How to “harden” leather?

[B P Arn]

This thread has gotten so far off the rails that I was not going to comment any further. Knowing better, here goes anyway...

Oil tanned, chrome tanned or other leathers will not "wet form". Only vegetable tanned leather will work.

Dip the leather in lukewarm water for about 2 or 3 minutes. Oil the gun/ knife/etc, and place it in the holster. Work the leather around the gun with your fingers or suitable tool to fit the gun. Immediately remove the gun!

Set the holster aside to air dry. NO HAIR DRIERS. BOILING WATER, BLOW TORCHES, ETC!

Every few hours re-insert the gun, and reshape the leather as needed. Within a day, or two at the most, depending on the humidity, yhe holster will be perfectly formed. After that you can give it a coat of mink oil or wax if you want. NO IFFIN' HEAT!

If you really want a stiffer holster, you can bake it in an oven at 180° for about an hour Immediately after the initial wet molding. That will dry it quickly and definitely make it stiffer.

I'm out.

 

[alcessapiens]

I’ve made leather armor using veg tanned boiled in a 50/50 mix of beeswax and paraffin (canning wax). You have to mold it quickly to shape (old welding gloves work well) and it dries really hard and holds it’s shape even wet. Don’t oil it or it starts to soften just wax it.you only dip it in for a minute, you don’t want to cook it. Start oversized as it will shrink a bit.

 

[GYJ]

If that works for you, great. In my experience a more thorough process works best. YMMV

It's worked pretty good on about 200 holsters over the last 10yrs. Now I just wet mold when I dip dye and they're dry in a couple hours.

 

[LRB]

It's worked pretty good on about 200 holsters over the last 10yrs. Now I just wet mold when I dip dye and they're dry in a couple hours.

Wet mold with 50/70 % rubbing alcohol and it will form and harden. When dry wet well with mineral oil and let sit for a couple days. Neither the alcohol nor mineral oil will damage the leather.

 

[GYJ]

Alcohol is fine but mineral oil is not. Any type of petroleum distillate is bad for leather. Mineral oil is why we avoid neatsfoot compound, in lieu of pure neatsfoot oil. 99% of the time I use extra virgin olive oil.

 

[Mad L]

This thread has gotten so far off the rails that I was not going to comment any further. Knowing better, here goes anyway...

Oil tanned, chrome tanned or other leathers will not "wet form". Only vegetable tanned leather will work.

Dip the leather in lukewarm water for about 2 or 3 minutes. Oil the gun/ knife/etc, and place it in the holster. Work the leather around the gun with your fingers or suitable tool to fit the gun. Immediately remove the gun!

Set the holster aside to air dry. NO HAIR DRIERS. BOILING WATER, BLOW TORCHES, ETC!

Every few hours re-insert the gun, and reshape the leather as needed. Within a day, or two at the most, depending on the humidity, yhe holster will be perfectly formed. After that you can give it a coat of mink oil or wax if you want. NO IFFIN' HEAT!

If you really want a stiffer holster, you can bake it in an oven at 180° for about an hour Immediately after the initial wet molding. That will dry it quickly and definitely make it stiffer.

I'm out.

Yup, FAR off the rails indeed.
The OP only wanted Frizzen Stalls and a Cow's Knee.
ZERO need for all this Wet Forming info (although good stuff for others).

OP's question:
"some hammerstalls then graduate to cows knees. Anything more complicated then that I think I’d better leave it to the pros!"

 

[LRB]

Alcohol is fine but mineral oil is not. Any type of petroleum distillate is bad for leather. Mineral oil is why we avoid neatsfoot compound, in lieu of pure neatsfoot oil. 99% of the time I use extra virgin olive oil.

Wrong. Mineral oil is not detrimental to leather and does not attract insect life such as olive or neatsfoot can. I have used mineral oil on my leather goods for the last 40 years with nothing less than satisfaction. I can go one better. I needed a holster many years back for a new 6 gun to take on a hunt and had only an old dried out one I got in a trade. I soaked it in non-detergent 30W motor oil because I had no time and no other and worked in a little Vaseline. Carried it for over 20 years touching up every few years, when it seemed drier than I wanted. Still have it but made a nicer looking one for the gun I carried in it. BS is all too often easily spread without actual experience of a subject.

 

[Mad L]

Mineral oil is Good on leather but Montana Pine Pitch dressing is better. Used on high end saddles for 100 years.
I use mineral oil for 'sun tanning' a nice dark brown (prevents leather from cracking and speeds the tanning) but for care I only use Montana's products - the conditioner will revive old dried leather and the paste dressing maintains and protects (not for use on suede)

https://www.montanapitchblend.com/

 

[GYJ]

Wrong. Mineral oil is not detrimental to leather and does not attract insect life such as olive or neatsfoot can. I have used mineral oil on my leather goods for the last 40 years with nothing less than satisfaction. I can go one better. I needed a holster many years back for a new 6 gun to take on a hunt and had only an old dried out one I got in a trade. I soaked it in non-detergent 30W motor oil because I had no time and no other and worked in a little Vaseline. Carried it for over 20 years touching up every few years, when it seemed drier than I wanted. Still have it but made a nicer looking one for the gun I carried in it. BS is all too often easily spread without actual experience of a subject.

Well, my "BS" came from Chuck Burrows so.......

 

[Mad L]

Well, my "BS" came from Chuck Burrows so.......

There is always that guy's way, the other guy's way, your way, my way and the old way.
I like to try them all and then choose the one I like that works best for me.

