Leather Types and gunmetal/gun wood reactions?

[ChuckBurrows]

On using the Leather Balm w/Atom wax method - I learned that from Dusty Johnson. I've used it as a sealer as well but it's too shiny for my taste - in fact I prefer Fiebing's Harness Dressing over even Bag Kote, but you pretty much have to order teh HD direct from Fiebing's.

As regards leather types, while veg bark tan is the "best" even it is acidic running about 4.5PH - neutral is 7Ph (0-6 is acid, 8-14 is alkaline). While 4.5Ph may sound close to neutral the scale is a logarithmic one so it's not really close. Chrome tan causes problems due to the metallic salt residue and not due to PH.

The big problem with either type of leather is really the mix of moisture/water and the leather causing the reaction, if the leather is well sealed and kept dry there is little chance of problems.

Another option for making leather stiff without the bulk of heavy double layers is to use the cuir bouilli method - the stiffness is attained via heat and moisture - case the finished veg/bark tan leather goods as you would for tooling and then dry between 140°F and at most 160°F, the finished product will be very firm/stiff, and will not flatten in normal usage - this is the method used for making items such as leather cigar cases. For some of the best researched info on the method see this article
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html

[Mattthehunter]

This is great information guys!

I used a simple version of the cuir bouilli to make this quiver. I wrapped the soaked leather around a 2x4, did my best at tooling a Celtic dragon and then resoaked it and baked it.

(I don't have a current pic of the finished product)