collector Posted June 3, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 3, 2020 Have this scabbard that is very hard. I suppose I could wet it throughly and stuff in a Garand shaped wood model or something like that, so when it dries I could put a rifle in it for display, but at the same time that doesn't seen like a great idea. Has anyone out there come up with a good idea on dealing with very hard leather? The straps are still somewhat supple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratasfan Posted June 3, 2020 Share #2 Posted June 3, 2020 Is it just really hard or does it feel like it is cracking when you apply pressure? A really good leather conditioner is this Bick Leather Conditioner. We use this on our large leather sofas, which suffer from the dryness of heat and sun. I've read that neatsfoot oil is good for restoring super-hard scabbards. Never used it myself, but it might be worht looking into. Really, I wouldn't recommend water. Keep water at a minimum when dealing with dried leather. It will look good for a short bit, but then dry out worse and shrink and cause other problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collector Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted June 4, 2020 Thanks stratasfan, . The leather is HARD, and thick. The various oils I've used over the years, including neatsfoot, and have their issues too, mildew is one I've experienced since many collectables are stored. Most of us over the years have learned decent techniques for storage, breathability being important- leather is a tough one with too much oil. I said water knowing it's not the best way, but it might allow the scabbard to be re-shaped. I think the amount of oil required would be oozing out for years after. Probably will just leave it as is, but am always interested in others opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted June 5, 2020 Share #4 Posted June 5, 2020 You could put 100% pure lanolin on it. But.... Lanolin is thick and gooey. You wuld have to coat a spot at a time and heat it with a hair dryer to get it to sink in. Prob a good idea to heat the leather first with a hair dryer and then apply it and then hit with the hair dryer again. That way the lanolin will sink into the leather and not just sit there. But it may remain slightly tacky. Its weird stuff but it definately softens stiff leather. I had a WW1 lid with a leather liner in it and the leather was bent over and hardened into that bent position. I put lanolin on it and heated it and put it on a manikein and it slowly softened out and went back to its normal shape. It also tends to darken leather so if you use it, do a small spot first. But it does soften and preserve the leather. Do some reading about 100% Lanolin. I purchased a jar from a pharmecutical supply company online for 13 bucks and change. But I would read up on it. Its sticky like I said. The trick is getting it to sink in. Thats where the heat gun comes in. You can wipe off the excess. Out of the jar it has the consistency of grease but its sticky rather than greasy. Do a google search on lanolin as a leather treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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