Chrome tan, Veg tan, Other tan....Help me understand

[kiwican]

Nice find Ross.  Imperical evidence seems to be lacking and it also seems we may have had the issue wrong in the first place. I went back to look at my needle files in the chrome tan roll I made a few years back. No issues at all

[sheathmaker]

@Dun,  Long term storage and any effect any leather has on the contents stored therein depends on the average temperature and relative humidity at the location.  In a very warm and or damp climate, it would probably be prudent to store your knives/guns/other metal items outside their sheathe or holster.  I find that I have much more trouble with Verdis Gris, (that green crap on Brass and Nickel), but that seems to happen just as frequently in Veg Tan as Chrome Tan.   In any case if you have any reason to believe the sheath or holster might have been wet or even damp remove the knife or gun and make sure it has dried thoroughly before any subsequent use.

Paul

Edited February 7, 2018 by sheathmaker

[Dun]

3 hours ago, kiwican said:

Nice find Ross.  Imperical evidence seems to be lacking and it also seems we may have had the issue wrong in the first place. I went back to look at my needle files in the chrome tan roll I made a few years back. No issues at all

 

51 minutes ago, sheathmaker said:

@Dun,  Long term storage and any effect any leather has on the contents stored therein depends on the average temperature and relative humidity at the location.  In a very warm and or damp climate, it would probably be prudent to store your knives/guns/other metal items outside their sheathe or holster.  I find that I have much more trouble with Verdis Gris, (that green crap on Brass and Nickel), but that seems to happen just as frequently in Veg Tan as Chrome Tan.   In any case if you have any reason to believe the sheath or holster might have been wet or even damp remove the knife or gun and make sure it has dried thoroughly before any subsequent use.

Paul

Thanks guys. Great to get specific answers!

[Wyowind]

11 hours ago, billybopp said:

@rodneywt1180b  Give "deer tanned" leather a try.  It's very soft with a good amount of stretch - It would have a very nice feel for what you are doing.  Deer, Elk and Moose are usually tanned this way, but cow can be too.  I don't know how it is made in tanneries in the modern world ( I suspect some variation of chrome tannage ), but it was traditionally done with brain, sometimes eggs added and other things.  Native Americans supposedly said "Every animal has enough brain to tan its own hide".  If you look about on youtube, you'll find a few videos on brain tanning - they tend to be a little gross tho.

- Bill

You can also use liquid lecithin as a substitute but brains are the best to get a nice soft hide.  I’ll second what you said about each critters brain being enough to tan it’s own hide...

[Rossr]

@sheathmaker   I want to Thank Paul for chiming in  with his extensive experience.  

 

Thank you to everyone for commented as well!

 

Lot of great conversation here, i have to admit I am not as concerned about chrome tan and metal as I was prior to this posting.  I am a firm believer that we all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.  I also think it is important to share our knowledge and learn and teach when we can,  of course part of that is learning new things or finding out things we thought we knew werent so.....keep on sharing folks..its one of the reasons I enjoy the discussions on this forum...so much to learn.

 

Ross

[Mjolnir]

Just a weird drop in the bucket... I live in a hunting town, deer is meat, the hide is waste. No one tans. I asked about tanning and a guy pointed out that every animals brain is large enough to tan its hide. I'm still looking into this. So much leather is wasted.

[kiwican]

2 minutes ago, Mjolnir said:

Just a weird drop in the bucket... I live in a hunting town, deer is meat, the hide is waste. No one tans. I asked about tanning and a guy pointed out that every animals brain is large enough to tan its hide. I'm still looking into this. So much leather is wasted.

So it's been said. If I han to guess. I' say that the statement applys to mamals. I can't see how a crocs brain could tan it. Especially a large one. Or fish leather. Seems to be one of those often repeated things?

[Dun]

1 hour ago, Rossr said:

@sheathmaker   I want to Thank Paul for chiming in  with his extensive experience.  

 

Thank you to everyone for commented as well!

 

Lot of great conversation here, i have to admit I am not as concerned about chrome tan and metal as I was prior to this posting. 

Agreed, for myself. Still not sure how to make sure others worry about moisture and oiling and still want a particular product though. (Probably a separate thread but Small baby cousin isn't so small anymore and finishing hair stylist school soon. Would love to make a scissor holder that would last a lifetime, but I can practically see their eyes glaze over with the leather care instructions)

[billybopp]

This is the book I picked up some 40 years ago on brain tanning ...https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008GE55U2/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1518051048&sr=8-13&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=deer+tanning

[sheathmaker]

@Dun, reference your baby cousin's scissor case.  The leather is not really all that important. Could be either Veg. Tan or Chrome Tan.  Think about how the case will be used, scissors in and out multiple times a day. The interior will burnish fairly quickly. The Exterior will pick up oil (ever so slight) from the operator"s hand and will fairly quickly glaze slightly and patina naturally. The case will likely spend its life in a clean climate controlled environment, therefore any concern about leather care will, in fact, be minimal and any conditioning efforts will be few and far between   If veg. tan a very light coat of either Neatsfoot Oil or Virgin Olive Oil every few years is about all it would need. If Chrome, leather cream or some other "balm" same time table.

If I were building it, I think I would use 2/3Oz veg. tan cemented flesh to flesh so the case would be self lined when finished.  Just stack it up front panel, back panel, and welt would not even be necessary.  Long life, low maintenance.

Paul

[Dun]

1 hour ago, sheathmaker said:

@Dun, reference your baby cousin's scissor case.  The leather is not really all that important. Could be either Veg. Tan or Chrome Tan.  Think about how the case will be used, scissors in and out multiple times a day. The interior will burnish fairly quickly. The Exterior will pick up oil (ever so slight) from the operator"s hand and will fairly quickly glaze slightly and patina naturally. The case will likely spend its life in a clean climate controlled environment, therefore any concern about leather care will, in fact, be minimal and any conditioning efforts will be few and far between   If veg. tan a very light coat of either Neatsfoot Oil or Virgin Olive Oil every few years is about all it would need. If Chrome, leather cream or some other "balm" same time table.

If I were building it, I think I would use 2/3Oz veg. tan cemented flesh to flesh so the case would be self lined when finished.  Just stack it up front panel, back panel, and welt would not even be necessary.  Long life, low maintenance.

Paul

Thank so much paul. I was about to start researching if any ingredients of hair skin products might be similar to the oil conditioners we use