Leather recommendation

[MIOutdoorsman]

Hello friends.

I'm in need of a recommendation from some of our leatherworkers here. Last year I made a couple of hunter's bags using some veg tanned leather in 4-5 weight. The bags turned out great (for a newbie!), but they're so darn stiff that I find myself abandoning them in the truck when I'm heading out into the woods on a hunt.

I've used Lexol leather conditioner per recommendations on this forum, and rubbed as much of that product into the leather as possible, but it just doesn't seem to "unstiffen" the leather enough for the bags to be/stay soft, and easily accessible for practical use. I only applied the product a couple of times last year (haven't repeated this year), so maybe I need to keep applying and applying for it to do the trick? The bags sure look good! But they're essentially decorations at the moment.

So... If there's a better leather softener product or procedure, I'd love to hear from you.

Alternatively, I don't currently have a winter project so maybe I'd make another bag out of a different type of leather. Any recommendations for leather that will make a nice bag, but that is softer than cow leather (veg tanned)?? Deer hide seems awefully supple...is that a good bag leather?

Thanks guys!
Rob

 

[wzroberts]

Rob,

I'm not a leatherworker, and I only have an average level of experience with leather conditioning products. But I have tanned a few different hides in my time, and that experience led a thought to come to mind:
At the end of the tanning process, leather has to be "worked" (stretched, even abraded) extensively to break in the fibers and make it supple and usable. You will see videos of tanners pulling their leather across axe heads, fence posts, etc. in this process. I am wondering if your leather didn't need to be worked a little more. Or maybe commercially veg-tanned cow leather is a different beast all together. At any rate- sounds like a neat project. I hope you get some good use from it!

 

[jackley]

The best thing to do is use it. It will break in over time. I don't know of any conditioner that will just make it soft. Bend it back and forth and around things. Mash it in your hands. Get tough with it.

Jerry

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Rob,

I'm not a leatherworker, and I only have an average level of experience with leather conditioning products. But I have tanned a few different hides in my time, and that experience led a thought to come to mind:
At the end of the tanning process, leather has to be "worked" (stretched, even abraded) extensively to break in the fibers and make it supple and usable. You will see videos of tanners pulling their leather across axe heads, fence posts, etc. in this process. I am wondering if your leather didn't need to be worked a little more. Or maybe commercially veg-tanned cow leather is a different beast all together. At any rate- sounds like a neat project. I hope you get some good use from it!

Yes, I had wondered about this myself too. The veg tanned leather that you buy for these projects (Tandy Leather is my source) is pretty darn tough. I wondered whether I should have "beat the manure out of it" prior to working with it, but I was following instructions in a book that suggested that veg tanned leather is supposed to be pretty tough. When hand sewing, I continually wet pieces that I was sewing so that it made those areas easier to work with, but more importantly when they dried the stitches became tighter/better. I was just not prepared for such a stiff final product.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

The best thing to do is use it. It will break in over time. I don't know of any conditioner that will just make it soft. Bend it back and forth and around things. Mash it in your hands. Get tough with it.

Jerry

I agree Jerry, and this was my intent. I took the bag with me on my muzzleloader hunting trips with my brothers fully intending on using it, but bag is so tough though, that when it came time to walk into the woods, I bailed out and moved the contents to a much easier-to-access hip pouch, and left that stiff beauty in the truck.

 

[BillinOregon]

Have you tried neatsfoot oil -- not neatsfoot compound?

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Have you tried neatsfoot oil -- not neatsfoot compound?

I have not! The only product I've used so far is Lexol. Thanks for the recommendation... I'll give that a look!

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Have you tried neatsfoot oil -- not neatsfoot compound?

Bill--do you apply this on the outside (stained) leather, on the inside (unstained), or both?

 

[Black Hand]

Hello friends.

I'm in need of a recommendation from some of our leatherworkers here. Last year I made a couple of hunter's bags using some veg tanned leather in 4-5 weight. The bags turned out great (for a newbie!), but they're so darn stiff that I find myself abandoning them in the truck when I'm heading out into the woods on a hunt.

