Wahts a way of making leather ALOT softer?

[Mark Nasim]

I have a hunting bad that I really want to make softer.Its made of deer hide backed with some type of hard canvas or something on the interior. the leather is fairly stiff,and I really want to make it very soft. I have tried using saddle soap and as of last night, it makes my 5th time I have rubbed in on and off. It has soften just a little,but not nearly what I am expecting.
Is there anything else I can use that will really soften that leather up??

 

[2172]

I guess I'd try neatsfoot oil, rubbed in, and enough coats to get it to where I wanted it...Hank

 

[Stumpkiller]

The oil (neatsfoot or mink) is what I would try. Some leathers just won't soften. It depends on thickness and the process used to tan it, and whether it's been waxed in the past.

Waxed canvas is also known as "tin cloth". Guess why.

 

[vradin]

Its made of deer hide backed with some type of hard canvas or something on the interior.

First off, saddle soap is a cleaner, not a softener. All you're doing is making a very clean stiff bag. The only thing softening it is the working of the leather when you apply and rub out the soap (see 2 below).

There might be a stiffener between the canvas and leather. If there's a non-obtrusive spot on the inside you can peel a little of the lining to see what's really going on in there... I'd look at that first. If there's something besides just canvas and leather, you might never be able to soften it up much. If not, here's a couple of tricks I use that work...

1- Neetsfoot oil. Might darken your leather, but will soften it very well. Get a good brand like Fiebings, watch out for the over-priced artificial junk they sell in some of the shoe stores. Apply, rub out, repeat.

2- Toss bag and ONE old canvas skeaker into a dryer, put it on NO HEAT and run for 10 minutes. The sneaker will beat the bag, working it to soften the leather. After the first application of abuse, if it's not soft enough, go again for 5 minutes. Repeat running the dryer for 5 minutes each time until you get it where you want it. IMPORTANT: NO HEAT Heat will toughen and dry the leather making it worse.

Hope this helps,
vic

 

[mrd74]

If the canvas is glued to the deerskin it might be the dried glue causing the stiffness. Assuming that after the canvas was glued it was also secured by sewing around the edges, the glue is not longer needed to keep the canvas in position. If this is the case the only solution is to "break" up the hardened glue into small pieces by folding the bag over on itself and rolling the fold back and forth over the entire surface. If you hear a crackling sound that's the glue breaking. The dryer and shoe suggestion sounds like a good idea too. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[redhorse1955]

Didn't the Eskimos give the leather to the old women to 'chew' soft? :results: I seem to remember that from the movie "Nanook of the North". :blah:

 

[Rabbit]

Redhorse you must have been reading my mind. I believe the Indian squaws did the same thing, chew the hide soft. Probably works best if she has no teeth.

 

[hobbles]

Vic
First off, saddle soap is a cleaner, not a softener.

Ive been usin saddle soap for 40+ years on every thing from wood to leather, Yes it is a cleaner, but it does make leather softer,

 

You gotta beat that leather up, don't worry, your not gonna break it, get in there and beat it, twist it, pull it, you know..... rasssel it, the best thing that can happen is you'll make it look old. :: This just came to mind, We spend a lot of money trying to make our old bag look new and our new bag look old !!!! :hmm: Shhh... hope my wife don't see this. :crackup: :crackup:



TheGunCellar

 

[brubincam]

would it work best TEETH ON BOTTOM only,TEETH ON TOP only,or NO TEETH AT ALL, :huh: hey UNCLE JED maybe GRANNY would want to chew a couple hides for the boys,,, :kid:

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Its made of deer hide backed with some type of hard canvas or something on the interior.

First off, saddle soap is a cleaner, not a softener. All you're doing is making a very clean stiff bag. The only thing softening it is the working of the leather when you apply and rub out the soap (see 2 below).

There might be a stiffener between the canvas and leather. If there's a non-obtrusive spot on the inside you can peel a little of the lining to see what's really going on in there... I'd look at that first. If there's something besides just canvas and leather, you might never be able to soften it up much. If not, here's a couple of tricks I use that work...

1- Neetsfoot oil. Might darken your leather, but will soften it very well. Get a good brand like Fiebings, watch out for the over-priced artificial junk they sell in some of the shoe stores. Apply, rub out, repeat.

2- Toss bag and ONE old canvas skeaker into a dryer, put it on NO HEAT and run for 10 minutes. The sneaker will beat the bag, working it to soften the leather. After the first application of abuse, if it's not soft enough, go again for 5 minutes. Repeat running the dryer for 5 minutes each time until you get it where you want it. IMPORTANT: NO HEAT Heat will toughen and dry the leather making it worse.

Hope this helps,
vic

Try the dryer BEFORE you oil it, neetsfoot all over the dryer might make the litl woman reach for the skinnin, knife!, the dryer process also works well on buckskins that may have got soaked and stiffened, or just dreg it behind the horse for a couple days, good luck!

 

[Uncle Jed]

would it work best TEETH ON BOTTOM only,TEETH ON TOP only,or NO TEETH AT ALL, :huh: hey UNCLE JED maybe GRANNY would want to chew a couple hides for the boys,,, :kid:

Boy, if Granny saws this she would cut a switch and take after you from here to the cement pond. Jethro would be more abliged to do this, that boy will put anything in his mouth ifn he thoughts it was vittles, trouble is he'd want to swoller it.