Detergent? Wax? Help me out.

[Bluedevil]

Dear sirs:

 

 

I have been following the board for some weeks now. I recently bought off of Ebay a Mint New In Box WW2 Linesmen Harness with the safety strap. I would like some advice on how to deal with this strange substance that is all over the harness and strap. It is blue-green in nature and feels waxy, almost like a crayon. The internal integrity of the belts does not seem affected by the substance. Has any else heard of this before? How might one go about removing such a substance? The leather is also rather stiff and as such, how might one go about "de-stiffing" leather?

 

I thank you for your assistance.

[doyler]

Its called verdegris.You may try searching the forum.Seems like there was a topic on this.

 

RD

[Bob Hudson]

Its called verdegris.You may try searching the forum.Seems like there was a topic on this.

 

RD

 

That's what it sounds like and I see a lot of it on old leather with brass fittings, but always right around the fittings. It would be interesting to see some photos of this belt.

[Bluedevil]

That's what it sounds like and I see a lot of it on old leather with brass fittings, but always right around the fittings. It would be interesting to see some photos of this belt.

 

Thank you for the advice. I think I am going to take an old toothbrush and brush off as much as I can. I then am going to take a brass brush soak it in vinegar and get the stuff around the brass fittings.

[Bluehawk]

Thank you for the advice. I think I am going to take an old toothbrush and brush off as much as I can. I then am going to take a brass brush soak it in vinegar and get the stuff around the brass fittings.

That'll work fine...

[Bob Hudson]

Thank you for the advice. I think I am going to take an old toothbrush and brush off as much as I can. I then am going to take a brass brush soak it in vinegar and get the stuff around the brass fittings.

 

 

I use toothpicks to dig it out right around the fittings and brass bristle brushes to scrub the rest. Recently I bought a variable-speed rotary tool (Dremel type tool) and use that on slow speed with brass brushes to clean verdigris on leather and cloth items such as web belts.

[Peace]

Bluedevil,

 

I wouldnt do what you suggested.

 

From my 'albeit limited' experience with 60+year old leather, it seems most leather items develop this type of 'verdegris'. I believe it develops from a reaction between leather and brass, leather containing natural acidic tanines. I have seen NOS leather with this type of waxy substance, used items with this substance. Items that were never oiled seem to have less of this substance. Since oil, all leather oils degrade over time, and become acidic to some extent, I believe the acidlevel in the leather to be the main factor to be causing this reaction.

 

The best treatment in my opinion, is to certainly remove the verdegris, by means of a toothpick & dry cotton cloth. I try to avoid rubbing it off, to avoid rubbing the green crap in the pores of the leather. I lift it off with a toothpick and pick up what is left with the cotton cloth. This takes an awfull lot of time, but its the least invasive way of removing this crap.

In time the verdegris eats away at the brass too, and it makes stains on canvas wich are virtually impossible to remove, so it has to come off.

 

It can come back too. I think the environment it is stored in plays a great role in this. A controlled humidity/temperature works best I think.

 

I would not soak it in vinegar, you dont know what it could do to the leather longterm. I would not use brass brush, it could damage the finish on the leather.

 

 

Leather stiffness; in short, dont do anything. You can get the stiffness out somewhat with various leather dressings, but they all contain some degree of oil, wich as said before, degrades over time, the oil becomes acidic, wich is bad for leather. Some products claim theirs does not do that, I tend to stay on the safe side here, and do nothing. Oiling is irreversible.

 

Hope this helps a bit!

 

Stijn

[Bluedevil]

Peace,

 

I found your method to work the best. Got a box of toothpicks and a box of cotton swabs and picked at all the crap around and in the rivets of the belt. Worked great!

 

Bluedevil,

 

I wouldnt do what you suggested.

 

From my 'albeit limited' experience with 60+year old leather, it seems most leather items develop this type of 'verdegris'. I believe it develops from a reaction between leather and brass, leather containing natural acidic tanines. I have seen NOS leather with this type of waxy substance, used items with this substance. Items that were never oiled seem to have less of this substance. Since oil, all leather oils degrade over time, and become acidic to some extent, I believe the acidlevel in the leather to be the main factor to be causing this reaction.

 

The best treatment in my opinion, is to certainly remove the verdegris, by means of a toothpick & dry cotton cloth. I try to avoid rubbing it off, to avoid rubbing the green crap in the pores of the leather. I lift it off with a toothpick and pick up what is left with the cotton cloth. This takes an awfull lot of time, but its the least invasive way of removing this crap.

In time the verdegris eats away at the brass too, and it makes stains on canvas wich are virtually impossible to remove, so it has to come off.

 

It can come back too. I think the environment it is stored in plays a great role in this. A controlled humidity/temperature works best I think.

 

I would not soak it in vinegar, you dont know what it could do to the leather longterm. I would not use brass brush, it could damage the finish on the leather.

Leather stiffness; in short, dont do anything. You can get the stiffness out somewhat with various leather dressings, but they all contain some degree of oil, wich as said before, degrades over time, the oil becomes acidic, wich is bad for leather. Some products claim theirs does not do that, I tend to stay on the safe side here, and do nothing. Oiling is irreversible.

 

Hope this helps a bit!

 

Stijn

[Peace]

Glad to be of service!

 

Stijn