Working On My Very First Holster.....

[Denster]

Mlapaglia is correct. Neatsfoot oil will not soften the holster and a quick dip is all that is needed. As to moisture content of the leather adding a few drops of dish washing liquid does break the surface tension and allow the moisture to penetrate better. You should wait to do your molding until the leather has returned to it's natural color.

[Bobby hdflame]

Thanks for the suggestions. Any suggestions for increasing the strength of my vinegaroon? Mine still has a vinegar smell to it. I made a second batch and kept putting steel wool in it till it stopped dissolving and still smelled like vinegar too. Difference was it keeps getting brown milky/cloudy looking even after multiple filtering. The brown mostly settles in the bottom. I read that heating it would start it working again, but just heat to like hot tap water, not boiling.

As for the molding. You're correct, I was in a hurry and started when it was pretty wet.

[mlapaglia]

Thanks for the suggestions. Any suggestions for increasing the strength of my vinegaroon? Mine still has a vinegar smell to it. I made a second batch and kept putting steel wool in it till it stopped dissolving and still smelled like vinegar too. Difference was it keeps getting brown milky/cloudy looking even after multiple filtering. The brown mostly settles in the bottom. I read that heating it would start it working again, but just heat to like hot tap water, not boiling.

As for the molding. You're correct, I was in a hurry and started when it was pretty wet.

It will always smell like vinegar. It does turn brown and mine kept having stuff settle to the bottom for a long time but it worked great. Just keep adding steel wool until it stops dissolving it. takes at least 2 weeks minimum. You can also dip your leather in some really strong tea first to add tannin to the leather for the vinegaroon to react too. Never heard about heating it to make it work better. I think you need to read something from a few places before you take it as something you should do

But for the moment use the 'roon you have and then oil it and you will be fine.

[Denster]

Vinegaroon really comes into it's own after three or four months and longer. By then it has turned a deep blood red and a lot of the smell has gone away. Vinegar is cheap buy a couple gallons and tear up five pads of 0000 steel wool in each put the lid on loosely and put it in a dark place and forget it for awhile. I don't believe heating it is a good idea unless you want to stink up the house.

[chiefjason]

My vinegroon process recently has been to groon, let dry for 24 hours. Oil, let dry for 24 hours. Finish with acrylic finish, let dry 24 hours. Second coat of acrylic, dry 24 hours. It also fits well with my work schedule. There is nothing quick about it. But I was also having finish issues and the drying time seems to have solved those.

Generally, if the groon is grayish looking it will blacken up with the baking soda wash then again with oiling. I usually notice more gray as the groon gets older and there is less of it. Initially, it goes jet black pretty quick. And it seems that a fresh baking soda bath produces the best results. I'll use the bath for several holster before replenishing. But if it goes too long you start to notice the black is not as deep.

And I always have a quart of groon "cooking". That way I can replace it or combine it, and I don't run out.

Good looking work too.

[particle]

Bobby - nice job on the holster! You're off to a great start! Did your Cobra's servo motor come with the sensitivity fixed already?

[Bobby hdflame]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and comments.

The vinegaroon I'm using now, set for about 2 months before I ever used it the first time. I added steel wool to it until it stopped dissolving, then let it set a couple more weeks before straining it and using.

Even when mine was first used, it turned the leather grey. I'm thinking it might have something to do with how the leather was tanned. I've only used it on Tandy leather so far, but I'm curious as to how it will work with the Herman Oak I have. I'll post results here when I try it.

On Adam's Leatherworks, Eric talks about heating it up to the temp of warm tap water, I think was the way he described it. http://www.adamsleatherworks.com/2012/08/26/vinegaroon-a-k-a-vinegar-black/

Will Ghormley talks about heating up his "Rust Barrel" and actually has it sitting on a homemade fire pit. I think Will is using just water and steel, no mention of vinegar.

Here's his how to:http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig.html

I have used it on other projects but have never used the baking soda wash afterwards. Does it make it darker? Does it neutralize the vinegar smell? I haven't noticed any problems with the leather I've used it on.

[chiefjason]

I have used it on other projects but have never used the baking soda wash afterwards. Does it make it darker? Does it neutralize the vinegar smell? I haven't noticed any problems with the leather I've used it on.

The baking soda bath neutralizes the acid in the groon. Anything I have read says this is an absolutely necessary step. I use 1/4C baking soda to a gallon of water. One of the risks of not doing a baking soda bath is that the leather may actually fall apart over time. It also seems to make the black darker and deeper. And it does seem to help a bit with the smell.

Scroll down to ChuckBurrows post here, great info.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25481&st=0&p=160796&hl=vinegroon&fromsearch=1entry160796

[Denster]

I doubt you will hurt anything heating the vinigaroon but it will smell. Eric works in his garage so it may not be a problem I still wouldn't do it in the house. As to Will's method that is somewhat different. Vinegaroon is ferric acetate that reacts with the tannins. Will's method produces iron oxide. A plus to Will's method is no vinegar smell.

[Bobby hdflame]

The baking soda bath neutralizes the acid in the groon. Anything I have read says this is an absolutely necessary step. I use 1/4C baking soda to a gallon of water. One of the risks of not doing a baking soda bath is that the leather may actually fall apart over time. It also seems to make the black darker and deeper. And it does seem to help a bit with the smell.

Scroll down to ChuckBurrows post here, great info.

http://leatherworker...=1

How long does it get dunked in the baking soda wash?

I doubt you will hurt anything heating the vinigaroon but it will smell. Eric works in his garage so it may not be a problem I still wouldn't do it in the house. As to Will's method that is somewhat different. Vinegaroon is ferric acetate that reacts with the tannins. Will's method produces iron oxide. A plus to Will's method is no vinegar smell.

I wonder if it works as good as the vinegaroon? Heck, I'll just make up a barrel of rusty water!