Help needed, my leather wouldnt harden :(

[Dwight]

Actually the "drying bag" is an extension of my "drying box" I have.

It's about 12 by 18 and 48 inches tall.  Full door on the 18 x 48 front.

Put a couple of hanger hooks in the top, . . . 3 each, 100 watt incandescent light bulbs sit on the bottom, . . . thermometer sticks out the door up topside.

I've never heard about the 180 deg water for hardening  leather, . . . but I can tell you for a fact that 135 to 145 deg dry heat from those light bulbs will dry out and harden a holster almost to the point you could use it as a weapon.

Don't recall who (someone on here) sparked the idea, . . . but I ran with it, . . . and use it occasionally if I see a real need for it.

The bag is a cheap alternative.

May God bless,

Dwight

[HeatherAthebyne]

Likely relevant: @Gullex's https://medium.com/@jasontimmermans/a-comparative-study-of-leather-hardening-techniques-16-methods-tested-and-novel-approaches-8574e571f619

[Suntailhawk]

On 2/2/2019 at 5:59 AM, Dwight said:

Actually the "drying bag" is an extension of my "drying box" I have.

It's about 12 by 18 and 48 inches tall.  Full door on the 18 x 48 front.

Put a couple of hanger hooks in the top, . . . 3 each, 100 watt incandescent light bulbs sit on the bottom, . . . thermometer sticks out the door up topside.

I've never heard about the 180 deg water for hardening  leather, . . . but I can tell you for a fact that 135 to 145 deg dry heat from those light bulbs will dry out and harden a holster almost to the point you could use it as a weapon.

Don't recall who (someone on here) sparked the idea, . . . but I ran with it, . . . and use it occasionally if I see a real need for it.

The bag is a cheap alternative.

May God bless,

Dwight

Just curious, what do you put the the light bulbs on? like a desk lamp?

21 hours ago, HeatherAthebyne said:

Likely relevant: @Gullex's https://medium.com/@jasontimmermans/a-comparative-study-of-leather-hardening-techniques-16-methods-tested-and-novel-approaches-8574e571f619

Oh, this essay is amazing! Looks like Stearic acid is the way to go

[Dwight]

1 minute ago, Suntailhawk said:

Just curious, what do you put the the light bulbs on? like a desk lamp?

 

Actually all I did was mount 3 porcelain pull chain fixtures to the bottom of the box, . . . wired em up, . . . put a switch on the box, . . . installed the bulbs, . . . voila, . . . it works.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

Here are some pics, . . . actually used 4 bulbs, . . . thought it was only three.  Go to Lowes, . . . buy the lumber and usually they'll cut it for you.  At least I can usually get them to do it, . . . I explain it has to fit in my Jeep.

You can't see the hooks in the picture, . . . they are at the top, . . . put a coat hanger in there with whatever needs dried / hardened.  

I will probably go with smaller bulbs later on, . . . this dries em out just a tad fast for me. 

May God bless,

Dwight