A Danakil-Issa Gilè

Flavio · 11th February 2006, 02:35 PM

Hello guys, this beautiful gilè is arrive today

. What do you think? Anyone knows how to soften the dry leather of scabbard and belt? oil? Thanks

Luc LEFEBVRE · 11th February 2006, 02:51 PM

Nice piece Flavio, the scabbard is nice and simple.I am using neutral shoe polish with this kind of leather or nothing.Is it really dry ?
Luc

Flavio · 11th February 2006, 02:58 PM

Hello Luc, thank you very much. The leather is so dry that the belt has this shape and I cannot change it. Moreover i can't open the buckle! See the picture

!

Rick · 11th February 2006, 03:36 PM

Flavio , do you have an equestrian supply shop in your area ? There are some very good products for restoring leather to be had . One American product is called Leather Therapy .

www.leathertherapy.com

Flavio · 11th February 2006, 07:21 PM

Thank you Rick, i will try to find one.

sabertasche · 11th February 2006, 10:47 PM

Guys, for leather care I've tried just about every product available. By far the best I've used is also the least expensive - petroleum jelly (PJ). There are no additives, perfumes or exotic chemicals. It does darken leather but so does all the expensive stuff.

Before I put anything on the leather, I vacume it to remove all loose dust, fungus spores and insects. If there are beads or anything loose that you don't want lost in the vacume bag steal a pair of nylons for your wife or significant other, place the toe of the nylon over the vacume nozzle and you should catch anything the might come off that is the big.

Once there is no particulate material left I spray the leather with rubbing alcohal - this kills any bacteria and fungus that I might have missed. I then coat the item liberally with vaselene (PJ), wait a few days and then remove any excess.

Give it a try.

Greg

ariel · 12th February 2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Flavio , do you have an equestrian supply shop in your area ? There are some very good products for restoring leather to be had . One American product is called Leather Therapy .

www.leathertherapy.com

I used it and it is very good.

Lew · 12th February 2006, 12:21 AM

Hi

I would really try and stay away from using petroleum jelly it has a tendency to over soften leather. I use neutral shoe polish by kiwi or there is briwax you can by it on the internet but kiwi is cheaper and I have been using it for years with good results.

Lew

Rick · 12th February 2006, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

I used it and it is very good.

I can't recommend this stuff enough ; the mold and mildew protection are built in . This product is made for tack and saddles ; very expensive materials that need excellent protection. I have used it on 100+ year old dried out leather with excellent results .

Tim Simmons · 14th February 2006, 06:12 PM

You could try ghee which would have been used originally and you would get the authentic smell. Tim

Flavio · 15th February 2006, 02:35 PM

Tim, what is "ghee"

?

Tim Simmons · 15th February 2006, 03:48 PM

Hi Flavio, "ghee" is clarified butter which you came get in most large food stores in the Uk. If that is not so in Italy you should be able to find it in a good store of Asian food. You could use ordinary butter which is more solid and will smell more like vomit than ghee.

Tim

Mark · 15th February 2006, 05:21 PM

Its also pretty easy to clarify butter, mostly at least, and that is to melt it (without any browning, so do is slowly), and skimming off the solids that float on the top. What you are left with is a clear liquid which looks a lot like vegetable oil. It becomes a creamy solid once its cooled.

Flavio · 15th February 2006, 10:25 PM

Hello guys. Thank you very much for your help

!! To tell you the truth i'd like to make the leather more soft because the back side of scabbard in origin was sewn with copper wire, than the copper has been oxidized and broken. Now i'd like to replace this copper wire

. Thank you

11th February 2006, 02:35 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	A Danakil-Issa Gilè Hello guys, this beautiful gilè is arrive today . What do you think? Anyone knows how to soften the dry leather of scabbard and belt? oil? Thanks Attached Images

11th February 2006, 02:58 PM	#3
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Luc, thank you very much. The leather is so dry that the belt has this shape and I cannot change it. Moreover i can't open the buckle! See the picture ! Attached Images Last edited by Flavio; 11th February 2006 at 03:14 PM.

11th February 2006, 02:51 PM	#2
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 473	Nice piece Flavio, the scabbard is nice and simple.I am using neutral shoe polish with this kind of leather or nothing.Is it really dry ? Luc

11th February 2006, 03:36 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Flavio , do you have an equestrian supply shop in your area ? There are some very good products for restoring leather to be had . One American product is called Leather Therapy . www.leathertherapy.com

11th February 2006, 07:21 PM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you Rick, i will try to find one.

11th February 2006, 10:47 PM	#6
sabertasche Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 149	Guys, for leather care I've tried just about every product available. By far the best I've used is also the least expensive - petroleum jelly (PJ). There are no additives, perfumes or exotic chemicals. It does darken leather but so does all the expensive stuff. Before I put anything on the leather, I vacume it to remove all loose dust, fungus spores and insects. If there are beads or anything loose that you don't want lost in the vacume bag steal a pair of nylons for your wife or significant other, place the toe of the nylon over the vacume nozzle and you should catch anything the might come off that is the big. Once there is no particulate material left I spray the leather with rubbing alcohal - this kills any bacteria and fungus that I might have missed. I then coat the item liberally with vaselene (PJ), wait a few days and then remove any excess. Give it a try. Greg

12th February 2006, 12:21 AM	#8
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi I would really try and stay away from using petroleum jelly it has a tendency to over soften leather. I use neutral shoe polish by kiwi or there is briwax you can by it on the internet but kiwi is cheaper and I have been using it for years with good results. Lew

14th February 2006, 06:12 PM	#10
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	You could try ghee which would have been used originally and you would get the authentic smell. Tim

15th February 2006, 02:35 PM	#11
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Tim, what is "ghee" ?

15th February 2006, 03:48 PM	#12
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Hi Flavio, "ghee" is clarified butter which you came get in most large food stores in the Uk. If that is not so in Italy you should be able to find it in a good store of Asian food. You could use ordinary butter which is more solid and will smell more like vomit than ghee. Tim

15th February 2006, 05:21 PM	#13
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Its also pretty easy to clarify butter, mostly at least, and that is to melt it (without any browning, so do is slowly), and skimming off the solids that float on the top. What you are left with is a clear liquid which looks a lot like vegetable oil. It becomes a creamy solid once its cooled.

15th February 2006, 10:25 PM	#14
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello guys. Thank you very much for your help !! To tell you the truth i'd like to make the leather more soft because the back side of scabbard in origin was sewn with copper wire, than the copper has been oxidized and broken. Now i'd like to replace this copper wire . Thank you