Waterproofing Wool

[roundball]

Does anyone have any recommendations for treating a piece of wool blanket to make it waterproof, or at least water-repellent...yet let it remain soft...maybe something like silicone spray, etc?

I'm going to make a simple slip on full length 'rain cover' for the Virginia...planning to use a piece of a lightweight, fairly tight weave OD army blanket I have leftover from camping days.

Its soft and drapes down easily over both sides of the rifle...want to treat it with something to make it shed light rain better without making the material stiff...all suggestions appreciated.

 

[lonehunter]

Wally World has a spray on waterproofer called camp-dry, I have used it on tree stand seats with good results, cant ever remember it making anything stiff, And it seems to work pretty good.
Good luck. :v

 

[necchi]

Lanolin,
might as well put back the waterproofing that sheep have, that they take out to process wool.
http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Lanol...ef=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1261874749&sr=1-7

 

[atki]

There is a company called Nikwax that makes waterproofing for a variety of uses and materials. I have used it for years backpacking. Here is the product for wool:

Polar Proof
Wash-in waterproofing for fleece, wool, fibre-pile and synthetic fabrics including ski wear

It helps to maintain the air gap between the knit and weave, keeping the wearer warm and comfortable while repelling water from the surface in wet or humid conditions, keeping the wearer dry.

You can buy it at sporting good stores. Here is there website:
http://www.nikwax.com

WB

 

[roundball]

Thanks for the suggestions...read up on both and the good news is they're both pretty inexpensive so I may experiment with both...

 

[Soractus]

I would suggest that you line the cover with something, flannel maybe. Despite it's apparent softness, wool often has an abrasive quality, which might wear off your browning/blueing/varnish on any high-spots.

 

[roundball]

Agree and am planning to...already have one rain cover that fits a half stock Hawken size Flintlock...very light canvas with a linen lining.

Want to make a larger/longer one for the longer barreled Virginia I recently got and plan to use linen lining there as well...with a double layer where the front sight slides.

Since I already had a couple of like new, fairly thin lightweight wool blankets sitting around, figured I'd sacrifice one of them to the cause
:wink:

 

[dbutch]

If you line the water proof shell won't your liner absorb moisture? I have used camp dry and it does work..caution I did not put it up against the finish of a rifle..your on your own on that one.
Good luck with the project looking forward to pic's when complete....dan

 

[roundball]

If the outer shell doesn't absorb water, the inner liner shouldn't be able to...

 

[NJStricker]

The inner liner will still absorb moisture out of the air, even if the outer layer has been waterproofed.

 

[paulvallandigham]

WADR, have you considered your own perspiration as a source of moisture to dampen an interior lining??

[The product known as "GORTEX" was specifically invented to deal with the problem of perspiration, so that its vented through the fabric, which still keeps moisture in the form of rain, or snow, or sleet Out of the fabric.]

I once got caught in dropping temperatures one morning, wearing several layers of wool clothing, in high 50s. temperatures. I was fine, until the winds came up and the bottom dropped out of the thermometer.

I ended up putting a "Plastic " rain suit on over my wood coat and sweater. The plastic stopped me losing body heat, but the inside of the plastic "shell" was coated with water, and my wool coat and sweaters were soaked with my sweat when I finally got to the car, and got in out of the wind. I turned on the engine and cranked up the heater. It took a few minutes, but I finally stopped my chattering teeth. Then I stripped off the rest of the wet clothes, down to my flannel shirt, and drove out of the woods. I found a restaurant and ate a hot meal, and drank lots of water. Then I went back to my motel room, took a hot shower, and went to bed. The Hypothermia I suffered left me exhausted. I now use a parka that has a metallic fabric liner in it, that reflects body heat back towards you. The outer shell stops the wind, and sheds water reasonably well. I have a plastic Poncho I carry in my daypack that can go over the parka if it really begins to pour.

