Leather Quality and Properties

[DWFII]



Late to this conversation, but can leather be also split via sanding the flesh side?

I go back to one of my early realizations: "anything can be done, the question is whether it should be done."

I think splitting leather significantly with an abrasive would generate too much heat to be good for the leather. Plus the abrasive would tend to clog up in a very short time. So lose/lose, IMO.

 

[traverscao]

Late to this conversation, but can leather be also split via sanding the flesh side?

Sanding does little, because the flesh side can get resist friction very good sometimes.

 

[traverscao]

@VRaivio I gave this a shot last night ad discovered something. I don't think your breath has really any effect. I was able to just slightly pit the surface of the wax with my horn shoehorn and get rid of the spots. It almost seemed as if the spot "popped". After that there's obviously a scuff mark, but it polished over easily. Much easier a fix than stripping and rebuilding the finish, so thanks for this advice. It is interesting that it seems there's air or something in there that gets released almost like if you are putting an adhesive label on something and there's an air bubble that if you prick with a needle you can press it down. This brings a new theory to mind as to what these spots are on shell. Perhaps the water swells the shell and when it evaporates the wax finish remains in this swelled position and needs to be pressed back down.

This is when the burnishing bone series from Abbeyhorn comes to shine.

 

[DWFII]



This brings a new theory to mind as to what these spots are on shell. Perhaps the water swells the shell and when it evaporates the wax finish remains in this swelled position and needs to be pressed back down.

I think that's correct. We can take leather outsoling and wet it and it will swell to a, probably, 25-30% increase in substance (thickness).

Then, after letting it "temper"...almost back to dry state, visually at least...we can "hammer jack" it and reduce the substance to about 25% less than the original. And in the process gain about 50% more density and hardness/rigidity.

But the downside is that if the leather is wet again, it will again swell back up and that density will be lost to some extent.

FWIW, I am not sure what effects water has on leather for good or ill. But most leather working processes rely on water at one point or another--Traditional and historic shoemaking, in particular; saddlemaking; harnessmaking...any Trade or venture that takes a flat piece of leather and transforms it into a three-dimensional artifact.

One particular process even boils it to make "Cuir Bouilli" for use as armour or water jugs (lined with pine pitch or tar).

 

[VRaivio]

traverscao, and that is why I bought a deerbone from them, gave it a try for that special vintage experiece, and found it poor. The bone managed to scratch several shell shoes, remove colour, and spoil my day. It had nil effect on shine. I'm all for metal spooning these days, but I guess horn spoons would be the romantic choice. It's all about pressure, friction, and seeing the effort.

 

[traverscao]



traverscao, and that is why I bought a deerbone from them, gave it a try for that special vintage experiece, and found it poor. The bone managed to scratch several shell shoes, remove colour, and spoil my day. It had nil effect on shine. I'm all for metal spooning these days, but I guess horn spoons would be the romantic choice. It's all about pressure, friction, and seeing the effort.

How the hell do you people always manage to screw up with the bone? I've been using it forever and nothing have ever haopened. If the raw shape bone doesn't work out, get a snake head narrow bone. It's not the romantic orgy bullshit. It's a lot safer to use horn anf bone than an aluminum spoon.

 

[Fred G. Unn]



traverscao, and that is why I bought a deerbone from them, gave it a try for that special vintage experiece, and found it poor. The bone managed to scratch several shell shoes, remove colour, and spoil my day. It had nil effect on shine.

How the hell do you people always manage to screw up with the bone? I've been using it forever and nothing have ever haopened. .

I found the Abbeyhorn bone pretty unusable as delivered. It seemed too long, too rough, and I have no idea what you are supposed to do with the joint end. I hacked off the ends, went through a progression of sandpaper up to a fairly high grit before using it, and it works fine. I can easily see how people are scratching their shoes if they are using it unaltered though.

 

[traverscao]

I found the Abbeyhorn bone pretty unusable as delivered. It seemed too long, too rough, and I have no idea what you are supposed to do with the joint end. I hacked off the ends, went through a progression of sandpaper up to a fairly high grit before using it, and it works fine. I can easily see how people are scratching their shoes if they are using it unaltered though.

I have the same bone and did nothing to it. I only use the two smooth long sides of it, not the rough middle part of the bone.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

FWIW, bones are good for shining and compressing leather fibers that are unfinished with wax. I have found using a bone over wax just smears it around. My shoehorn was good for just pushing it and popping those water marks.

 

[traverscao]

FWIW, bones are good for shining and compressing leather fibers that are unfinished with wax. I have found using a bone over wax just smears it around. My shoehorn was good for just pushing it and popping those water marks.

I tried rubbing the surface with a touch of water, then add more touches of water on the wax as I burnish the surface with the bone. Gotta admit, on shell cordovan the result is very intriguing, FWIW.

 

[HORNS]

Who uses an aluminum spoon?

 

[traverscao]

Who uses an aluminum spoon?

What are spoons made out of nowadays? You expect silver spoons lying around much?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Stainless steel.

 

[traverscao]

I take most of my words back.

 

[archetypal_yuppie]



Traditional and historic shoemaking

Do you make boots for people that will actually wear them on a ranch/riding, or are they almost exclusively fancy dress boots? If the former, what are the best leathers for a working boot? Is suede in the mix? Is thicker tougher leather from older animals more appropriate? Will calf or buffalo perform acceptably or are they too delicate for riding and work (will the leather rip on a snag, etc)?