Lace up leather pad damage?

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Hi,

I've read in places over the internet that having lace up leather pads on the butts of wooden guns can really deteriorate whatever it is in contact with. I haven't been able to find any actual photos of it though so am unsure if it is true.

Can you guys please clarify if this is a serious risk or not? If so I guess ill just have to remove it after every hunt.

 

[RoaringBull]

Why would the leather deteriorate wood or metal? That doesn't make sense to me. I could see tarnish on the metal or something like that. Use oil on the leather.

 

[ppg1949]

I’m with Roaring Bull. I had a leather sling on a muzzleloader that had a cover over the butt stock. It did tarnish some of the tacks that were covered by it but not the wood. The only wood damage I have ever seen was on a butt stock that had a rubber slip on recoil pad that had been left on for years and kind of “glued” itself to the stock. Probably because of heat, it damaged the finish but not the wood per say.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

I read that the leather caused sweating

 

[kje54]

I read that the leather caused sweating

If worn in the summer it will cause someone to sweat profusely............

 

[ppg1949]

I’ve never seen mine sweat. But I’ve never had it out in temps over the mid 80’s Fahrenheit.

 

[Musketeer]

It's weird, I vaguely recall reading a similar thing many moons ago, Rabbit, but I have no idea where. I do know that some on the knife forums say chrome tanned leather will corrode steel (due to tanning salts) and prefer veg tanned for that reason. Perhaps these chems can damage wood or wood finishes as well?

 

[RoaringBull]

Musketeer that's a good point. I primarily use veg tan so I forgot about the salt issue in chrome tan.

 

[Grimord]

I suspect that this factoid came from someone leaving a leather pad on a gun with a metal butt plate. The acids in the leather used to tan it could and do sometimes corrode metal under certain circumstances, especially brass. I have left suppository ammo in leather cartridge loops and found the brass of the cases had turned green with corrosion.

 

[Art Caputo]

Intrigued by this thread I took my TC Hawken out of the safe. It been there untouched for 21 years. It was left with the leather sling attached. No damage at all to the Tru Oil finished stock when I removed the sling. There was some green brass/copper residue on the leather and the brass that cleaned off easily with a little rubbing with Ballistol. There was no corrosion of the brass. It was only a bit shinier then the original, tarnished surface.

 

[SDSmlf]

Vegetable tanned leather should not cause a problem.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Intrigued by this thread I took my TC Hawken out of the safe. It been there untouched for 21 years. It was left with the leather sling attached. No damage at all to the Tru Oil finished stock when I removed the sling. There was some green brass/copper residue on the leather and the brass that cleaned off easily with a little rubbing with Ballistol. There was no corrosion of the brass. It was only a bit shinier then the original, tarnished surface.
View attachment 58799View attachment 58801View attachment 58802

Proof is in the pudding.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Vegetable tanned leather should not cause a problem.

I don't know how to tell the difference between veg and Chrome tanned leather.

 

[kje54]

I don't know how to tell the difference between veg and Chrome tanned leather.

Most, if not all leather vendors label their products as brain, chrome or vegetable tanned, at least those I've done business with. If you're buying from an individual and they don't know then don't use it to wrap or store your firearms in.
Now, if you already have leather that you were planning on using test for the Siegal Effect. Cut a small strip and place it in boiling water, if it coils immediately it's vegetable tanned, if it doesn't coil it's chrome tanned.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Not making it, bought this one.

 

[RoaringBull]

Looks like veg tan leather.

 

[Lfpdlt]

Vegetable tanned leather should not cause a problem.

Veg tanned leather will still react with brass and create the green coloring (verdigris) but should not affect steel as long as everything stays dry.

 

[SDSmlf]

Veg tanned leather will still react with brass and create the green coloring (verdigris) but should not affect steel as long as everything stays dry.

Thought OP was about reaction with wood?

 

[RoaringBull]

The OP said "whatever it is in contact with"... so I reckon that includes metal...and wood.

 

[Lfpdlt]

Thought OP was about reaction with wood?

I understood it as wood stocked guns which generally have some brass or steel on them. I agree, it would not affect the wood.