But, it gets a lot colder up here where I hunt, than where you usually hunt, RB. I lost my love of wool as an outer coat material many years ago when I was freezing half to death walking to school with such inadequate clothes, in zero and colder temperatures. I am told that there are some brands of wool outdoor clothing where the choice of wool used, and the tight weave does a terrific job of keeping you warm. I haven't seen this yet. "King of the Mountain" is the brand that comes to mind, if that might be of help to you. :thumbsup:

 

[pondoro]

Just by coincidence I washed a thick wool sweater yesterday for the first time. I hand washed it and after holding it under water for some time there were still dry patches. Wool definitely has some level of natural waterproofing, it took a long time to get it wet, even immersed in water.

 

[roundball]

Well yes, technically speaking I suppose that could occur, but its of no consequence. Rain covers are used if it starts drizzling, or a shower passes overhead, etc...merely as a full length drape over the rifle to keep the rain from soaking the rifle.

If somebody wants to sit holding a Flintlock in a rain so hard or for so long that a liner underneath a waterproof shell would eventually get wet by absorbing so much moisture out of the air that it then causes some sort of problem, more power to them...it sure won't be me...or the deer.
:grin:

I've already got a couple rain covers, they both have liners, they both work fine, etc...this thread is about making a longer one using wool...with a request for suggestions on adding more water repellency to the wool.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Just by coincidence I washed a thick wool sweater yesterday for the first time. I hand washed it and after holding it under water for some time there were still dry patches. Wool definitely has some level of natural waterproofing, it took a long time to get it wet, even immersed in water.

I worked for many years in the outdoor/mountaineering industry and I can tell you that wool cannot be "waterproofed" in the way that most people use the term.

The advantage of wool (in relation to water) is it's ability to not soak up water the way cotton does. That is, cotton soaks up water in it's fibers and mats down, loosing all insulating ability. Wool, on the other hand, suspends the water between the fibers, thus retaining it's "loft" or dead air space, thus retaining a good level of insulation.

Remember, it's the dead air space that insulates you from the outdoors. This is true whether it's clothing or the insulation in your home. Even if the wool under your rain shell is soaked with perspiration, it will still retain it's loft and insulate you.

Keeping wool clean is the best way to keep it functioning well. Wash it only in a mild soap designed for wool. Never use detergent.

Wool that retains it's oil can repel a light rain, for a short time, but it shouldn't be considered rain gear.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Sheep produce their own Lanolin. That is probably what produced the dry spots to which you refer.

Lanolin still works as a water barrier, if you can find a synthetic spray product along those lines. I want more than a water barrier: I want something that breaks the wind.

I have seen the ads, for the King of the Mountain products, and have even read some glowing reviews. But, I don't want to invest that kind of money unless I can know for sure that a strong wind is not going to freeze me half to death. Suffering from Hypothermia ONCE, is Once too often. :idunno: I can't imagine putting myself in a place where I would suffer it again. :hmm: :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[aloyalistdawg]

Hey
Yes I agree use the wool as the liner and cover it with painted canvass that can be untied and removed , worked well for my Bess..
Cheers a loyalistdawg :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

Stopped by Joann's Fabrics today to pick up some linen and also got some strong tight weave dark dark brown cotten duck material (like light canvas). Washed and hot tumble dried both pieces to soften them up, and my Bride of 42 years has industrial strength sewing machines, knows how to use them.

So from all the Wool, Duck, linen, Silcone, Lanolin, Polar Proof, and Bees Wax I have, I can make a whole product line of different combinations.
:wink:

In checking the thin lightweight wool blanket closely, it's a very good quality with soft, smooth finish so it would probably work OK as a liner without causing any harm to the finish...and covered with a treated duck shell the combination might make an excellent rain cover.

An unknown however, is how thick, heavy, stiff, and bulky the wool/duck combination of materials might end up being...a treated "duck/linen" combination might end up the best in terms of weight and bulk...will have to see