tannery as a young man, and I can tell you that they use many different chemicals to tan hides. I'd have to say your probably having a reaction to one of the Tannin's that are used during the process. It would probably take more effort than it is worth to find out what a particular tanner is using on the hides, and then narrowing it down to a particular chemical. I'd stick with the good live oak tanned leather if your not having a problem. Hope this answers some of your questions, although it probably won't help.

Good Luck

Tom

[abn]

I've wanted to post a follow-up to this topic for some time now, just in case someone finds it in the future via search engine.

Although I initially suspected that low-grade leather was causing the blisters on my hands, I found that switching back to the expensive stuff didn't help. I was truly puzzled, since I could handle finished leather products all day, but making them was out of the question. I stopped doing leatherwork for about a year due to this issue.

When I decided to give it another go in January of this year, I made absolutely sure I wore gloves every time I used any sort of liquid. Since that time, I've experienced no problems. If you ask me today, my guess is that I was having an allergic reaction to either the Satin Shene or the neatsfoot oil; both of which I used to apply with bare hands.

Lesson learned -- always wear gloves when applying dye, oil or finishes.

-Alex

[funnygirl62221]

I've wanted to post a follow-up to this topic for some time now, just in case someone finds it in the future via search engine.

Although I initially suspected that low-grade leather was causing the blisters on my hands, I found that switching back to the expensive stuff didn't help. I was truly puzzled, since I could handle finished leather products all day, but making them was out of the question. I stopped doing leatherwork for about a year due to this issue.

When I decided to give it another go in January of this year, I made absolutely sure I wore gloves every time I used any sort of liquid. Since that time, I've experienced no problems. If you ask me today, my guess is that I was having an allergic reaction to either the Satin Shene or the neatsfoot oil; both of which I used to apply with bare hands.

Lesson learned -- always wear gloves when applying dye, oil or finishes.

-Alex

Hi,

I work in healthcare and they have stopped using latex gloves because of all the people who have become allergic to it. I noticed that the Tandy glue is made from latex. Could that be it?

Ellen

[horsewreck]

I have mild asthma which sometimes is set off by chrome tanned leather. There have been times when a new batch of chap leather comes in that I have had to unroll it outside and let it air out several hours. I have never had a reaction to veg. tanned leather, with the exception of some cheap blasted Argentine skirting which was sent to me by mistake and it stunk the place up for several days before UPS got it picked up. We use W&C or HO skirting alot and have never had a problem. Good leather smells good, bad leather smell like #!*#@^!?...... Jeff

[MikeCahill]

About a month ago, I started developing really small but painful blisters on the pads of my hands. Just a couple at a time,

Last year ARGOS ( a large UK catalogue company) along with several other large furniture companies settled a class action out of court because customers who bought leather furniture from them developed blisters from contact with the leather. This tallies with what you have suffered, a anti-histamine cream as soon as you feel the reaction coming on might help, but anti-histamine thins the skin so not something you want to be doing on a regular basis

Cheers

Mike

[Tree Reaper]

This is a problem for me as well, I develop a post nasal drip which causes me to cough, gets bad at night when I'm trying to sleep.

I have also developed the itchy rash, stop doing leather work and everything clears up.

I've been taking Tylenol with Acetaminophen at night and it clears the sinus problem but they only last about five hours.

[Bob Blea]

Have you tried an antihistime (Benadryl, Claritin) to see if they have any effect? If it's an allergic reaction Benadryl would usually help calm things down.

Bob

[Tree Reaper]

I've tried all that Bob, I'm trying to stop the drip from my beak now, if I can stop that then the cough should stop.

I also have a corticosteroid that I'm using.

Cedar dust is also a big problem for me.

[humperdingle]

Somebody (a saddler, apparently) told me that the dust thrown off when sanding leather is carcinogenic... Is this true?

I sand my stuff outside more because of the fact my 'workshop' is the kitchen, so don't want dust all over the place, but I don't wear a dustmask... Should I??

Or is that a load of rubbish?