Lube pot 2

[Red Cent]

Will this "stain" leather or would it wash off like regular saddle soap?

http://www.zackwhite.com/Zacks-Liquid-Saddle-Soap-With-Glycerin_p_2080.html

or would this work better?

http://www.zackwhite.com/Fiebings-Liquid-Saddle-Soap-1-Gallon_p_2046.html

[TexasToby]

Ok, this is my opinion and what I think after several years of team roping. Cleaning saddles and all kinds of horse gear, I got Bedel Rogers to build me a saddle in 1986. The first time I rode it was at a jackpot roping. I figgered it would be pretty stiff but I felt like I could handle it. Boy was I surprised. There was no breakin period for this saddle. It was like I had been using it for years. So a day or 2 later I called Bedel and asked him about this. He told me he had his own mixture of neetsfoot oil, glycerin and lanolin that he used on new saddles that he made.  This would penetrate into the leather fibers and start conditioning for years of use. His shop was Bedels saddle shop in Longview, Texas. I lived in Lindale, Texas at the time. Anyway I drove back over to Longview and bought a quart from him. I didn't think to ask for the recipe at the time, just go back and buy some more. But, Bedel passed away and I never got the recipe. I haven't been able to find a cleaner like that so I buy the Leather New and it has glycerin and does a pretty good job (my opinion) just by itself but on 9oz leather and thicker leather I usually add some lanolin to it. It seems to me like it does a little something extra to the leather. I usually put about 1/3rd of a cup to a 16oz. bottle of Leather New. When I ordered the saddle I told Bedel to make me a saddle that would last me the rest of my life. Well I'll admit I don't ride and rope anymore but I still have the saddle and it is still in good shape, even with an 18" seat. Texas Toby

[Red Cent]

Appreciate the response TexasToby. Will make note for leather care, especially wide gunbelts.

I need a lube that will not stain or inhibit dye or VOO. I have stated that I started to use saddle soap in the stitching groove and was pleasantly surprised that it allowed much smoother sewing, got rid of the skipped stitches, and made life easier. I discovered that if I wanted to dip the leather piece in vinagroon, I would have to wash off the saddle soap first. For me the learning curve on  controlling my new Cobra 4 is a little dificult. 'Course, a little patience would help.

I guess I will give up and stay with the proven. Consew lube comin' in.

[Massive]

There is a how-to on the web somewhere for finishing edges.  The guy uses Glycerine soap and rubs it hard, then uses saddle soap over that, and rubs that hard.  Apaprently he is well known for how nice his edges look, and people were begging him for his secrets.  Apparently one of the reasons that he uses those materials is because they are transparent to dye.  He likes to finish his edges, then coat them with dye, so he needs something the dye will go right though.

As far as Vinegaroon is concerned, some, like Will Ghormley, dunk it before they sew it, so that should be a non issue.  That allows a more thorough rinse than if you sewed it.  Also, you could have the thing come out all wet and loosen around the stitching.  Anyway it is a saturation process so sooner or later the leather will get wet.  I am surprised, actually that the silicon oils don't give trouble, if anything is genius at polluting a finish it is silicon, though by all accounts...

When it comes to this, I would do my own tests.  There are leathers that don't black well, so one could get a bad result and end up blaming it on something that had nothing to do with it.  So tests on known materials with known products are a great place to start.  Spill a little oil on the leather, then try to black it, etc....   Other people's mileage often differs.

[Red Cent]

The How-To is on Leatherworker.net

Read it and will re-read it. Sounds good other than doing it by hand . The ideas of edge coat and what to us when applyibg. He uses spirit dyes. The PVC and felt is a great idea. I will definitely do that. I need all the help I can get when it comes to detail.

[Massive]

Yeah, interesting stuff.  My point though (you doubtless got it) was that I wouldn't hesitate to use that stuff with your thread if it seems to work for you.  The old deal was hot wax.  Some of the singers had burners to melt it.

One thing I have been doing with some of my leather (keeping in mind my outright novicehood), is I have been sanding the edges.  Obviously everyone does that, but I have been finish sanding it.  While decades old friction finished holsters like the Bianchi look great, I none the less like the idea of the leather actually being smooth, not just coated heated and rubbed.  Sorta like we all prefer the idea of top grain to patent leather, though that has other factors in there also.  Sometimes it works fast, and the results are great, particularly on wide and heavy welts.  But other times it isn't so good I wonder if it has to do with how the piece was cut from a hide.

[Red Cent]

The "hairs" on a sanded piece does lay a little random.

As a more novice novice, I would think the spirit dyes are water thin. Or are most dyes the same consistency? I was given two paks of muti colored dye from Fliebing. Thats the only on I am famiar with. I have not dyed anything yet other than with the vinagroon. The spirit dye should dry a lot quicker.

[Massive]

When I am sanding, I am going down to like 360 grit or finer, so it is smooth like stone when it turns out.  If you get a lot of nasty fibers, hit it with the lighter.

For edges I like the fiebings edge dye.  I tried the eco stuff that Tandy has, but didn't get the kind of result I was after.  I find it pretty controllable.  I have also edge dyed natural leather black with the vinegar stuff.  Some leather holds it on the edge, and some will suck it in too far, though the one case where that happened to me kinda looked good.

I like the new eco dye, look at Will's site for a review.  I also use the fiebings which are pretty thin.