[TheForge] Restoring bellows leather

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> >I have a large bellows in need of some TLC and I guess linseed oil is the
> >thing to treat the leather with, is this right? do I need to dilute it at
> >all to help it soak in? The leather is pretty dryed up.
>
> If the leather is old and dried up there may be no help for it if it's to
> be put into service.  But whatever you do, don't use linseed oil ... it
> hardens (catalytic reaction on exposure to oxygen in the air).  If you
> think it's dryed up and hard now, it'll be much harder when the linseed
oil
> hardens.

Yeah, I agree with Dave here- leather is my other hobby ;-) Instead, get on
line to www.tandyleather.com and get some Dr Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator. It
really does a nice job, and if the leather is merely dry and not broken, it
will return the essential oils to it. Just apply once a day for three or
four days, on both sides of the leather, if you can, and it should loosen
things right up. The stuff appears to be lanolin based, in case you're
allergic, but if you aren't allergic, you can apply ir bare-handed with no
problems, and you'll even smell nice when you're done ;-)

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....