Sheath hardening

[Wolfjohn]

Would that be called "petrified leather"?

So unless you put oil back into it, the leather just keeps getting drier and drier,,,then what happens to it? Just curious.

Never had any issues with the leather getting overly dried out, of course the soaking is only for a short time (minute or so). I know a few guys who do it on their custom holsters also.

 

[Milt]

Dye it, then apply Tan Kote. Buff it with a wool sock. Hard and shiny.

Milt

 

[rayban]

I'm a new guy at this leather stuff, but the Fiebings dye I use makes my sheaths and holsters hard as a brick. After applying the dye inside and out and letting it dry for a day or so I can knock on them like a door. They wont bend or flex. I'm using an 8-9oz shoulder.

Like I said, I'm new, but I can't see leather getting much stiffer.

I'm with you, with just the process of wet molding, dying, etc.....the leather is as hard as I need it to be.....but I've seen the bees wax method, and it's definitely another level of hardness, but IMO, just doesn't have the natural leather feel to it anymore.

 

[HoosierQ]

Sno-Seal does the ticket. It does not work as well for holsters because it is sticky and once I made a holster a little too tight and my gun was glued in . Not a problem with knives.

 

[Winegums]

70% isopropyl alcohol will harden leather nicely. It makes it nice and pliable for a few minutes and will slowly lose flexibility until it's dry. The more you soak the leather the harder it will become. It ends up stiff enough to make a sharp sound with your finger nail when tapped, rather than the dull thud on soft leather.

As a warning, it will darken the leather several shades with the darker parts being harder than the lighter parts.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Wayne Goddard told me he used a mixture of bees wax and needsfoot oil, 60/40? not sure of the exact ratio. I had a hard time finding enough bees wax, finally ran into a taxidermist who sold me some and I mixed up a batch. Way too much and it dried to a wax consistency. When I need it I take some and melt it in a double boiler and spread it on to the sheath and work it in. I have several sheaths I did this to 15 to 20 years ago and have not had any problems with them. Not only are they hard, but the shed water like crazy. John

 

[rtmind]

I found a little 2 cup crock pot for potpourri(?), at a yard sale. Just barely gets hot enough to melt bees wax. That's all I use it for, just plug it in and wait 10 minutes, ready to go. rtmind/randy

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I bought a Kephart inspired knife with sheath and the sheath is so hard I think I could use it as a trim hammer.
It works but I'm not in love with it.

 

[fmrranger]

I have a sheath for my Bravo EDC that I bought used, I think the sheath was treated with Obenauf's or something similar and is way too pliable. Would sno-seal or bees wax firm up the sheath in this case?