Can anyone help with leather treating alternatives?

[mike deibert]

Hey guys,
I live in Nicaragua and although I have access to some decent leather it's difficult to find the chemicals such as stains, edge coating etc to put the finishing touches on my sheaths.

I'm wondering if any of you can offer suggestions to alternative/natural/oldschool ways of treating leather. I've considered wood stains but don't know how they would affect the leather in the long run. Are wood finishing products even an option?

I would love to hear any ideas that you may have to offer.

Thank you!
Mike

 

[leatherman]

For color theres a lot of alternative ways out there, one that comes to mind first is vinegaroon, made with vinegar and steel wool soaked together for a certain time (google will give you a lot of ways to make it). Also I hear but never tried some fabric dyes. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in on that and some other methods.

For top finishes you can go the beezewax and oil method (again, google will give you lots of recipes) and/or thinned down clear acrylic.

I cant recommend wood products as wood and leather are so vastly different I cant help but imagine they wouldn't do well. But some may do well, again, I hope someone with some experience will chime in.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[Wild Rose]

Stains
1) Most wood stains (non-oil) work just fine
2) RIT Dye works fine
3) For THE best black you can use the old time vinegar black - dissolve iron shavings (degreased steel wool will work) in vinegar - takes two to three weeks. I can explain more if need be.
4) Strong Coffee and/or tea will stain leather

Finishes
1) Beeswax
2) Olive oil
3) Pure lard or tallow
4) Mix the three together to make Dubbin
5) Add a bit of tree rezin to the mix
6) "Flexible" wood finishes such as Watco Oil and or Linseed oil can be used - patent leather was originally finished with linseed oil

There are lots more traditional items that can be used to stain and/or finish leather - various tree barks, flowers, plants, etc. can be infused in alcohol or boiled in water for instance. Above is just the tip of the ice berg so to speak