How to “harden” leather?

[nhmoose]

Uh, heat it to bright red then quench in water or oil?

 

[Brazos John]

Uh, heat it to bright red then quench in water or oil?

Heat me to bright red and quench me in Lone Star!

 

[Two Feathers]

Howdy folks:
I'm no expert in leather like some of the other guys here; but I can tell you that in my years of leather work, I have YET to find a method for hardening Oil or Chrome tanned leather? That being said, there are a lot of good ideas on "hardening" Veg tanned here. I find wetting it ( NOT soaking it) then letting it dry naturally or over a heat register will work. You can also help it along with a hair dryer set to low but be careful, you CAN burn or wrinkle the leather to the point of being useless. I tried the microwave thing and all I did was ruin leather and PO my wife something fierce. Our microwave still smells like a burnt shoe? A good thing we have 2 microwaves. :~))))
Anyway, I always use Fiebings Pro Oil Dye to color my leather. Well...about a year ago, I got duped into buying a quart of Fiebings "leather dye" NOT Pro Oil dye! I let the seller lie to me with some bs line about it being the same thing.... BS this stuff dries leather so bad that I can use a piece of 5 oz. as a diving board! To my point. this "leather dye" is about 80% alcohol, so I guess dosing you leather with a bit of alcohol will stiffen it once it dries? I did find that the color in the Fiebing "Leather Dye" will wash out if it gets wet. Not sure how much help this is, but it's my $0.02.
I just looked over the Fiebings info. and what I found is; the leather dye AND the Pro Oil dye are both alcohol based, but the pro dye has an oil based coloring pigment added. The plain old leather dye uses a powdered pigment?? Not sure of the relevancy there, but that's what I found?
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[user 48702]

Heat me to bright red and quench me in Lone Star!

Evan Williams will give you that nice even glow and a more harmonious outcome.

 

[Cubreac]

I have YET to find a method for hardening Oil or Chrome tanned leather? That being said, there are a lot of good ideas on "hardening" Veg tanned here.

The only way that I know of to make chrome tan hard is to glue to celastic fiber that has been molded into shape first, like a toe counter on a shoe.

 

[Two Feathers]

The only way that I know of to make chrome tan hard is to glue to celastic fiber that has been molded into shape first, like a toe counter on a shoe.

piperdally:
Good idea, but it kinda' defeats the concept of hardening JUST the oil or chrome tanned leather? What if you have NO room for a plastic preform or it isn't practical, like making a bag or a wallet? I realize there won't be a preform in a wallet...but still?
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Cubreac]

Good idea, but it kinda' defeats the concept of hardening JUST the oil or chrome tanned leather?
Two Feathers

Weaver sells something call "Leather Firmer", but I've never used it. Coating the flesh side of chrome tan with Resolene, Barge Cement (let it dry thoroughly), or latex body paint will also make it firmer, but not hard. I've never tried it, but you could glue 2-3 oz veg tan to the flesh side of chrome tan, then dampen the veg tan and form it to the shape you want. It still won't be as hard as chrome tan backed with celastic fabric.
Chrome tan wallets usually have a fabric lining of some sort. The kind of hard leather I've been thinking of in this discussion would be too hard for a wallet or a bag.
YMMV, and each design probably requires a different application.

 

[Two Feathers]

Weaver sells something call "Leather Firmer", but I've never used it. Coating the flesh side of chrome tan with Resolene, Barge Cement (let it dry thoroughly), or latex body paint will also make it firmer, but not hard. I've never tried it, but you could glue 2-3 oz veg tan to the flesh side of chrome tan, then dampen the veg tan and form it to the shape you want. It still won't be as hard as chrome tan backed with celastic fabric.
Chrome tan wallets usually have a fabric lining of some sort. The kind of hard leather I've been thinking of in this discussion would be too hard for a wallet or a bag.
YMMV, and each design probably requires a different application.

piperdaly:
I've never tried leather firmer either...didn't even know it existed? :~)))) I agree...Resolene will dang sure stiffen leather, but it's water based so be careful getting it wet. I've had some good success using watered down Elmer's wood glue brushed "into" the leather, but do it AFTER you dye the leather or the dye will never work! The glue stuff will stay water resistant after it dries? Again...all just my opinion, thanks.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[GYJ]

You could harden over-oiled vegtan, chrome tan or oil tan by gluing it to a piece of Kydex.

 

[nhmoose]

Evan Williams will give you that nice even glow and a more harmonious outcome.

Ezra Brooks even better but what a waste!

 

[DixieTexian]

You could try using superglue on the flesh side. Once it soaks in and dries it should stiffen things up pretty well. I would do it on a test scrap first to male sure it doesn't soak through and gets the effect you are looking for.