Suspender Failure

[Barlaam1]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are having a good day. I am looking for some advice on some recent strap failures I've been having. I make firefighter suspenders out of 9-10oz veg tan. All of the recent failures I've had have been vinegrooned. Some of the suspenders are 1-2 years old. I am trying to make these so they will be more durable to what my guys are putting them through. Unfortunately they are putting them in hot, sweaty environments.

I cut my straps from 9-10oz Herman oak. I only cut my straps from the back. They are cut from head to tail on the hide so I believe I'm cutting the correct way on the grain for a belt type piece.

My vinegroon process is to submerge the pieces in the vinegroon for 2-3 min. Then move them to a baking soda water bath for about 15-30 sec. Then I rinse the pieces in warm water and let dry. I apply 1 light coat of pure Neatsfoot oil to them with a paint brush. I seal them with 50/50 mix of mop and glow and water, applied with a rag.

Hopefully the pictures go through but here are my questions for the incredible wealth of knowledge on this site. Please Help.

1. Am I using the wrong type of leather? I have swatches from W&C should I use harness, eng bridle, latigo? I need something that will take a stamp and acrylic paint for what I do.

2. Is there something wrong with my Black dying process? I only offer my suspenders in brown (treated with Neatsfoot Oil) and Black (Vinegrooned) I really suck at using other dyes.

3. Do I need to increase the weight of my leather and use saddle skirting? 12-14oz?

4. should I finish my leather with something different that will last longer/ ad more water resistance?

I know I am asking a lot out of the leather I am using. I have had 4 major failures out of approx 40 sets of suspenders. All failures are on the back part of the straps usually. I have had one belt failure (my own personal duty belt) failed at the hole for the belt buckle. All of the failures have been with Vinegrooned leather.

Black suspenders are pretty popular and I need to be able to dye them or buy pre-dyed leather that won't bleed.

Thank you in advance

Ben

[25b]

Instead of that vinegroon stuff, I'd use black bridle or harness leather. And I'd probably make them double-layer too considering the environment they're used in.

In fact, I think I might make a couple of sets that way and take them around to the local fire houses and see what they think about them...

Edited September 2, 2015 by 25b

[mlapaglia]

How strong is your backing soda bath? How much soda to water?

[Barlaam1]

The baking soda bath is probably 1/2 cup of soda to a gallon of water

[mlapaglia]

Thats twice what I use. It might be you are weakening the leather fibers with too much alkaline. I use 1 tablespoon in a quart which is 1/4 cup in a gallon. I would consider backing off on the soda and also look at bridle or harness leather.

How are they caring for the suspenders and belts? Are they getting cleaned and oiled?

[King's X]

I was going to suggest a black brdle to save yourself the issues. I am sorry to see this though....i know how much goes into making these. good luck

[Barlaam1]

Thanks for the info so far. What are the differences between bridle and harness leather? I'm really thinking the next hide I buy will be one of these. I buy most of my leather from SLC but was thinking about trying wickets &Craig.

[mlapaglia]

Stolen from google,

Harness/bridle -- basically the same vegetable tanned cowhide, but the bridle may have a different stuffing (oils and fats) than harness depending on the tanner.

And there's the rub, or at least part of it: some terms are somewhat flexible in their use and not strictly standardized, at least in part because the recipes and techniques are often trade secrets. One tanner's harness might be another's bridle, just (generally) thicker.

[25b]

Yeah, I suggested bridle or harness leather in the first reply to your thread here...I use bridle leather from Wickets (sic) & Craig. I have a black 10oz. bridle leather side from them here now and can't imagine anything like what happened to your suspenders happening to this leather unless it was just blatantly abused.

I'm in the process of making myself a ranger belt from it using two layers, flesh to flesh and saddle-stitched all the way around...I don't think it would ever come apart.

[BigMatt]

There is a store in Indianapolis called Landwerlen that has some cheap Wickett and Craig black bridle sides. They got them as a surplus item and they have a limited supply.