Protecting leather

[watcher]

I'm posting this in the forums where I think someone might have an answer so please forgive me if you have read it before.

I have moved into a high humidity area and I'm having mildew problems on a WWII leather holster. How do I prevent this?

[tyusclan]

Mix a very mild bleach solution and wipe the holster down with a damp, not wet, rag dipped in this solution. You don't want to get it wet, but it's gonna be damp.

Let it dry thoroughly, and then put a light coat of neatsfoot oil on it if it's a dark holster. If it's light colored the neatsfoot will darken it.

If it is light colored, and you don't want to darken it, Lexol makes a non-greasy formula that won't darken the leather.

Less is more on the oil. Just a light coat to keep the leather in condition. Too much oil and the leather will get limp.

[CajunSunshine]

Here's what I do for mildewed leather...

Remove the mildew with a cloth that has been dipped in vinegar, and wrung out. Repeat until all traces of mildew are gone. Take care not to allow the leather to become soaking wet with vinegar. Let dry slowly. Do not hurry things up by drying it fast. The vinegar acts as a fungicide, but it will not harm or weaken your leather. I like to expose the cleaned and dry leather to the sun. UV rays are a natural fungicide, too.

After the vinegar treatment, this trick will kill every last trace of mildew, and will help keep the mildew from returning:

Apply a mixture of about 15 - 20 drops of Tea Tree oil to a teaspoon of Neatsfoot or Jojoba oil. Rub it into the leather well. The Tea Tree Oil odor will disappear soon.


TIPS:

Buy the best quality Tea Tree Oil you can find. The cheapo off-brands are made with weaker strength stuff, they just don't seem to work as well as the older more established brands... Tea Tree oil and Jojoba oil can be purchased at any well stocked health food store.

Use more drops of Tea Tree Oil if the mildew was abundant or longstanding.

Jojoba oil also makes an excellent gun oil. The mildly nutty aroma vanishes and won't spook game...Some Native American tribes know this.

Machine gunners in WW II appreciated the super high heat tolerance properties of Jojoba oil...


--Sharon

[shadowwalker]

You probably know this, but. Be sure to clean the inside of the holster too. I use saddle soap. After I clean it with rubbing alcahol. Alcahol won't hurt the leather won't make it brittle. Saddle soap (is a wax in a tin container).Just rub it in.