Latigo leather question

[R.C.Reichert]

Just curious if one could use latigo leather for knife sheaths and if it will cause corrosion issues like the full chrome tanned leathers?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Latigo is chrome tanned leather that has been tanned a second time in vegetable soaks... the it is soaked in oils and fats. Since the acids from the chrome tan will still be present, it would not be good for sheaths. Latigo is for things that will be used in the rain, sun, dust, etc. Mostly for tack, saddles, straps, belts, etc.

 

[Horsewright]

I wouldn't use latigo but for different reasons. One it won't mold well and two it is seldom color fast. Not really designed to be. Its designed for saddlery applications as Stacy mentioned and latigo excels at well, making latigos, where linear strength, after repeated soakings in horse sweat, is paramount to a riders safety. Its what holds the saddle on the horse. Bad time for my saddle to fall off. Literally our lives depend on the linear strength of latigo.

I was watching a western the other night, (there's a surprise) and after running the horses for miles they are still dry, when the good guys catch up to the bad guy making his escape. Thats not real life. My son airing out Buddy's back half way through a branding:

This is the repeated soakings in horse sweat that I'm talking about. Latigo will sometimes work as decent lining leather for certain projects but again you have the colorfast issue. they make a "belt" latigo that is suppose to be colorfast but its not really, just better. Good latigo is also just as expensive as good veg tan so really no need to use it for sheaths.

My experience, the chrome tan vs veg tan thing is overblown. Certain leathers cause problems regardless of tannage, others don't.

This Moore Maker trapper has lived in this chrome tanned Buckaroo Pouch since 1998:

While the blades have plenty of patina/life on em from being used the bolsters are not tarnished:

Here's a Case that works for a living in a Buckaroo Pouch I made.

Definitely not pampered. The blades have gunk on em but thats gunk not tarnish or corrosion.

This Ruger Vaquero has lived in this chrome tanned lined holster for a bout a decade and a half.

Its done a couple qillion miles with me horseback and its got some blueing wear but no corrosion or tarnish. This is kept in the safe ready to strap on in case there's some emergency at the ranch.

Yet these .38s in this veggie tan cartridge belt are not faring well. Verdigris has struck:

I like to use up my scraps obviously. After I made these AZ Bell chaps for this cowboy, I made some travel bags where it worked well out of the same leather.

However in a buckaroo pouch it tarnished the nickel silver bolster on this Lambsfoot overnight:

Which was a shame cause it would of been a great leather for that except for that issue. So quien sabe I guess? I've made and sold hundreds of these little buckaroo pouches , all from chrome tanned and have had only two cause tarnish/corrosion. Both of which I replaced. They were both out of a similar chap leather.

Anyhoo all that being said I don't really recommend storage in leather of any kind but carry? Carry away.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

I wouldn't use latigo but for different reasons. One it won't mold well and two it is seldom color fast. Not really designed to be. Its designed for saddlery applications as Stacy mentioned and latigo excels at well, making latigos, where linear strength, after repeated soakings in horse sweat, is paramount to a riders safety. Its what holds the saddle on the horse. Bad time for my saddle to fall off. Literally our lives depend on the linear strength of latigo.

I was watching a western the other night, (there's a surprise) and after running the horses for miles they are still dry, when the good guys catch up to the bad guy making his escape. Thats not real life. My son airing out Buddy's back half way through a branding:

This is the repeated soakings in horse sweat that I'm talking about. Latigo will sometimes work as decent lining leather for certain projects but again you have the colorfast issue. they make a "belt" latigo that is suppose to be colorfast but its not really, just better. Good latigo is also just as expensive as good veg tan so really no need to use it for sheaths.

My experience, the chrome tan vs veg tan thing is overblown. Certain leathers cause problems regardless of tannage, others don't.

This Moore Maker trapper has lived in this chrome tanned Buckaroo Pouch since 1998:

While the blades have plenty of patina/life on em from being used the bolsters are not tarnished:

Here's a Case that works for a living in a Buckaroo Pouch I made.

Definitely not pampered. The blades have gunk on em but thats gunk not tarnish or corrosion.

This Ruger Vaquero has lived in this chrome tanned lined holster for a bout a decade and a half.

Its done a couple qillion miles with me horseback and its got some blueing wear but no corrosion or tarnish. This is kept in the safe ready to strap on in case there's some emergency at the ranch.

Yet these .38s in this veggie tan cartridge belt are not faring well. Verdigris has struck:

I like to use up my scraps obviously. After I made these AZ Bell chaps for this cowboy, I made some travel bags where it worked well out of the same leather.

However in a buckaroo pouch it tarnished the nickel silver bolster on this Lambsfoot overnight:

Which was a shame cause it would of been a great leather for that except for that issue. So quien sabe I guess? I've made and sold hundreds of these little buckaroo pouches , all from chrome tanned and have had only two cause tarnish/corrosion. Both of which I replaced. They were both out of a similar chap leather.

Anyhoo all that being said I don't really recommend storage in leather of any kind but carry? Carry away.

That's some awesome information there. Just what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I'm not particularily enjoying working with veg tan and dyes. The knives I make have an 18th century look and feel to them anyways with forced patina and aging, so I guess the chrome tanned leather thing is kind of a non-issue. Or at least it's not as big of a deal as some make it out to be. Thanks!

 

[Horsewright]

Yeah I hate to dye too and almost won't. You can get the veg tan pre dyed at the tannery, it's way better. Small pieces are available through Springfield Leather so ya don't have to buy a whole side.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

Found this interesting discussion whilst searching the web...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Leathercraft/comments/4y005l/solved_can_chrome_tanned_leathers_be_used_for/

 

[Horsewright]

Found this interesting discussion whilst searching the web...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Leathercraft/comments/4y005l/solved_can_chrome_tanned_leathers_be_used_for/

Same holds true with veg tan regards where it comes from and problems a guy can have. Wickett and Craig or Herman Oak will get er done for you. Not cheap, but should it be for a custom hand made knife? Very interesting article by the way. If you haven't been in Sheaths and Such here on BF there are pages and pages and pages of info on working with dead cow.

 

[Jason Fry]

Good to see you back around, Randy.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

Good to see you back around, Randy.

Thanks Jason! Yah, took a little bit of a break there. I'm back though.