Old Leather Rifle Scabbard Question

[REDTAILHAWK]

I ran into something I've never seen before. My brother-in-law came up with an old leather rifle scabbard that he wanted me to redo. The tooled leather seemed to be in fairly good shape except for being dried out and dirty. The lacing holding it together was dry rotted. He wanted it taken apart and the sheepskin liner replaced.

I took it apart and scraped off the old glue off the back of the tooled leather piece. After I got it cleaned off, I hit it with some saddle soap to clean it, then used Dr. Jackson's hide rejuvenator on it. It looked quite a bit better, but after I cut out the new sheepskin liner and was checking the fit I noticed that where the tooled leather was folded before had really gotten stiff. When I keep on bending it I can hear it crack and watch the crack appear on the cleaned and oiled surface. What did I do wrong and why did it get so stiff? Any ideas? Thanks.

[raysouth]

Hello Redtailhawk,

I have had similar problems with old leather in the past. What I say here is something that worked for me and can, in no way, say that it will be worthwhile for you to try.

The pieces that I worked with were probably smaller than that which you are working with now.

The leather was dyed and extremely stiff and after cleaning, as you did, it got no better. As these were my own items, I did not have to be concerned with the outcome so I decided this was a good time to experiment.

I had a difficult time getting the leather to absorb water so, I placed a spoon full of dawn detergent into a container and filled with very warm water. Immersed the piece for several hours, removed and found that it had softened a bit but not good enough to work with. I removed excess moisture and before it was completely dry, I began applying a bit of neats foot oil. Not the neatest way to do things but gradually I began to notice a bit more flex in the leather. Worked at it for some time but never achieved results I wanted. Put it aside and went on to other projects. Returned sometime later and applied balm and other softeners and eventually was able to work the leather around without cracking. It was a long drawn out process for me but I had nothing better to do. As I said, I cannot advise or predict the outcome if you were to try this but just some food for thought.

I imagine that there are plenty of folks on the site that have much better ideas as how to proceed, and know of products that will assist.

Good luck and god Bless.

Ray

[needles]

I posted about a chemical that the furniture guys use, finally ordered some but wont arrive till next week, so can't say how well it works, but going on what others have said it should? Isopropyl myristate, will let you now how it goes when it arrives, if you can wait that long

[REDTAILHAWK]

The scabbard tooled leather piece I was working with didn't really stiffen up and get brittle until after I hit it with the saddle soap and hide rejuvenator. Thanks raysouth for the neats foot oil tip. Needles, where had you heard about the isoprpyl myristate? I googled it but all I seemed to find was about using it in cosmetics. Please let me know your results and where you ordered it from. Thanks

[needles]

i repair furniture for a living and have been looking to find out what the industry uses to make the expensive products that we have to buy, i am part of a few trade forums and found this on there, some swear by it, but I until now haven't followed up, so bought some cost me £20.50 for 1ltr delivered in UK.

i have now bought and used neatsfoot on veg tooling leather works well, but wouldn't use it on furniture for worry about it effecting the finishes. so when the Myristate arrives later this week will be playing, already have some old leather to use on and a knee patch taken off motorcycle leathers that has been through a washing machine and gone rock hard, so should be a good test, will let you know

al

[Josh Ashman]

I've had pretty decent luck bringing some life back into old saddles by soaking the pieces in water until they're thoroughly wet. Then cleaning them with a little Murphy's Oil Soap mixed in water, roughly a 1/2 cut per gallon. Then I hang the piece to dry, once it's about half way dry I thoroughly rub it with more Murphy's, I use a lot of it. I'll let that soak in for a day or so then a little NF oil and saddle soap.

I don't know what would have made the leather stiffen up and I've never tried the hid rejuvenator.

Here's a before and after pic of an old Hamley saddle I cleaned in the manner described above.

Good Luck,

Josh

[needles]

Hi guys

sorry for not getting backing sooner but our household has been down with a nasty stomach bug over the last couple of weeks so not done much, but

have now played a little with the Isopropyl myristate, firstly i wiped some onto a finger of an old pair of leather gardeners gloves, they were rock hard and left them for 20mins, there is a definite softening of the leather, also applied to a cut off piece of veg tan which was soaked in hot water and left to harden, again seems to have an improvement too. I do need to be a little more scientific with the tests and will be on the next round, but a bit busy now catching up. also need to assess whether or not there is any interference with adhesion of pigments or dyes applied to the leather after treatment.......according to some people in the trade, it works well, but as yet i don't know if it works better than neatsfoot or not.

al

[REDTAILHAWK]

Hi, Needles,

Thanks for the follow-up. Hope everyone is feeling better now. I have had the leather scabbard doing some neatsfoot oil soaking lately. I dosed it on pretty thick at first then the other day gave it another good dosing. The leather has gotten very dark in color because of all the oil, but doesn't seem to be much softer. So I am letting it be and sit for a while. Please let me know if you try anything else with the isopropyl myristate.

Thanks Josh for the Murphy's oil soap idea. I have some of that around, just never have used it on my leatherwork before.

[dirtclod]

When leather gets really dry it's done for. No amount of oil or anything else i have seen will bring it back. Had a guy bring a leather halter in the was really dry and he wanted me to oil and get it back in shape. Told him it was a goner but he didn't believe me so i told him to put in a tub of neetsfoot that i used. He came back about a month later and it was the same as when he put in there except it had gotten to a black color from the oil it had soaked up.

[needles]

i agree dirtclod, that if the leather has gotten to mumm-fied skin state then its probably a goner but i use chemicals on my work that does soften up old dry leather and cracking leather, I just don't know whats in it.........