Leather mildew question

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Hello everyone, A very odd thing is happening right now.  I have two pouches I am working on one of them is stitched together the other is in parts.  The finsihed one I soaked in water to turn it out, within minutes, and I really mean within minutes, it is covered with little tiny green spots.  I investigated the piece that was in parts and found that where it was wettened to slick the edges had the same spots.  Another odd thing is a piece of wood I am working with for another project has done the same thing. 

Is it the time of year?  I have never had something like this happen this fast.  Also, I should note that each of these three examples that I have mentioned are in a completely different spot.  One is outside, the other is in my basement, and the other is laying on my bedroom floor. 

Has anyone encountered anything like this.  It does not appear to spread after the initial blotching.

Coryjoe

[Ky-Flinter]

Wierd!  Did you wet the wood with water to whisker it?  If so, maybe something in the water?  Mold/mildew on leather usually takes a while to form.

-Ron

[G. Elsenbeck]

Corey did you by any chance have these items covered either in a bag or a box?  Leather does need to breathe.  I've had a couple of leather items stored in a box once in the basement and something in the container may have been damp and once I opened it all the leather items had the same symptons.  I let them all dry for a couple of days in some sunlight and re-oiled them and so far seem to be fine. 
Gary

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I wet the wood which Oak as I was sanding it, to whisker it.  The pouch is hanging outside in open air, and the wood is in the basement.  The water came from the same source though which is scary.  The spots are green, and I am now wondering if it is copper deposits in the water.  I have heard that before from my hair stylist when my hair was a light green tint toward the ends.  Back when it was long.  Hard water they call it. 

The water is the only common thread. 

Coryjoe

[G. Elsenbeck]

Yep, wierd is all I can conjure up at the moment.  I suppose it could be the hard water.  Maybe one of our other members with some chemistry background could pipe up. 
Gary

[Beaverman]

Usually letaher when it molds starts with a white powdery residue on the surface, I live in the PNW outside Seattle, wet here all your log, have never seen green on leather other than where some old sheaths and saddle bags have had deposits on them from either copper or brass applies to them had oxidized and left it behind, most of us up in this corner of the world use Whites Boots leather preservative in the jar, will help waterproof and condition leather and also has an anti fungus additive to it to keep leather from mildewing, hope this helps, Beav

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Gentlemen,

I tried an experiment.  I took a piece of leather to a friends house and wet it using their water, and also some filtered water.  NO GREEN SPOTS.  So it has to be something with the water.  My water supply must go through a copper mine or something.  Good thing I filter the drinking water. 

Thanks for helping me brainstorm through this one everyone. 

Coryjoe

[Chuck Burrows]

I'm betting you're using import veg tan hides from some place like Tandy, etc.
The green dots are not uncommon with the import hides, but seem to cause no problems in the end product - it is a reaction due to residual chemicals used by the non-US tanneries and water - each piece can be different and even the same piece can react differently...
 
Still I don't like it and since leather is most of my full-time business I buy American from Wickett & Craig, one of only three tanneries left in the US due to Uncle Sam's eco rules.......they will split their 8/10 oz tooling/holster sides or shoulders to whatever thickness you want at no extra charge.....this month they have both side and sholders on sales - sides 924-27 sq/ft avg) $90.00, shoulders (12-14 sq ft avg) $50.00 - I'm betting that once you use their hides that you won't care for the imports anymore........and an advantage for bag makers - splitting down from 8/10 to say 3/4 oz will give you a beautiful flesh side most of the time........

[JCKelly]

Memories. My Grandfather retired in 1951 as foreman from that tannery in Curwensville, Pennsylvania.

As a boy I got the complete tour. I liked the smell of the finishing room best. Got another tour about 1995, but the finishing room was gone. They still had the old lockers that my father and grandfather would have used. Dad worked there summers while in college.

Just down the hill from Grampa's house. Still have key-chain size leather samples from Grampa. Shot a groundhog or two in one of the fields near the West Bank of the Susquehanna there, in town as I recall.

Yeah. Do buy all your leather from them!

[David G]

My initial toughts are as Chuck's, your getting a reaction between the water and the tanning method that was used.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I think the leather has little do with it, after my experiments.  Especially since it is happening to other items not just leather. 

I got the leather in a trade and do not buy for the aforementioned company.  I started to do an order from them, not for leather but other supplies and when I saw what they wanted for shipping I canceled it. 

Thanks for the heads up on the other companies, I am always looking for a supplier.

Thanks everyone, I will keep you posted on how it goes, I am out of town right now and have no idea how it is going.

Coryjoe

[jasontn]

i have had the same thing happen in an older home i lived in everytime i tried to mold my leather. we have an external filter on our home now and it hasnt happened since.
chuck, im curious about your statement on there only being 3 tanneries in the US now? we have 2 here in TN, tennessee tannery and coey tanners. i have used a lot of leather from both places, made from American raised cattle, deer, and pig.

[Sam Everly]

I have 3 original pouches , i keep them together in a big plastic tub with the lid on . One of the 3 always has had a mold problem , the white powder kind. I use to keep them in a closet on hooks in the back wall,but thought the plastic tub would be better for them . I have tryed everything to try to stop the mold on the one but nothing stops it . The others have not had any mold on them. I think it is from the way it was tanned, that has something to do with the mold.