[TheForge] Re: Restoring bellows leather

Sun Mar 9 00:03:00 2003

Shannell> I have a large bellows in need of some TLC and I guess
Shannell> linseed oil is the thing to treat the leather with

Reynolds> I have a 6' bellows I am considering putting back into
Reynolds> service. I began with propping the bellows open as much as
Reynolds> the dried leather would permit and I hand rubbed neatsfoot
Reynolds> oil into the leather three times in one day intervals.

Use neatsfoot oil (or olive oil in a pinch).  Linseed is a drying oil,
-- why it doesn't stay sticky on iron -- will harden in the
interstices of the leather and will make it harden and crack sooner
rather than later.

If you can get the neatsfoot from a harness shop or rendering house
it'll be waayyy cheaper than buying it in cute, tiny cans from the
shoe store or cobbler's shop.

- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada 

[email protected]            
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/