 

[LRB]

Well, my "BS" came from Chuck Burrows so.......

Chuck agreed on this forum mineral oil was fine if you had nothing else. So..............................

 

[GYJ]

There is always that guy's way, the other guy's way, your way, my way and the old way.
I like to try them all and then choose the one I like that works best for me.

There's always different ways to skin a cat but the fact that petroleum distillates are bad for leather doesn't really fall into that. They don't do what people think, that is to replenish the natural moisture in the leather and they also break down the fibers. It actually dries it out, because it's the wrong type of oil and it can break down the glue. All one has to do is Google it.

 

[GYJ]

Here's a quote and a link:

"Mineral oil is extremely hydrophobic because it is a non-polar substance, and the molecular structure has fewer reactive tertiary hydrogen and carbon atoms which minimizes direct reaction with oxygen. What this means is that mineral oil is much more of a water barrier than triglyceride based oils like animal and vegetable fats. In fact mineral oil is considered to be occlusive (a stop to moisture.)
Basically means it's a good water barrier."

I know that Chuck often referred to this site on this very subject.

https://www.jarnaginco.com/leather preservation.htm
"Please do not use any oils that contain mineral oils or listed as petroleum distillates. This type of oil over time breaks down into a solvent, and since solvent can de-tan, you get double damage. If you must oil, use natural oil like "pure Neatsfoot" or a good grade of tallow. Please read the labels of any thing you apply to leather very carefully."

So certainly not "BS" and not pulled from my posterior orifice.

 

[Mad L]

There's always different ways to skin a cat but the fact that petroleum distillates are bad for leather doesn't really fall into that. They don't do what people think, that is to replenish the natural moisture in the leather and they also break down the fibers. It actually dries it out, because it's the wrong type of oil and it can break down the glue. All one has to do is Google it.

Mineral Oil I pointed to is for Distressing leather, in the case I stated was to darken it via natural sunlight.
As I pointed out earlier and in the past; after the aging I recommend something such a Montana Pitch leather care products.

Now if you use synthetic means of giving your leather a nice aged effect or just coloring it with synthetic dies (quick, easy way without the work and effort) then I would see no need for applying mineral spirits to it. But if you do want to go the long way of achieving a nice aged and dark color (veg tan only) you could rub it with straight water to hassen the age/color, it will take a little longer then using the mineral oil if it frightens you....my leather has not suffered over the years from it, all the oils are replaced in the end with the Pitch Blend care products (pine pitch, mink oil, and beeswax).

 

[Mad L]

There's always different ways to skin a cat but the fact that petroleum distillates are bad for leather doesn't really fall into that. They don't do what people think, that is to replenish the natural moisture in the leather and they also break down the fibers. It actually dries it out, because it's the wrong type of oil and it can break down the glue. All one has to do is Google it.

I guess you can say "There is Chuck's way and there is my way" but since I dont see where Chuck does what i do for the effect and looks i go for, my way is the best way, i dont use dye other then sometimes natural dye such as walnut or berries....what does Chuck think of that?

 

[GYJ]

Well, I wasn't responding to you. As I said, this is not a difference of opinion. I posted my opinion backed by three experts in the field. Do what you want with it.

 

[Mad L]

Well, I wasn't responding to you. As I said, this is not a difference of opinion. I posted my opinion backed by three experts in the field. Do what you want with it.

My bad, when someone quots me I generally think they are talking to me.
My father always says an 'Expert' is nothing more then a "has been drip".

The OP was wanting to know "How to Harden Leather" before all the 'experts' chimed in on just about everything but...

 

[GYJ]

Try re-reading the thread and lay off the sarcasm. I never claimed to be an expert so don't get our drawers in a wad because my info conflicts with yours.

 

[DixieTexian]

Oil tanned, chrome tanned or other leathers will not "wet form". Only vegetable tanned leather will work.

If chrome tanned leathers did not wet form, we wouldn't have nice rounded toes on our shoes made out of chrome tan. Now, they won't wet form like veg tanned leather, but if you are just stretching them wet over a mold and then letting dry they will generally hold the shape, albeit without the stiffness of veg tanned leather.

 

[Cubreac]

If chrome tanned leathers did not wet form, we wouldn't have nice rounded toes on our shoes made out of chrome tan. Now, they won't wet form like veg tanned leather, but if you are just stretching them wet over a mold and then letting dry they will generally hold the shape, albeit without the stiffness of veg tanned leather.

Toes and counters on shoes are stiffened with different kinds of materials. Sometimes it's veg tanned leather under the chrome tanned, but these days solvent activated celastic material is used.
You get a much harder finished product if you soak the leather, then let the moisture permeate the leather in a plastic bag before molding it. There are lots of right ways to do it, and not all veg tan reacts the same way. The thickness of the leather matters a great deal. 3 to 5 oz leather can be sprayed with water before molding, but 8/9 oz requires thorough wetting in my experience. Good luck trying to apply shoe sole leather without getting it damp all the way through.
From an Etsy store that sells celastic fabric:
"Celastic is a plastic impregnated fabric which becomes moldable and adhesive when activated by immersion in solvent.
"Celastic is used in artisan crafts for fabricating: puppets, marionettes, mascot characters, floats, movie and stage props, taxidermy and more. It's even used as toe box material and heel counters. Also, Celastic is used by Jobbers at metal foundries as a lag material for patching, repairing, and building up patterns."