I've used Lexol leather conditioner per recommendations on this forum, and rubbed as much of that product into the leather as possible, but it just doesn't seem to "unstiffen" the leather enough for the bags to be/stay soft, and easily accessible for practical use. I only applied the product a couple of times last year (haven't repeated this year), so maybe I need to keep applying and applying for it to do the trick? The bags sure look good! But they're essentially decorations at the moment.

So... If there's a better leather softener product or procedure, I'd love to hear from you.

Alternatively, I don't currently have a winter project so maybe I'd make another bag out of a different type of leather. Any recommendations for leather that will make a nice bag, but that is softer than cow leather (veg tanned)?? Deer hide seems awefully supple...is that a good bag leather?

Thanks guys!
Rob

It will likely soften a little with age but not very much. Beware of over-doing the conditioners as it could deteriorate the leather. The best solution is use far thinner leather for your bags and keep your bag on the small side (soft leather will work just fine). Unfortunately, many people end up making carry-on luggage-sized gun bags.

Personally, unless you are replicating a specific bag (many of which seem to be of modern design anyway), I'd avoid veg-tan altogether. Many of the veg-tan bags sold today look like 1960's purses to me....

 

[Robby]

I use 'pure' neatsfoot oil and soak it pretty good, then I wring the bag like I squeeze water from a towel, hard, back and forth, top to bottom, this way and that. It even makes them look better. After that, if it's too oily I rub it down with saw dust. That'l make it supple. naturally tanned, use natural oil and stay away from the petrochemicals, they have their place, just not there.
Robby

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

It will likely soften a little with age but not very much. Beware of over-doing the conditioners as it could deteriorate the leather. The best solution is use far thinner leather for your bags and keep your bag on the small side (soft leather will work just fine). Unfortunately, many people end up making carry-on luggage-sized gun bags.

Personally, unless you are replicating a specific bag (many of which seem to be of modern design anyway), I'd avoid veg-tan altogether. Many of the veg-tan bags sold today look like 1960's purses to me....

My bags are pretty small. In fact, one is so small that it's not really useful for much and I turned it into a belt-bag. What leather would you recommend if not veg-tan? I haven't given up on these bags, but another project is always on the horizon...

 

[Cruzatte]

What about oil tanned leather? Just a random thought.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Liberal applications of warmed neatsfoot oil. I also hang the bag near the wood stove while the oil is being absorbed.

 

[BrownBear]

What about oil tanned leather? Just a random thought.

If you can't soften your existing bags to your satisfaction and come around to making new ones, oil tanned leather is great stuff. This is my pick of the litter. Easy to work, thickness is good, and the stiffness is "just right" from the git go. Living in serious rain country I use it for lots of stuff from shooting bags to fishing bags to camera bags.

 

[ZUG]

I have some old rifle slings that I made 25 or 30 years ago out of 10 oz veg tan leather that are now too stiff for my liking. I called Springfield Leather and asked them what to use to soften the leather up and they told me to use Saddle Soap -

 

[longcruise]

You might try a lighter weight veg tan. I use only 2-3 oz for shooting bags and treat them with neatsfoot oil or (im going to get flamed for this ) plain old vegetable oil. Keep applying it and working the leather till it softens up..

When you use the lighter leather you should consider welting the seams.

 

[Black Hand]

What leather would you recommend if not veg-tan?

I've used top-grain garment-weight leather. More flexible/supple than veg tan.

 

[BrownBear]

When you use the lighter leather you should consider welting the seams.

Amen! With thinner leather I also like gussets so I'm not pulling so hard on the seams when I shove my hand in or overload it, as can be the case with flat panel seams.

 

[longcruise]

Amen! With thinner leather I also like gussets so I'm not pulling so hard on the seams when I shove my hand in or overload it, as can be the case with flat panel seams.

Indeed! Here is one I made from rather light veg tan around 2 oz. It has a gusset but I didn't welt the seams and now wish I had!

 

[Rifleman1776]

I use Neatsfoot oil on my leather. Usually I soak completely. As for avoiding NO 'compound' I have currently using and have used in the past. I can see no difference in what it does for or to leather. FWIW, I use on two knife sheaths I made over 70 years ago, still like new. And, ditto what others said about "breaking down" the bag. Soak with NO, let set a couple days then spend you TV time just sorta kneading it. Don't wear good clothes while doing this, fresh NO will stain them.