Leather Froze While Casing

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

I haven't tooled any leather since we are working on the road so last night was my first time casing leather overnight in the RV fridge. Long story short, it froze about half of my piece. Has the strength of the leather been compromised? This is for holding big iron worker wrenches, so it needs to be safe and strong. Will the leather be ok, or do I need to cut a new piece?

Thanks!

[Bob Blea]

Hello,

I've had this same thing happen in my home fridge. I make notebooks and I've had occasions where a corner of the cover freezes. In my case, it didn't seem to degrade the leather at all. I've even been told by a couple of people making saddles that they have stored cased pieces in the freezer when they couldn't work on them for long periods of time. But, I've also been told by other saddle makers that this isn't good for the fibers in the leather, and I can certainly see how it could weaken the leather some. In my case it just wasn't noticable. In your case, I still don't think it will make a big difference and I think you will be fine. But, if this was your safety harness I would make another piece.

Just my opinion,

Bob

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Thanks Bob. I think I will complete this one as an experiment and let the owner know to keep an eye on it, and also to let me know how it performs over time. It will be doubled and stitched so if some saddle makers did this on a saddle, I should be okay here. I've never even thought about what happens to leather if it freezes before... water and mould and getting dried out I've seen before, but not freezing! I wonder about gear that gets used in freezing weather in the snow and such where it could be soaked with water and then freeze?

[Bob Blea]

You're right, I never thought about it but I'll bet some saddle and tack does freeze when used in winter. It must take some amount of freezing because I can't tell the difference where it has happened on the notebooks, and they don't appear to take dye / antique any differently when finishing.

Bob

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Well, it tooled up and dyed with no issues. There is no difference between the part that froze and the part that didn't so far.

[Matchlock]

Years ago I rode for a few ranchers, and my gear often got soaking wet and froze overnight in the tack shed. The bridles got the worst of it as they were smaller, and thinner pieces of leather and were usually frozen solid clean on through. In the morning you just used it as you normally would and within a few minutes of being back on the animal it would be thawed out nicely.

Saddles also used to get pretty wet and frozen but I've never experienced anything bad happening if it did freeze. Hope that helps some.

Bud

You're right, I never thought about it but I'll bet some saddle and tack does freeze when used in winter. It must take some amount of freezing because I can't tell the difference where it has happened on the notebooks, and they don't appear to take dye / antique any differently when finishing.

Bob

[Mechanical Cowgirl]

Bud,

Thanks for posting that, good to know! It must not damage the leather much if you can keep repeating the freeze and thaw on working gear without it breaking.

[Bob Blea]

Yes, thank Bud, it would make sense in cold climates that saddles and tack would freeze all the time. Leather is pretty amazing stuff when you think about it, and all the stuff we can do with it still today.

Bob