chamois leather?

[jferguson]

Has anyone on here ever found a good use to use car-washing chamois cloth leather to make anything good? It is fairly inexpensive, very floppy and soft--seems like could be used for certain leather craft items?

 

[tenngun]

When I was more mountian man I made belt bags for trade from them. I don't know how to do a chamois tan, although it goes back to the ice age. In general it is so soft and thin it dosn't work to well for any thing like knife sheath or shooting bag. Soft gentlemans hunting trousers or breachs might work well with it, but would be too thin for 'working'clothing.

 

[Wes/Tex]

have used it, if the color is good, for many of my Native type projects...Medicine bags, knife sheath covers, anything requiring a soft leather. At present, I'm using it for ball patches. They compress better than cloth, don't smolder on the ground and are usually good enough to be reused! :thumbsup:

 

[LaBonte]

When I was more mountian man I made belt bags for trade from them. I don't know how to do a chamois tan, although it goes back to the ice age. In general it is so soft and thin it dosn't work to well for any thing like knife sheath or shooting bag. Soft gentlemans hunting trousers or breachs might work well with it, but would be too thin for 'working'clothing.

chamois tan is a true oil tan - the hides are well oiled (usually cod liver oil), then stacked - the heat generated by the pressure infuses the hides with the oils and aldehydes formed by the heat. It's the same method used to make the German tan hides sold by Crazy Crow.
I know a few folks who have used them in the larger sizes for working clothes, including leggings and they have apparently held up quite well.

 

[tenngun]

I have done lots of brain, some alum and salt,read how to do bark, although never tried it. Never read how chamois was done. I knew it was an oil tan and seems to have been done back in to the ice age,. Some of the 'bog people' were found with chamois style leather on that after being soaked in the bogs turned in to tanned leather just like the bog people them selfs.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It soaks up and holds water like crazy. Might be nice and soft but don't get caught in the rain. :shocked2:

 

[BrownBear]

Only used it for a few things- some muzzleloading but most not.

Not what you intended, but with the right ball diameter it's dandy patch material. Also not bad at all for cleaning patch, but followed with a cloth patch for drying.

In actual sewing, I've been leery of it for exposed use (soaks up water as noted) or weight- too saggy for bags. Not bad for ball bags, long as you don't stuff them.

But it's proven dandy for making protective cases or drawstring bags for delicate stuff like camera lenses. My favorite way to stow lenses in a camera bag when working in dusty places.

Sewing it is a trick. No need using an awl. Just use sharp glovers needles. No marking it for stitch spacing, but I get the best results with fine stitching down in the 10 or 12 stitch per inch range. Sure profits from a welt, though.

 

[Billnpatti]

I've never used it because it gets very stiff once it has gotten wet. Take a look at one that has been used and then hung up to dry. It is stiff as a board. But, once you get it wet, it is nice and soft again until it dries and then....cardboard stiff. Maybe if you worked something like mink oil or neatsfoot oil into it, it might stay soft. :idunno: