Leather novice - harden before staining?

[Michael Kemp]

I'm starting to play with leather tooling - and I want to harden the piece I'm working on at the moment... I gather this is done by getting the leather evenly dampened, then drying it fairly quickly.

 

Any pointers on "fairly quickly?" - would my wood-block-drying-box do the trick?

 

And should I harden the leather first - then stain and finish coat - or vice versa?

 

Thanks for any pointers!

[dragoncutlery]

i use the oven on worm with the door open at the hold open notch or wide open if you close it you will burn the leather oh and i lay out some paper towel on the bars just dont forget and leave the paper in the oven if your wife likes to pre heat the oven with out looking in it first

[Mike Johnston]

If you are going to be at the meeting Thursday, I have a few hints.

[Art Lawrence]

Evening Michael,

 

I'm learning to make molded holsters and if that is similar to what you want to do here is how it goes;

 

Submerge the leather for about 7 seconds, mold to fit, bake in oven set at about 135 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes, then finish drying in front of a fan overnight. My new oven doesn't go that low so I use a toaster oven with a candy themometer.

 

I stain, mold and harden, then 2 lite coats of neetsfoot oil, then 2 lite coats of finish, (bag kote). Works for me but I haven't tried it in another order yet.

 

Art

Edited January 30, 2012 by Art Lawrence

[Michael Kemp]

Art - thanks for the details/sequence.

Mike - I should be at the 5160 meeting - see you there!

[CEmory]

What are you hardening with? I've heard of some folks using a resin of some sorts and would like to try it myself at some point because I'd like to get into making armor too, but I've had good success with a solution of water and tightbond 2. Tightbond 3 is better tho, but I couldn't get it off the shelf. Used elmer's carpenter glue once too and it wasn't so bad either, but not as good as the tightbond.

[Wild Rose]

Probably more than you want to know on "hardening" leather via the cuir bouilli method - IMO the by far the BEST and the real period correct method for making armour, etc.

 

http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html

 

and FWIW - I stain before hardening, harden, then apply finish...

[CEmory]

For SCA or something that wouldn't take a beating, that would be fine and of course I'm all for traditional, I used this method too and still do to first form a piece because it is so plyable when hot, but with modern glues/resins you get VERY hard leather that can take a good beating for say....practicing with wooden wasters. I have never used resins myself though I heard some used the same used for fiberglass and as with glue I'm sure the piece would have to be dry. Again, just a different way of doing things.

 

I like ur work btw, lol cruised your site for a few.

 

**EDIT** And if you don't need to do alot of shaping then hardening with glue in just warm water will keep shrinkage to a minimum.

Edited May 15, 2012 by CEmory

[Wild Rose]

For SCA or something that wouldn't take a beating, that would be fine and of course I'm all for traditional, I used this method too and still do to first form a piece because it is so plyable when hot, but with modern glues/resins you get VERY hard leather that can take a good beating for say....practicing with wooden wasters. I have never used resins myself though I heard some used the same used for fiberglass and as with glue I'm sure the piece would have to be dry. Again, just a different way of doing things.

 

I like ur work btw, lol cruised your site for a few.

 

**EDIT** And if you don't need to do alot of shaping then hardening with glue in just warm water will keep shrinkage to a minimum.

 

 

Well FWIW I've made leather armor using the traditional method which takes it over 160° F which makes it as hard as it will ever get. It was made for and stood up to actual sword and knife use like the original armor did - that is with proper padding underneath. Some original cuir bouilli armor I've examined was finished with traditional resins for a water resistant finish, but not for any hardening. I've known many over the years to use modern resins, but I personally always found it unneccessary when?if the traditional method is done properly.

 

 

Glad you enjoyed my work...........