Questions about "Vinegaroon"

[dbusarow]

MADMAX22, does the baking soda wash help reduce the vinager odor?

I'll second just adding more oil to bring out the color. I have a pouch style sheath I made where stiffness wasn't important so I just dunked it in oil. The most beautiful black you could ask for.

Dan

Edited December 13, 2008 by dbusarow

[MADMAX22]

MADMAX22, does the baking soda wash help reduce the vinager odor?

I'll second just adding more oil to bring out the color. I have a pouch style sheath I made where stiffness wasn't important so I just dunked it in oil. The most beautiful black you could ask for.

Dan

It seems too, I know not doing it and the odor was pretty bad alot longer but not too seriouse. When doing the baking soda wash it makes it so that you gotta get your nose right up to the piece to get a wif of the vineger.

[Peterk]

what is the shelf life of a batch of vinagaroon?

in terms of holsters, do you have to dip dye the leather first prior to assembly and molding? Or can you finish the holster and then dip? I hand sew using waxed thread so the wax may affect the dye negatively?

Thanks.

[tashabear]

MADMAX22, does the baking soda wash help reduce the vinager odor?

I'll second just adding more oil to bring out the color. I have a pouch style sheath I made where stiffness wasn't important so I just dunked it in oil. The most beautiful black you could ask for.

Dan

It does help get the smell out, as well as neutralizing the acid in the vinegar. Then give it a water rinse and you're done.

[dbusarow]

what is the shelf life of a batch of vinagaroon?

in terms of holsters, do you have to dip dye the leather first prior to assembly and molding? Or can you finish the holster and then dip? I hand sew using waxed thread so the wax may affect the dye negatively?

Thanks.

Since you are soaking the leather in the vinagaroon and then rinsing thoroughly in water it makes sense to do it just before molding.

Waxed thread doesn't have any negative affect.

No idea on shelf life. My batch is about two months old and works great.

MADMAX22 and tashabear, thanks for the info on baking soda. I'll use it on my next one.

Dan

Edited December 14, 2008 by dbusarow

[Peterk]

Thank you dbusarow.

I searched for past posts on this subject and got more answers regarding vinegaroon and holsters, and also someone mentioning having his lasting for 6 months and still going strong, so I think I will be fine in terms of shelf life.

Will have to pick up some Vinegar since I have a brand new bag of steel wool at home not being used...

[TwinOaks]

For additional info, search "more vinegaroon questions". We got pretty detailed in the discussion, but here it is in a nutshell-

The chemical reaction between the ferric acetates and the tannins causes the leather to turn black.

The reaction also forces some of the tallows/oils in the leather to the surface, resulting in a somewhat water resistant finish.

Unfortunately, that means that the oils are no longer in the core of the leather, so adding oil or something comparable to the leather helps it. I used F. Aussie conditioner, and it has to really be rubbed in. Some have reported better conditioning results by heating the leather with a hairdryer, and it does seem to help. You're basically forcing all the oils/waxes back into the leather.

Re: baking soda. It may help with the darkening, but if there's enough reagents, the acidic nature of the vinegar is completely neutralized, and chemically speaking,a wash in tap water will suffice. The leather does like a slightly acidic environment anyway. Besides, I had a devil of a time getting a baking soda wash to even penetrate the leather, and plain water worked better.

Different tanneries use different recipes, so there may be some slight differences. I got a box of scrap from one of the members and there was IIRC, some Wicket and Craig leather in it. When vinergarooned, it turned the most awesome shade of blue- and stayed that way. If when bent, you're getting lightening of the surface, it's too dry. Add some conditioner/oil.

Note: For holsters, I paint the vinegaroon solution on with a sponge, inside and out, instead of dipping. I also wash the inside very well, and then complete wet molding the holster. Once molded, I stuff the holster with paper towels and heat the leather in a covection oven to about 140 F. This seems to be the magic temperature for hardening the leather, and some of the daily worn holsters I've made for people haven't lost shape after 6 months or so.

My Vin. mix was made in a half gallon glass jar with a plastic lid. I used white vinegar, and a handful of old nails from my work shop with a pad of burnt steel wool. After X months ('cause I forgot when I made it) it doesn't smell as bad, and still works just fine.

There is no reaction to mixing the vinegaroon with straight baking soda, which means that the acid is more or less totally neutralized.

Thank you for reading my e-book.

[tonyc1]

Does it make a diff. using brown instead of white vinegar?

Tony.

[Rhome]

Since I did these holsters in vinegaroon I do them all in it, works for me.

[BruceGibson]

Beautiful gear, Rhome!