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The Sheath/Holster Makers Forum This is the place to discuss all forms of sheath and holster making.

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  #1  
Old 04-07-2005, 07:06 PM
neil1967 neil1967 is offline
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stopping mold growth on wet leather

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone else has had this experience. I have veg-tanned leather for sheaths, and when I wet it, almost immediately it begins to grow what looks like mold. It's dark green in color, and comes up as little tiny spots that spread. This is after having the leather in water for only 5-10 minutes. Also, the mold isn't just on the surface, since if I scratch at it, it doesn't come off. It seems impregnated in the leather itself. Someone once suggested I put vinegar in the water to stop the growth, but I tried that and it slows it a bit, but not much, and once I pull the leather out of the water, wet-form it and then set it aside to dry, vinegar or not it gets worse.

I was thinking a little bleach in the water might stop it from happening, but don't know what that would do to the leather itself, or in reaction with any tanning chemicals, natural or otherwise, that the leather was tanned with.

Has anyone had this problem, and if so, did you find a solution? Do you think the bleach would work?

Thanks for any help.

Neil
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  #2  
Old 04-07-2005, 08:32 PM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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Neil1967----The situation you describe is one that I am familiar with on several occasions. I do not believe that any spoting that occurs that rapidly could be mold. Like you. I found little green spots (about the size of the head of a dressmaker's pin) appeared on the surface of the leather immediately after dampening. They can be eliminated by using a solution of oxalic acid but is a pain in the butt. I think that it is in the tanning process as I found it in some "North American" double shoulders tanned in Mexico. I do not condemn Mexican leather as I have had some that was superb. The main problem is that you might have already cut the pattern from the leather prior to discovering the spots. Very few suppliers will accept leather returns when it has been cut so you are stuck with the #### stuff. Of course, black dye will cover a multitude of sins and I do very little black other than backgrounds in carved leathers --Murphy's Law! If it is your intention to return leather you are unhappy with, dampen a small area with clean water prior to cutting. If the greenies are there, they will show but the dampened leather will return to it's natural color. ---Sandy---


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  #3  
Old 04-07-2005, 09:16 PM
fitzo fitzo is offline
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I am wondering if it could be a reaction of the natural or "civil" chemicals in your water, and whether wetting with distilled water would produce the same result? Mold doesn't grow that fast, like Sandy said. It bothers me that it may actually be chrome tanned leather instead of the "veg" you thought you were buying and residual chromium salts are reacting with water contaminants. Some chrome salts are green.

Just a thought as I stumbled upon this thread. I'm just an old chemist, not a master leatherworker like our venerable Old Man.

BTW, I don't think adding vinegar or bleach to sheath leather is a good idea...you'll never get rid of it all and it'll eat the leather eventually and also corrode carbon steels.

Last edited by fitzo; 04-07-2005 at 09:20 PM.
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Old 04-07-2005, 10:38 PM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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Talking Use of oxalic acid----

Mike, my friend---The oxalic acid will not harm your blade as it will not be used on the inside of the sheath or on the flesh side. The application only dampens the surface of the leather as that is where the green crap is showing up. The leather that I had was a 7/8 oz. back from a reputable tannery in Pennsylvania and bark tanned. I still use this tannery and will continue to do so as they have treated me right. ---The Venerable (???) Old Man ---P.S.---Also had Mexican (North American, the supplier calls them!) double shoulders that had the same bad tendency! Venerable, huh? I like that! The "Old" is a given, actually and factually, #### it!


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  #5  
Old 04-07-2005, 11:23 PM
fitzo fitzo is offline
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So much for my cogitating on a subject I have little knowledge in, eh? LOL

Sandy, you'll notice I avoided mentioning the oxalic acid, since I don't have a clue about how you'd use it. I can say, though, that's it's been used in rust removal products, so it should be used in such a way as to avoid exposure to steel as you suggested.

Venerable......."Commanding respect by virtue of age, dignity, character, or position. "

You qualify in my book on all those based on what I know of you from the forums and what our common friend Chuck has told me.......

As for the "old", I have come to appreciate the substantial difficulty of remaining on this earth as long as you have. It is voiced utterly as a term of respect, for only with age can wisdom come. Someday I hope to be old instead of just feeling that way; wisdom, well, that may never come to me if my wife is right.

Last edited by fitzo; 04-07-2005 at 11:25 PM.
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  #6  
Old 04-08-2005, 09:02 AM
neil1967 neil1967 is offline
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gentlemen, forgive my naivetee, but where does one get/how does one make oxalic acid, should I go that route?

Thanks for all the help!

Neil
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  #7  
Old 04-08-2005, 09:38 AM
fitzo fitzo is offline
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Not naive at all. That's why we share. Together we know more.

Oxalic acid is used to bleach wood, so you might even be able to find it at the local wood store or lumber yard.

If you can't find it locally, you can try this link for online purchase:
http://www.chemistrystore.com/oxalic_acid.htm

As you'll see, it's cheap, so shipping will probably be more than the cost of the material.

I must give the obligatory caution, though, to read the safety precautions prior to use. It is corrosive to skin, so gloves and eye protection would be wise.
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  #8  
Old 04-08-2005, 01:47 PM
Sandy Morrissey Sandy Morrissey is offline
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Smile Oxalic acid

This product used to be sold in Tandy and The Leather Factory as "Leather bleach" until some observant soul noticed it said "Poison" on the label. Since that time they have removed it from their inventory to protect all us individuals who though it would be good to drink. Of course, none of the dyes, cements, or stains are toxic, right? If I emptied my house of poisons I don't know how I would get any cleaning done. Sandy


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  #9  
Old 04-12-2005, 09:13 AM
Jerry Shorter Jerry Shorter is offline
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Distilled water doesn't help. When I had a hide with this problem I ended up using the leather for designs that didn't get tooled or formed much. For mild forming ( like belt loops) I used a little Acetone. It dries it up a bit but I fixed that with leather restoring paste( forget the exact name) from the leather factory.

Jerry
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