Aging Leather Thread

[Ronny67]

I have a few tricks I use to give repro leather items that aged look. A primary concern of mine is to NOT harm the structural integrity of the item. I like to:

 

Dab some strong coffee on the item to stain it

Oil the leather to darken it

Wash with warm water to stain/shrink it

 

Caution: Dont soak in water for very long! Water washes out the essential oils in leather that keep it supple and strong. I dunk it and scrub it a little in key areas.

 

I am not very well versed in Chemical aging techniques or over the counter products. If you have used one of these to good effect, let me know. I thought a thread on aging leather items would be a nice addition to our reenacting section.