Leather scales
- Thread starter lagaffe
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Neatsfoot oil, apparently.
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Mineral oil also works to rehydrate leather. Not sure if it is actually the main ingredient of neetsfoot or not, but the two work similarly.
I'd use the neetsfoot if you have it on hand though. And if you don't have mineral oil on hand either, I'd buy the neetsfoot.
I'd use the neetsfoot if you have it on hand though. And if you don't have mineral oil on hand either, I'd buy the neetsfoot.
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The only ingredient of pure neatsfoot oil is the oil rendered from the legs/feet of cows - a neat is an old english term for a cow. Mineral oil is a by-product of distillation - the two are not alike at all.
The old leather scales were made by a cuir bouilli technique - heat and pressure. The leather was boiled, then pressed into shape in moulds. Depending on the time of immersion in boiling water and whether the mould was heated and to what temperature the mould was heated, the leather is stiffer or more supple. At high heats fibres within it actually polymerise and flow like resin, giving an almost plastic/rubber look and feel to the leather.
Some techniques employed wax - instead of boiling the leather was baked, then dunked into molten beeswax, resulting in a very tough leather. This type partially softens in heat, and can be reheated and reshaped.
Other techniques used a glue, made from pigs feet.
It is usually hard enough to resist most forms of wear (it was originally used to make armour - some types were said to resist iron penetration), and using conventional leather treatments on it can cause it to degrade over time - depending on what type of process was used to harden the leather in the first place. If it is very hard and polymerisation of the fibres has taken place, treating it with dressings, etc, will not work - they simply cannot penetrate far and build up on the surface. Some moisture content is essential in leather - it goes brittle and cracks when all the moisture goes - and flooding the surface with oil can form a barrier to the atmosphere that stops the leather self-regulating, leading to it becoming brittle.
Conservationists usually remove recently applied dressings with alcohol or benzene.
None of which helps the original OP. Using some form of wax would be better than the solvent action of oil, which might soften wax-treated cuir bouilli, but its not recommended in the long run - how 'long' that period would be is hard to guess, though - maybe not a problem if its another hundred years or so!
Regards,
Neil
The old leather scales were made by a cuir bouilli technique - heat and pressure. The leather was boiled, then pressed into shape in moulds. Depending on the time of immersion in boiling water and whether the mould was heated and to what temperature the mould was heated, the leather is stiffer or more supple. At high heats fibres within it actually polymerise and flow like resin, giving an almost plastic/rubber look and feel to the leather.
Some techniques employed wax - instead of boiling the leather was baked, then dunked into molten beeswax, resulting in a very tough leather. This type partially softens in heat, and can be reheated and reshaped.
Other techniques used a glue, made from pigs feet.
It is usually hard enough to resist most forms of wear (it was originally used to make armour - some types were said to resist iron penetration), and using conventional leather treatments on it can cause it to degrade over time - depending on what type of process was used to harden the leather in the first place. If it is very hard and polymerisation of the fibres has taken place, treating it with dressings, etc, will not work - they simply cannot penetrate far and build up on the surface. Some moisture content is essential in leather - it goes brittle and cracks when all the moisture goes - and flooding the surface with oil can form a barrier to the atmosphere that stops the leather self-regulating, leading to it becoming brittle.
Conservationists usually remove recently applied dressings with alcohol or benzene.
None of which helps the original OP. Using some form of wax would be better than the solvent action of oil, which might soften wax-treated cuir bouilli, but its not recommended in the long run - how 'long' that period would be is hard to guess, though - maybe not a problem if its another hundred years or so!
Regards,
Neil
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- West Yorkshire
Oops, sorry.Neil Miller said:
Must admit that I really dislike these scales: there's a couple of pairs in the scrap scales box but they'll never get used unless it's as templates.- Messages
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Andy - it probably wouldn't make any noticeable difference for ages!
I really dislike them too - almost as much as those chequered ones, like you used to find on boys penknives. I must have a dozen pairs knocking about, some in pristine condition. They will never get used, though.
Regards,
Neil
I really dislike them too - almost as much as those chequered ones, like you used to find on boys penknives. I must have a dozen pairs knocking about, some in pristine condition. They will never get used, though.
Regards,
Neil
G
Guest
Guest
Arrowhead said:Oops, sorry.Neil Miller said:
I hate leather scales too. Thankfully, I don't have any.
@ Neil, thanks for the info. Learn something new all the time.
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Got another restoration project yesterday from eBay with leather scales - a John Watts frameback. I have to admit though, they really look like they belong on this one. In the end, there's almost no restoration required on this one - a few cycles in the ultrasonic cleaner followed by a few applications of Autosol and it's starting to shine. It was just filthy!
I started giving the scales a rub over with Wood Silk Lavender wax, which I had lying around. Probably not the best thing to use, but it seemed to give them some life back.
I'll run it with these scales & see how it feels; if they don't feel right, I'll replace them once I get my hands on a few nice sets of scales (or old scales in good nick)
I started giving the scales a rub over with Wood Silk Lavender wax, which I had lying around. Probably not the best thing to use, but it seemed to give them some life back.
I'll run it with these scales & see how it feels; if they don't feel right, I'll replace them once I get my hands on a few nice sets of scales (or old scales in good nick)