A Danakil-Issa Gilè

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

RobT · 12th February 2006, 03:07 AM

Flavio,
I had the exact same problem on my gile sheath. I used hikers' mink oil from Griffin. It worked with no ill effects. I just slathered it on and left it. Gradually the oil was absorbed by the leather (it takes a couple or three months at least). I have used mink oil on all my leather sheaths and have never had a problem. There are a lot of mink oil products out there and they probably are all quit similar, just avoid the ones that are more waxy than oily. The waxy products will just lay on the surface, dry up, and crack without softening the leather. Then, to add insult to injury, the dried up gunk has to be cleaned off.
Sincerely,
RobT

Flavio · 12th February 2006, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobT

Flavio,I had the exact same problem on my gile sheath.RobT

Hi RobT, could you post some pictures of your gilè? Thank you

RobT · 13th February 2006, 02:44 AM

Flavio,
I'll be glad to post some pictures but it will have to wait till this coming weekend because that will be the first opportunity that I'll have to photograph in daylight.
Sincerely,
RobT

Mark · 13th February 2006, 03:27 PM

Nice knife. I love the brass tip on the scabbard. I once ran into a pair of Afar (related to the Issa, but deadly -- literally -- enemies). One very seriously patted his gile` and said something I did not understand. I wasn't sure if he was offering to sell me the knife, or gut me. They eventually carried on their walk leaving my intestines intact, so I guess it was an offer to sell.

This was in the Awash game park in Ethiopia, by the way.

It was before my collecting fever took hold, so I wasn't quick to pounce, aside from the fact that I was pretty uneasy given what I had heard about the Afar, and the Issa for that matter. It is apparently a matter of honor for them to kill each other on sight (the joke being that if an Afar sees a poisonous snake and an Issa, they kill the Issa first), and the men are not considered real men until they have killed someone. Another Afar story -- I had the misfortune of being in the main hospital in Addis, the Black Lion Hospital (taking someone, not for myself). It was a very grim place. Among the injured sitting around pretty much in squalor waiting for attention, there was a group of three or four Afar, one on a stretcher stoically bleeding all over the floor, obviously suffering from a gunshot wound. Even more amazing was the fact that they were all heavily armed, with knives, rifles and bandoleers of ammunition. This was during the Communist days, when no one was allowed to carry weapons except the army and the militia, but I think everyone was afraid to try and take them away from these guys. My Ethiopian friend warned me not to look too much, or make eye contact.

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 .

Flavio · 12th February 2006, 10:16 AM

Thank you guys for the help, but just another question: do all these products turn the leather darker? Thank you

12th February 2006, 03:07 AM	#6
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 536	mink oil Flavio, I had the exact same problem on my gile sheath. I used hikers' mink oil from Griffin. It worked with no ill effects. I just slathered it on and left it. Gradually the oil was absorbed by the leather (it takes a couple or three months at least). I have used mink oil on all my leather sheaths and have never had a problem. There are a lot of mink oil products out there and they probably are all quit similar, just avoid the ones that are more waxy than oily. The waxy products will just lay on the surface, dry up, and crack without softening the leather. Then, to add insult to injury, the dried up gunk has to be cleaned off. Sincerely, RobT

13th February 2006, 02:44 AM	#8
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 536	Gilê pics Flavio, I'll be glad to post some pictures but it will have to wait till this coming weekend because that will be the first opportunity that I'll have to photograph in daylight. Sincerely, RobT

11th February 2006, 03:36 PM	#1
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	#2
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	#3
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	#5
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

13th February 2006, 03:27 PM	#9
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Nice knife. I love the brass tip on the scabbard. I once ran into a pair of Afar (related to the Issa, but deadly -- literally -- enemies). One very seriously patted his gile` and said something I did not understand. I wasn't sure if he was offering to sell me the knife, or gut me. They eventually carried on their walk leaving my intestines intact, so I guess it was an offer to sell. This was in the Awash game park in Ethiopia, by the way. It was before my collecting fever took hold, so I wasn't quick to pounce, aside from the fact that I was pretty uneasy given what I had heard about the Afar, and the Issa for that matter. It is apparently a matter of honor for them to kill each other on sight (the joke being that if an Afar sees a poisonous snake and an Issa, they kill the Issa first), and the men are not considered real men until they have killed someone. Another Afar story -- I had the misfortune of being in the main hospital in Addis, the Black Lion Hospital (taking someone, not for myself). It was a very grim place. Among the injured sitting around pretty much in squalor waiting for attention, there was a group of three or four Afar, one on a stretcher stoically bleeding all over the floor, obviously suffering from a gunshot wound. Even more amazing was the fact that they were all heavily armed, with knives, rifles and bandoleers of ammunition. This was during the Communist days, when no one was allowed to carry weapons except the army and the militia, but I think everyone was afraid to try and take them away from these guys. My Ethiopian friend warned me not to look too much, or make eye contact.

12th February 2006, 10:16 AM	#11
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you guys for the help, but just another question: do all these products turn the leather darker? Thank you