Need Help To Soften Leather

[Poor Bull]

When sewing a pouch inside out.  I have trouble softening the leather after getting it wet to turn right side out.  I use 3 to 4 ounce tooling leather for most of my work.
Thanks

[Spotted Bull]

Ill usually rub it down with some leather conditioner of one kind or another and put on a good western movie. Then I just sit and wring it back and forth and work it back and forth in every direction while watching the movie. It takes a little bit, but they will loosen up and get soft.

[Dennis Glazener]

Had a guy that told me yo find the cheapest hand lotion that contained lanolin and rub that in. I could some lanolin and just usedvthzt, worked fine on that bag which I later sold.
Dennis

[G. Elsenbeck]

When sewing a pouch inside out.  I have trouble softening the leather after getting it wet to turn right side out.  I use 3 to 4 ounce tooling leather for most of my work.
Thanks

Sounds like it isn't wet enough.  Try dunking the piece in a sink full of water until the leather drips then I dab it with paper towels before I turn.  Then fill the pouch with plastic bags or newspapers or paper towels until the piece is dry and molded into the shape you want.   Not sure it will take dye well if lotion is used.  Just some thoughts. 

[Mark Elliott]

Is it the turning that you are having trouble with or the stiffness of the leather after drying?    To turn,  I soak my bags in hot water.   I think the heat is as important as the water.  I know that basebase gloves are turned dry by heating only.   After the leather is dry,  I rub in multiple coats of  a good quality Mink Oil. 

[thecapgunkid]

All of this advice, together, will solve most of your problem..  The heat and moisture have to be managed correctly, and that is a touchy-feely OJT.  I have found a help with turning is in the form of a rounded hammer handle, wood and as smooth as you can get it, tightened in the vice and used as an anvil.

Start at the rounded outside corner of your inside-out pouch and push allowing the hammer to force the leather to turn the seam.  Work the second corner the same way, and then go to each edge of the seam at the top of the pouch.  Turn the tops and then Knead and push firmly on what will be the bottom of the pouch, evenly without feeling like you are forcing or bullying the leather.  A little here and a little there will progressively get your bag turned.

Lastly, once turned to your satisfaction, run the inside of the seam over the top of your anvil to even the fold out.  This works really well if you have welted your seam.

Hope this helps

[Mike from OK]

Is it the turning that you are having trouble with or the stiffness of the leather after drying?    To turn,  I soak my bags in hot water.   I think the heat is as important as the water.  I know that basebase gloves are turned dry by heating only.   After the leather is dry,  I rub in multiple coats of  a good quality Mink Oil.

Mark, it sounds like to me he is having trouble with the leather being stiff once it dries after wetting and turning.

That's what I gathered anyway.

Mike

[Poor Bull]

Yes, I have trouble softening it when it dries after turning.

[James Rogers]

After being saturated, the leather will lose what flexible features it may have had prior as it dries. A light coat of pure neatsfoot and a good paste such as Montana Pitch Blend or your own mix works well. I would avoid anything with petroleum in it.. If you want it super flexible you can prematurely break down the fibers. I like to let the actual use of the leather product soften it up. Remember what ever you do prematurely to give it that worn look or feel will be prematurely decreasing  its working life if it is to be used a lot. Another option or addition is to use the junk portion of the hide such as the neck or belly as they are loosey goosey to begin with. Vegetable tanned leather will not be like some of the modern chrome tannages as veg. tan's process is different and ita intent is to create some of those firmer traits. Anther option is to use some of the current bark tannages available by some small individual tanners as most all I've seen are heavy with oils in their process  They will not produce a proper burnish like the olde pit tanned hides though.

[SyLibby]

Veg tanned leather isn't really designed to be flexible after molding.  Water temperature will affect the hardness of the leather after molding.  The hotter the water, the harder the leather. 160F will make it extremely rigid.  If you really want a pouch to be soft after making it I'd suggest using brain tan, oil tan, chrome tan. 

  Any particular reason you want it to be soft?  I know it's very common in contemporary accoutrements to make them look 200 years old, but they were new when made the first time.  I'm a big fan of natural wear personally.