What is your favorite home "remedy"

[SCOUTER]

I'm always interested in old fashioned home brewed concoctions that people have used for leatherwork. I see alot of people like Olive Oil, but is their anyone out there who has an old time recipe that they wouldn't change?

(Stuff like Pine Pitch, paraffin, Castor oil, Shellac-my favorite, kerosene, Brown soap, petroleum jelly, linseed oil...)

I remember as a kid breaking in a new baseball glove, every kid had a secret way of getting that glove to feel just right. Some methods included oiling-adding ball and sleeping on it under your mattress, kicking it around the infield, rubbing countless coats of oil into the glove... By thie time it was "broken-in" we out grew it! (That's when it paid to have a big brother)

[craftsman827]

Wow does that bring back memories!

I use to use neats foot oil.Not the compound.

Also ralwings, spelling it wrong the ball & glove company among other sports products.

Use to sell there own glove oil.

PS. by the way Scouter, I also come from Queens NY.

Grew up in Ridgewood, Moved to Woodhaven,Then Forest Hills,Now part time in Flushing.

4 days a week im in soutn NJ.

[SCOUTER]

Craftsman! There are a few leatherworkers on this forum from "our" area! It really is a small world! I live in College Point.

[barra]

Ok. Off the top of my head some old time recipes

Burnishing liquid. Hard gum tree sap disolved in gum turpentine

PVA glue and warm water

Edge stain

Experiment with different tree bark boiled to extract the tannins then add pearl glue (Hide glue) although PVA glue works just fine

Home made heel ball

melt bees wax and add a little boot polish to colour. This makes the best spit shine formula when you use plain white vinegar in place of spit (27 years, 2months and 2 days of dodgy alchemy and experimentation)

Use old nylon stockings as buffing cloths

Add a little boot polish to warmed oil and then apply to leather. It is best to experiment with scrap first. I use an old coffee perculator for the hot plate to warm my oils and melt bees wax etc.

Liquid floor polish applied to burnished edges for a final shine up

hard floor wax like johnson and johnson. a light coat to all sorts of leather object will buff up nicely when dry

Home made saddle soap

pure laundry soap and pure mutton/beef fat and a little water added. experiment with the ratio but I use about 2/3 soap - 1/3 fat and slowly heat it all up (stirring frequently) until you see lots of tiny air bubbles. I then add a table spoon or so of turpentine to disuade the vermin from the fat. This makes a good plaiting/braiding soap too.

El cheapo hand lotions from the 99 cent store. If deemed OK for your hands it is fine for leather (Usually)

Different coloured bricklayers mortar oxidising powders. Experiment with the ratio of powder to water for edge stain and alcohol for dye

Now this is not a concoction but I'll add it here.

To avoid presser foot/feed dog marks. Wrap the item to be stitched in Glad/saran wrap and stitch away (or use tracing paper so you can see thru to see what your stitching. When done rip the saran wrap off. You may have to pick out a few remanants of wrap from under the odd stitch.

Barra

Edited February 8, 2008 by barra

[ferret]

I make dye from oxidised red wine (the half empty bottles you find hidden a few days after the party). Warm it up with wire wool in an aluminium pan, leave to cool then pour into a jar. Makes a nice dark grey dye that will produce black with subsequent applications. Best not to tidy up too thoroughly after the party or the wine is still drinkable and you don't get any dye

[SCOUTER]

Wow Barra you have a lot of great recipes! I used to use Turpentine alot when woodworking and now I have a low tolerance to the smell.

The liquid Floor wax you mentioned (like "Future") is amazing stuff! I knew a guy who would buy it in quantity, repackage it in small containers and sell it as "Clear Coat". He tells everone you can use it on just about anything you want to shine! He made a killing! People were always telling him how great the stuff is!

We used to use that stuff in the service to "keep" our brass shiny and even on our dress shoes! Lasted for quite a while!

[barra]

I think Future liquid polish is marketed in Australia as ONE GO. We would soak a cotton ball in it then wring it out and also apply it to Service dress shoes. Woe betied if you got caught using it tho every man and his dog did. Trap for young players, it went milky if you got caught out in the rain (BUSTED). We would use clear nail polish on our brass (I transgress)

The Gum turpentine is different to mineral turpentine and I think although I could be wrong that gum is also called Gum Arabic.

You don't have to go to the local leatherworker supply store to find the necessaries. Try the local hardware. The timber finishes section has lots of goodies as does the local supermarket.

Barra

[gary]

I think ONE GO was marketed here as 'Klear'.

Also went white when wet.

The RSM used to go round at inspection/parade with a water pistol to catch the users.

And clear nail varnish on brass too - except the one guy who used pink 'cos he couldn't get clear.

But I've digressed.

Mars Oil was great for really old, dry, flaky leather. It was resuscitation in a bottle for a lot of leather that would normally be in the trash category. It was made by a German company but seems to have disappeared.

Gary

Edited February 12, 2008 by gary

[barra]

RSM's. God bless their cotton sox