Cracking leather

[oldsparky]

Hello, I have made a few projects over the years. I'm 56 and started making Tandy leather projects for myself back in the 70's. Recently I made a fold over type holster from 12ish oz leather. I cut the leather out then dyed it with pro dye (black) let it dry then started stiching it. the darn leather started cracking. Just the surface about 1/16 deep, everywhere I would bend it it cracked. What happened? The leather was a new piece I had bought from the Tandy store.

 

 

thanks, Jim

[OLDNSLOW]

there are 2 things absent from your explanation, 1. did you apply water to the bend area of the leather, if not that was mistake number one, 2. did you oil the leather either just before dying the leather or right after?  If not that was mistake number 2.  Those things are pertinent to a long lasting holster, you can almost count on all leather coming to you dry from all the suppliers, or direct from the tannery.  Do yourself a favor and watch some utube videos.  I am not trying to be harsh our sarcastic in my response to you, I hope what I have said will help, one of the makers that does come here periodically has some very good videos up, his business name is Adams leather, I cannot recall what he goes by here on the site, but his stuff is worth looking at.

Good Luck.

Ron

Edited November 27, 2017 by OLDNSLOW
adding

[fredk]

also: it might be the Tandy leather. Last week I went to one in England and was shocked to discover how dry and brittle their veg tan leather is compared to what my usual supplier sends me. I did not buy any of it.

[KingsCountyLeather]

I made a leather belt for a hairdresser’s apron this week and the exact same thing happened... I did oil it after dying as always and when the  leather started cracking, I oiled it again and again. Still the same. The leather was also from Tandy in the UK. 

Here’s a pic, it looks like a vintage belt now.

[OLDNSLOW]

there is something to be said for top grade leather from top grade tanneries, not sure what you folks across the pond have for top notch leather.  We have a small assortment of providers, now I might take some heat for that comment but, there is Wickett and Craig as well as Herman Oak.  They are both top notch providers of leather, one can be bought from directly and the other unless you can meet their minimum  has to come from a resale distributor.  Now if these 2 can be bought from and not kill the deal with import and shipping you should give one a go and determine what the difference is between top grade USA stuff and what Tandy sells.

[mikesc]

Plenty of superb top grade leather tanneries in Europe ( some of their stuff gets resold in the USA ) ..and at reasonable prices.

and then there is Tandy..

who in Europe at least are pretty much the walmart of the leather world...best avoided.

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

18 hours ago, KingsCountyLeather said:

I made a leather belt for a hairdresser’s apron this week and the exact same thing happened... I did oil it after dying as always and when the  leather started cracking, I oiled it again and again. Still the same. The leather was also from Tandy in the UK. 

Here’s a pic, it looks like a vintage belt now.

Did you bend the belt while the leather was still moist? That could be from oiling or, dying, glueing or wetting.

[KingsCountyLeather]

After I used the dye, I did notice that the leather was more stiff than normal... and I oiled it as normal... but the leather didn’t soak up the oil as normal and I did flex the belt to soften it up a bit... that’s when it started to wrinkle a bit. 

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

The leather likely stretched as you bent it. So now you have extra leather with no place to go but out leaving you with the wrinkles you have. 

Edited November 30, 2017 by Bolt Vanderhuge

[nrk]

On 11/27/2017 at 4:36 AM, oldsparky said:

Hello, I have made a few projects over the years. I'm 56 and started making Tandy leather projects for myself back in the 70's. Recently I made a fold over type holster from 12ish oz leather. I cut the leather out then dyed it with pro dye (black) let it dry then started stiching it. the darn leather started cracking. Just the surface about 1/16 deep, everywhere I would bend it it cracked. What happened? The leather was a new piece I had bought from the Tandy store.

 

 

thanks, Jim

could be leather (overdry)

could be the process itself - oiling after or before dying is a general conditioner treatment which prevents cracking and penetrates into leather fibres.

Pro OIL dyes from Fiebengs pretty  good, but their Regular dyes (alcohol) do make leather go very very dry.

 

[OLDNSLOW]

From what I understand as well as read the title or oil based dyes is somewhat of a misnomer in the labeling of the dye.  there is no oil in the dye it all contains alcohol to some degree, so with that being said I imaging someone will come along to disprove or prove the concept.  However even if they do I always oil all my leather when done wet forming because if the alcohol did suck out some of the oils the water sure did so I oil but not to the point of being soggy or over saturated, I figure it cant hurt as long as it is not to much.  I have never asked for the MSDS sheets only going by what I have read on the bottles.

[oldsparky]

Thanks for the reply's. 

I guess it needed wet with water or oil. I wish I could find it to post a picture. As I was making this holster without a known pattern I folded the leather around the pistol more times than I can count. It wasn't until after dying the cracks happened. the leather would crack when flexed maybe just a 10 percent bend and the leather would crack all over like it had been heat damaged. Before thudding I had flexed the leather over and over coming up with the design. It seemed like the dye did something to the leather. The dye also didn’t penetrate much. Another thing is the leather was in a loose roll from when I bought the leather. I have used the dye on other leather and it was not the problem.

 

Anyway thanks for the help. I knew to wet with water before shaping. I didn’t know I could oil before dying. I am glad that was posted.

 

Thanks, Sparky

[wlg190861]

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 3:12 AM, KingsCountyLeather said:

I made a leather belt for a hairdresser’s apron this week and the exact same thing happened... I did oil it after dying as always and when the  leather started cracking, I oiled it again and again. Still the same. The leather was also from Tandy in the UK. 

Here’s a pic, it looks like a vintage belt now.

That is low grade leather. You get what you pay for. I understand you had good intentions but you need to buy quality leather for great results.

[KingsCountyLeather]

20 hours ago, wlg190861 said:

That is low grade leather. You get what you pay for. I understand you had good intentions but you need to buy quality leather for great results.

You are right! But you must allow inexperienced leather workers to make mistakes?

When you are new to leather craft, you expect the suppliers of leather to sell you good quality leather...

Now,... nearly a year into the craft, I don’t buy anything from Tandy. 

I now know not to use that piece of leather for anything important again.

[wlg190861]

On ‎12‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 2:56 AM, KingsCountyLeather said:

You are right! But you must allow inexperienced leather workers to make mistakes?

When you are new to leather craft, you expect the suppliers of leather to sell you good quality leather...

Now,... nearly a year into the craft, I don’t buy anything from Tandy. 

I now know not to use that piece of leather for anything important again.

Yes I understand being new, no disrespect, just telling the truth. Another thing, don't roll your leather up, that is for shipping only.Leave it hanging.

[flagshipsupply]

I have been crafting with veg tan for about 6 years now, & I haven't seen leather crack when bent a single once!! This is a very bizarre occurrence from my perspective. The only thing I can think of is that the leather may have been extremely old sitting around in Tandy's dry warehouses for years before it hit the shelves. Or just a fluke. 

[oldsparky]

I also had never had leather crack once. What else comes to mind is I have old belts and tack that set in a hot horse trailer that don’t crack, my boots bend everyday and I have some in the closet that are 30 years old and they don’t crack when I put them on. I need to buy some more leather and need to find a supplier that has a reputation on line. I will post that as a question.