Tips for Brass & Nickel belt buckles
You can shine your brass and nickel belt buckles to look like new again
with just toothpaste and a piece of dry cloth. Simply polish it with a small
portion of toothpaste, add some water if needed. Have fun!
Full Grain Leather
Full-grain leather is considered among the best quality leather you can buy. It can be made from a variety of different animal hides, but most usually is made from cow skin. Leather can undergo complex treatment processes in order to create numerous products. Many of these treatments may result in weaker leather that will not wear as well. This is especially true when the leather is treated with chemicals. Full-grain leather is desirable because of its minimal treatments and its durability.
With full-grain leather, the hides of the animal used are not treated significantly. Instead they have the hair of the animal removed but they are not sanded. This can result in some minor flaws in the leather, but as used in fabric, it also results in the most breathable leather you can wear. Like a great pair of jeans, full-grain leather clothing actually gets more comfortable the more you wear it, becoming softer and some say even more attractive as it gets older.
Though full-grain leather is not sanded, it can still be dyed, called an aniline finish. Non-dyed full-grain leather is harder to find. In fact if you don’t buy full-grain leather with an aniline finish, you will usually find it with a semi-aniline finish. This is a clear finish placed on the leather that will allow imperfections in the leather to show. Actually many desire the semi-aniline finish in full-grain leather because it gives a more natural look to the leather.
Unlike other types of leather, full-grain leather uses the whole hide rather than layers of the hide. In contrast, top-grain leather, another very desirable product uses the top layers of the animal hide. Using the whole hide makes full-grain leather much thicker, and great for products that require a certain amount of durability. For instance, you’ll find great messenger bags, duffel bags and briefcases made by, using exclusively full-grain leather.Louis Vuitton makes some beautiful full-grain leather handbags that can be quite pricey, as much as 1000 US dollars (USD) each.
Many different types of shoes may be made with full-grain leather. Natural choices include the cowboy boot, but popularity of full-grain leather has resulted in athletic, dress, golf and a variety of other style shoes made with this leather. You’ll also find a number of furniture pieces upholstered with full-grain leather only. These are most desired because of their exceptional durability and their actual improvement in look and feel the longer they are used.
Leather Care To insure that your leather lasts at least as long as you do, here are a couple helpful tips;
1. Never leave your leather exposed to the elements. Leather is super absorbent, even when sealed properly. Water, chemicals, and the elements will discolor your leather items. The life of your leather will also be dramatically shortened if it is not handled and kept conditioned. A leather that is too dry will begin to crack and the finish will fade as well.
2. Handle the leather often. The natural oils in your fingers and skin will naturally help to preserve it against moisture and dryness.
3. If you are planning to store your leather product for more than 3 months in one place, rub in a light coating of Mink Oil (Available at any shoe store) and seal in an airtight plastic bag. This will keep it from drying out and won’t “rot” your leather either. A little mink oil goes a LONG way. A simple light application is all it takes to keep your leather goods safe and protected for a very long time.
4. Vegetable oils and extra virgin olive oil also help to keep your leather conditioned. Just be careful with how much you use as the oils will go rancid after more than a few months. Although it will preserve a high-carbon knife/sword blade for many, many years, it will inevitably destroy a good leather sheath/scabbard in 6 months. Never, ever, use the oils on the inside of your leather products. Only use it on the outside. The leather will absorb what it needs and “sweat out” the rest. Check it every month or so and wipe off the excess oil that the leather “sweats” out.
5. If your leather should become saturated with water, you should dry it off with a clean soft cloth or shop rag. Press on the leather firmly with the cloth, do not wipe it. It will take some time to dry like this, but it will increase the chances of saving it. As it dries, you may notice that the leather becomes more rigid and hard. A light coating of mink oil will restore its flexibility and help to purge any remaining moisture. Allow it to dry naturally indoors, and be sure to wipe off any remaining mink oil excess.
6. If your leather has metal in it (i.e., rivets, screws, conchos, fittings, etc.), make sure that you dry these areas VERY well. Get as much of the dampness out of that area as you can. If you can safely remove the metal fixtures, then take them off and dry them by hand. A good coating of 4 in 1 oil is an excellent idea as well once they are dry. Once you have done that, use the monk oil on the leather area and completely cover the metal and seams with it as well. This will make a protective seal between your metalwork and the leather.
7. DO NOT USE MINK OIL ON SUEDE LEATHER!!!! It will absorb into the leather and leave you with a greasy feeling slick skin instead of a softer, more durable cover. If you do decide to use mink oil, on suede, make sure to wipe off the excess thoroughly and use a curry comb or light wire brush to brush out the suede areas. You’ll have to do this about 5 to 10 times until the oil has been completely absorbed and the top layer begins to dry out.
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Full Grain Leather & Care Tips for brass & nickel belt buckles
