Leather hardening tip / trick.

[Sajuma]

I wrote this thread to BF earlier...

Leather hardening tip / trick.
I spoke with a guy who makes leatherworks and sheaths for knives here in Switzerland and he tipped me off with a trick how to make leather hard.
He uses the stuff for stomach burns, I think it's called Alcaseltzer in US/UK, in Finland it's Samarin...
Well anyway he soaks the leather in mix of this (bicarbonate) powder with water and makes the sheath and then let's it dry slowly.
He warned me that too much "Alcaseltzer" will turn the leather black and I do not remember the ratio for the mix, so be carefull if you try this.

Juha

[keith_beef]

I wrote this thread to BF earlier...

Leather hardening tip / trick.
I spoke with a guy who makes leatherworks and sheaths for knives here in Switzerland and he tipped me off with a trick how to make leather hard.
He uses the stuff for stomach burns, I think it's called Alcaseltzer in US/UK, in Finland it's Samarin...
Well anyway he soaks the leather in mix of this (bicarbonate) powder with water and makes the sheath and then let's it dry slowly.
He warned me that too much "Alcaseltzer" will turn the leather black and I do not remember the ratio for the mix, so be carefull if you try this.

Juha

Good idea, Juha.

But I think that it would be cheaper to buy plain bicarbonate of soda from the baking section of a supermarket. Especially in France, where only members of the Righte Olde Guilde of Apothecaries can sell such dangerous pharmaceuticals as alcaseltzer and paracetomol.


Keith.

[Dave Barker]

If this is for hardening whilst drying you can also use a cap of Amonia for every liter of water used to saod the leather. You can also fill the sheath with a mixture of knott hardener ( KVISTLAK) and meths.

Alternatively you can make a mixture of shellack and redspirit ( really thin) and fill the sheath with that.. Let it soak for a minute and empty it. and let it dry

this is what they use when they carve in leather ( here in the land og Noggin). This goes rock hard.

[Sajuma]

Good idea, Juha.

But I think that it would be cheaper to buy plain bicarbonate of soda from the baking section of a supermarket. Especially in France, where only members of the Righte Olde Guilde of Apothecaries can sell such dangerous pharmaceuticals as alcaseltzer and paracetomol.


Keith.

Yes Keith, u r right! I was just wondering what was the stuff's name...
It's funny that u cant buy any cool stuff from pharmasie here in France.
In Finnland u can go to local pharmasie and ask for acids and other stuff.
Often u have to explain why you need such stuff but if you say it;s for knife making or blueing your gun or... they will give you hints and tips plus all the warning papers with the product. Well it's a barbaric contry if u compare it to France... :

Juha

[keith_beef]

Yes Keith, u r right! I was just wondering what was the stuff's name...
It's funny that u cant buy any cool stuff from pharmasie here in France.
In Finnland u can go to local pharmasie and ask for acids and other stuff.
Often u have to explain why you need such stuff but if you say it;s for knife making or blueing your gun or... they will give you hints and tips plus all the warning papers with the product. Well it's a barbaric contry if u compare it to France... :

Juha

I was thinking more of the Apothecaries' Guildes monopoly on innocuous substances.

I went to my local apothecary inParis, and asked about buying various mineral salts, acids and whatever... No looks of shocked dissaproval. She would have given me what I wanted. OK, she couldn't give it me right there in the shop, I would have had to order it, but I can get it from her whenever I want it.

But also, I have a friend who works in the chemical business, so it might be easier to get the stuff from him.


Keith.

[Dave Barker]

You already have the liquid shellack though don't you. Why spend all that hard earned dosh when you can try that forst and then ....... spend....all....that....hard earned dosh

[keith_beef]

You already have the liquid shellack though don't you. Why spend all that hard earned dosh when you can try that forst and then ....... spend....all....that....hard earned dosh

I was thinking about other stuff... like sliver electroplating, for example.


Keith.

[Colin KC]

I can get it from her whenever I want it.

Fnarr fnarr

[Dave Barker]

then you were.... :offtopic: !!

What do you expect?

[keith_beef]

then you were.... :offtopic: !!

What do you expect?

Juha suggests buying alcaseltzer to harden leather.
I point out that this is just bicarb, that you can get from a supermarket, and point out that apothecaries in France make you py through the nose for stuff that in the UK you buy from the supermarket. Off topic?

Then, I went on to try a bit of Finbar Saunders humour... That was off topic, but had the dubious merit of making Colin laugh.

Juha reckoned you can't get "coolc stuff" from aothecaries here; but you can if you don't rub them up the wrong way (go on, Colin).

OT again? OK, but then we stray off topic all the time, don't we? Why spoil only the General's sharpening threads? Spread it around! That's what I say!

Keith.

[Dave Barker]

It's best to go off topic when temperatures rise and people get mad though!! AS long as it doesn't rsult in People ( ok me) getting banned!!!!)

[aloris]

Wow...Alkaseltzer works that easy? *smiles* You can buy that crap anywhere here. It's relatively cheap and works wonders when you have the flu. But I'm definitely going to try it when I soak my leather next time.

[keith_beef]

Wow...Alkaseltzer works that easy? *smiles* You can buy that crap anywhere here. It's relatively cheap and works wonders when you have the flu. But I'm definitely going to try it when I soak my leather next time.

You get the flu often? I think I light have had it once, maybe, for two days... In a country that apparentyl has an epidemic from 15 November to 5 January every year...

KKK.