Smelly Leather From Asia

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Gummipuppe
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Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

Does anyone know of a method to neutralize the offensive smell of reproduction leather straps, holsters, etc., that are manufactured in Asia? It smells like a combination of chemicals and dead fish that had been laying out on the beach in the hot sun for a few days. I understand that they use an inferior tanning method that leads to this offensive odor.

For example, I bought a repro P38 holster about a year ago. When it arrived, the delivery man left the package outside my door. I could smell it in the sealed box from ten feet away. I didn't dare bring it in the house. The holster is well made and looks great, but the smell is horrible. I tried using polishes, mink oil, saddle soap, burying it in baking soda for a few weeks, and letting it lay out in the sun for days on end. After all of that, it doesn't smell quite so bad, but it's still too strong to bring indoors.
SS - Panzergrenadier Philipp Keinezähne
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shultz wuffenbach
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by shultz wuffenbach »

try febreeze as it kills nasty niffs very well
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Gummipuppe
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

shultz wuffenbach wrote:try febreeze as it kills nasty niffs very well
Hey! That's a good idea. Thanks.
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Eberhard
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Eberhard »

Hi

Had the same problem with my sniper scope case, febreezed it but the smell comes back, wife could smell the case when going up the stairs once.

Think the smell is here to stay.

Regards

Eberhard
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peiper1944
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by peiper1944 »

I think it may be the Asian tanning techniques they use,
try soaking the item in oil that should kill the smell ;-)
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Gummipuppe
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

Eberhard wrote:Hi

Had the same problem with my sniper scope case, febreezed it but the smell comes back, wife could smell the case when going up the stairs once.

Think the smell is here to stay.
Funny how women have such a heightened sense of smell. My holster has been sitting out in the garage for two years now. I don't dare bring it in the house because I would get complaints from the wife, even it the smell was barely noticeable to me.

peiper1944 wrote:I think it may be the Asian tanning techniques they use,
try soaking the item in oil that should kill the smell ;-)
I could try oil, but it will probably turn into a mess. Maybe even stink worse.

When you buy stuff from Asia, God only knows what you're getting. Importers seem to have no quality control and/or just don't care. They unload the shipping containers and just sell the stuff. Lead paint on toys, poisoned dog food, products that quickly break during normal use... and, stinky leather goods, including reenactor gear.

I think I read somewhere that the Asians use ineffective ingredients in their tanning process that don't totally preserve the hide. The leather smells because it's actually rotting inside. I have read accounts where people buy leather furniture, coats, shoes, and purses made in Asia and they can't keep 'em in their homes because the strong fumes make them sick.
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peiper1944
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by peiper1944 »

Gummipuppe wrote: I could try oil, but it will probably turn into a mess. Maybe even stink worse.
No mate, the oil will neutralize the smell then after it has soaked in the leather properly
after a week or two in the garage the smell of oil will disapear as well, just wipe off the excess
Gummipuppe wrote:
I think I read somewhere that the Asians use ineffective ingredients in their tanning process
that don't totally preserve the hide. The leather smells because it's actually rotting inside.
As well as neutralizing the tanning smell oil will infact preserve the leather as well, i had an original belt
and bayonet frog which was hard as iron, after soaking it in oil for a week or too it made the leather very
supple so it didn't crack/tear ;-)

Peiper
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Gummipuppe
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

peiper1944 wrote:
No mate, the oil will neutralize the smell then after it has soaked in the leather properly
after a week or two in the garage the smell of oil will disapear as well, just wipe off the excess
What kind of oil do you recommend?
SS - Panzergrenadier Philipp Keinezähne
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Konzert-Meister

Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Konzert-Meister »

Evening,

With regards to original 'artefacts' made of leather, that have hardened...re oiling them will start a process which will eventually lead to destroying them. Old hard leather will stay like it is and still be the same in 100 years. Once oiled again, the leather will start to break down and 'rot' if you like.

That's why leather stuff in museums isn't restored by oiling, be it civil war or ww1 boots etc No oil if you want to preserve hardened leather.

However with kit (original or repro) you wish to use, that has dried is fine to do so. The likely hood you're not worried about preserving it indefinitely for decades, you want to use it.

Leather is skin, its dead skin from when the animal is killed. Keeping up the oil and hydration of the leather will keep the leather going, IF kept up. Once allowed to fully dry, its dead. Applying oil will soften and appear to restore it.
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peiper1944
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by peiper1944 »

Fair comment Konzert Meister, although i have used it and it seems ok,
although the leather was not damaged to start with just hard but i agree
it wouldn't work on damaged/cracked or even torn leather

The oil i used Gummipuppi was just machine oil (3 in 1 oil) which you can
find in any hardware store, but as Konzert Meister said would rot leather that
is too far gone but you should be ok with your repro holster ;-)

Peiper
Staff-Sgt, British Airborne Pathfinders Unit (Ex SBG)

ww2airbornegroup.webs.com
Konzert-Meister

Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Konzert-Meister »

Yes its fine for repro gear and gear you don't want to be preserved past your lifetime.
RKrieger
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by RKrieger »

I would avoid hydrocarbon based oils, this is detrimental to the collagen fibres that make up leather.

Obviously in period any oil would serve as the items were expendable.

Proper harness oil, composed of rendered and stabilized animal oils often called Neatsfoot oil is the only oil that should be used to condition, waterproof and soften leather. It has properties similar to the natural lipids that living hide have in them saturation with this oil will revitalize even very old dried out leather.

I have seen leather over 150 years old returned to serviceable condition with proper oiling.

As the German army was largely horse drawn there was substantial need for proper harness oil in the maintenance of the drawing harnesses for wagons. Finding proper oil to condition your gear should have been no issue.

Harness oil can often be found at farm supply stores or Tack shops.

Again.. avoid hydrocarbon oils.. they will kill your leather.. eventually causing the leather to simply fail and fall apart.
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Gummipuppe
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

RKrieger wrote:I would avoid hydrocarbon based oils, this is detrimental to the collagen fibres that make up leather.

Obviously in period any oil would serve as the items were expendable.

Proper harness oil, composed of rendered and stabilized animal oils often called Neatsfoot oil is the only oil that should be used to condition, waterproof and soften leather. It has properties similar to the natural lipids that living hide have in them saturation with this oil will revitalize even very old dried out leather.

I have seen leather over 150 years old returned to serviceable condition with proper oiling.

As the German army was largely horse drawn there was substantial need for proper harness oil in the maintenance of the drawing harnesses for wagons. Finding proper oil to condition your gear should have been no issue.

Harness oil can often be found at farm supply stores or Tack shops.

Again.. avoid hydrocarbon oils.. they will kill your leather.. eventually causing the leather to simply fail and fall apart.
Thanks. I have a bottle of neatsfoot oil someplace. I will have to look for it. The only place I could find it was a shoe repair shop.
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GraemeMac
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by GraemeMac »

Tandy will sell you a huge bottle of the stuff.
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erikbozwo2 wrote: Pyotr, please don't take any advice from peiper.
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Gummipuppe
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Re: Smelly Leather From Asia

Post by Gummipuppe »

I used a foam brush to slather the neatsfoot oil on the holster inside and out. The leather is just sucking the stuff in. Got my fingers crossed.
SS - Panzergrenadier Philipp Keinezähne
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