Leather Prep For Sling

[cleanview]

I have mostly done holsters and am thinking slings might be different but I just don't know. Seems to me that holsters are rigid but slings, not so much.

Prep - should there be any oiling and if so at what stage - very beginning or after stamping?

Finish - Until now I have only finished with acrylic resolene 50/50. I have other finish products but am at a loss as to when to use them. I have leather balm with atom wax, and carnuba cream but have never used them. Of course I can get other products but until now Resolene has been the best for holsters.

As always thanks for your time and effort

[snubbyfan]

Personally, I don't do anything special. I've never oiled a sling or a belt.

I just do any decoration, dye it, bevel and burnish the edges then finish it with Tan Kote. Works for me.

[camano ridge]

I oil most of my items after I dye. The dying process can remove some of the nutrients in the leather and you will notice after dying the leather is stiffer and dryer feeling. I use a little oil. Resolene will work fine on a sling. It helps give a bit of water proofing. Slings if they are used for carrying a rifle for hunting ect. can see some adverse weather conditions.

[Josh Ashman]

It really is a personnel preference sort of thing. I put a little neatsfoot oil on everything I build, slings and belts get more than holsters and less than tack. IMO oil always goes on after the tooling is done and before any sort of acrylic finish if your going to use an acrylic finish. That said, leatherwork isn't a science, there's 100's of different ways to do 1 thing and any of them can be the "right" way if you do it right.

Good luck, Josh

[cgleathercraft]

I'm looking at making a bunch of slings for a gun shop. I planned on working them just like I do belts. Tool, Dye, Oil (if it needs it), Edging, Finishing. My biggest concern is the finish. Resolene is usually a little reflective after application and buffing so I may hold off on that. I'm going to test a mixture of beeswax/neatsfoot oil. It worked well on the last holster I made. Nice matte finish and water doesn't soak in very well. Bag Kote is my next option. Like to hear of any other finish that isn't reflective (not a huge fan of Satin Sheen).

[Josh Ashman]

I like Fiebings Aussie Wax for a "finish" on leather items that will see a lot of rugged use and that I want to be fairly supple. It's basically a beeswax/oil mix that you can get ready to use. I rub it in by hand then set the item in the sun or some other warm place to soak it in.

Josh

[Red Cent]

I am working under the statements printed here and other forums. I am told that the tanning process removes a bunch of moisture from the hide. Seems sensible when you pick up an 8-9 ounce piece of veg tanned leather. The dye process continues to remove moisture from the hide. We all know that if you soak a piece of leather in alcohol and let it dry, you have made a club.

I have applied NF before I dye and I have applied NF oil after I dye. I don't see any difference to the timing but I am a big believer that the finished hide needs some kind of good conditioner to permeate the hide and preserve the leather.

Snubby, IMO, if any leather gets wet anywhere it will dry with a little added stiffness. A holster or sheath is not as susceptible to the process but anything that flexes will be. And it will crack. Much sooner than a conditioned piece of leather.

Red Cent's Two Cent's.

[malabar]

Cleanview,

It all depends on how the sling is going to be used. If it's a padded sling for carrying a rifle in the woods, the most important parts are for it to be pretty and weather-proof. If it's a sling for shooting, that's another matter. Shooting slings need to be made of tough, stretch-resistant leather. I typically use 14-ounce, and prefer to dip mine in vinegaroon to make them tougher. Then I give a heavy dose of oil to keep them from cracking. Oh, and punch the holes before the vinegaroon -- it's a lot harder afterward. I finish them with Aussie wax.

tk

[cleanview]

Well....that that is a wide spectrum of answerer..................I swear the more I learn the more I realize that I don't know. I think I have my answer and plan of approach and now a few more curiosities to ponder.

Thanks

[JLSleather]

Okay, one more then

I don't oil formed holsters. I do oil tooled rigs - and pretty much everything else. Keep in mind then when I oil, it's almost like hold a bottle of oil in one hand, and TALK ABOUT oiling -- almost that lightly. I don't 'soak' anything.

[Josh Ashman]

Again, it's not a science, it's an art. Different approaches can still get great results. I'm similar to what JLS noted above in that I don't really oil formed holsters, maybe wipe a sheepskin that once upon a time had oil on it over the grain side of the leather but I do oil everything else and I heavily oil some items, so in that regard he and I are different. Neither is wrong, we're just different.

If you like it and it works, you've done the "right" thing. If you don't like it or it fails to perform the way you wanted do it differently next time. If your sling is dry and looks like it may crack when flexed then oil it but don't go so far as to have oil dripping off of it. The hide can affect how much is "right" as much as anything else.

Good luck, Josh