Cuir Bouilli

I've never done the boiling water thingy, but I usually soak the sheath under hot running water for a few minutes then place it near a heat source till it is good and dry.
During the winter months I place it near (not on top of) a heat vent where the warm air can hit it....during the warmer weather months I like to hang it out on the back deck where the sun can do the job on it.
The sheath gets about as hard as I care for it to be...

I read on other forums about the melted wax process...the Scandi folks like to do this one....but I haven't tried it, and probably won't, as I believe the hot water trick does a good enough job for me....
 
I did a lot of study on that process for making replica medieval armor, its really interesting, but so easy to severely ruin the project. Earns a lot of points at the show table though. :D
 
I have only enough experience to say that I have ruined a couple projects trying to do a satisfactory cuir bouilli. :eek: :foot:
 
I gave up after a few attempts also but I was not using a thermometer or timer. The leather would not harden evenly for me and the result was lots of crispy edges. Wet molding and applying dye seems to harden leather more than enough yet I would still like to learn how to form it armor hard.
 
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