The Perfect Armor Improved: Water Hardened Leather

Yiguan china leather factory

Some years ago, I wrote an article on how to make hardened leather armor, using beeswax. Since then, I have concluded that although the method I described works reasonably well for SCA purposes--I have fought in my wax hardened klibanion for a good many years now--it is quite unlikely that it is the method used in period for armor.

I reached that conclusion for three reasons:

•  Beeswax is a lubricant. Furthermore, stiffening the leather makes it easier to cut, just as it is easier to slice meat if it is half frozen. So although wax hardened leather provides protection against the sort of blunt weapons we fight with, it would be of very limited usefulness against sharp swords, arrows, and the like.
• Although I have found no period descriptions of the process for hardening leather, the period term for hardened leather is "cuirboulli," which translates as "boiled (or cooked) leather." That is not the natural way of describing the wax hardening process.
•  I have found an entirely different way of hardening leather which does fit the term and which produces armor that is much better protection against real weapons. This article describes that process. As it happens, in addition to being a better guess at what was done in period, it is also a somewhat better technology for making SCA armor. 

Buying Leather Furniture

Want stylish, comfortable furniture that actually improves with age? Then invest in leather, a durable and attractive material that comes in a variety of styles, colors and strengths. Here are things to keep in mind when shopping:

1. Leather is four times more durable than fabric, so don’t worry about having kids around it. Just like a leather jacket or shoes, leather furniture gets better with age.

2. Aniline leather is dyed in a drum, which allows the dye to completely soak through for a rich, deep color. No protective coating is added, and it’s the softest and most expensive leather.

3. Semi-aniline (protected aniline) leather is also dyed in a drum and has a small amount of coating applied, giving it slightly better protection against stains and fading than aniline leather.

4. For pigmented leather, color is applied to the surface, not dyed through and through. And while the color isn’t as rich, it’s finished to provide greater protection against scratches, stains and fading. These leathers are less expensive and usually aren’t as soft as dyed leathers.

5. Unlike upholstery, the color of your leather piece doesn’t make a difference when it comes to regular maintenance. Just use a damp cloth to remove dust.

5 Tips: How to care for leather clothing

If a glitter leather gets wet,hang it to dry, away from heat. Putting it in a dryer or near a heating vent could cause it to shrink and lose its shape.

1. If you get a stain on a garment,don’t try to remove it yourself unless a leather-cleaning professional has advised you to. “The danger is you start removing the color and then it’s harder than ever to get out and restore,” Orlin says, noting it doesn’t matter if the piece is bright yellow, blue or a natural-looking brown. “We usually tell people who call us that we’d like to see the garment first and tell them what the alternatives are.”
2. Store leather garments on padded hangersand cover with a plain bed sheet or cloth garment bag. Avoid plastic bags, as they don’t allow the garment to “breathe,” and can promote mold and mildew. Store in a dark, dry place. Sunlight will cause fading.
3. Avoid letting a leather garment touch your skinin areas where it’s likely to come in contact with oils from your body and hair. Similarly, don’t let perfume or hairspray get on your leather apparel. They are hard to remove and the process of removing them can take color out of the clothing. “Wear a scarf,” Orlin recommends.
4. Clean leather regularly.What about those who never clean their leather jackets, believing they improve with age? “It’s sort of like not cleaning your sheets,” Orlin says. “Believe me, they get dirty.”

How to Paint Faux LeatherⅢ

Heartsun Leather  China leather factory

1 Trace a design onto the surface. Use a pencil to lightly trace your desired design onto the leather. Do not press too hard, as this will indent the leather. The paint is also semi-transparent, so any bold lines beneath the paint may show through.

2 Fill in the design. Using a paintbrush, fill in your design with the desired colors.Try to avoid creating thick layers of paint. A thick layer of paint will be more likely to crack over time. If your design has multiple colors, let each color dry before moving on to the next to avoid smudging the paint.Be sure to clean your brushes each time you select a new paint color to work with. Keep a small cup of water next to your workstation. Dip the paintbrush in the water before placing it into another color.

3 Clean up mistakes with acetone. If you make a mistake while painting, use a small amount of acetone on a cotton ball or cotton swab to gently lift away the paint. Once the paint is successfully removed and the area has dried, you can continue painting.

4 Let it dry. When you have finished painting your design, put it aside and let it air dry. The item should be secured in a safe place where it won’t be damaged or disturbed. The paint should dry within 15 to 20 minutes.

How to Paint Faux LeatherⅡ

By heartsun leather，a china leather factory

1 Clean the faux leather. Use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to remove dust, dirt, grease, and wax from the faux leather. Dampen a cotton ball and wipe the entire surface of the material. A clean surface, free from dirt and grease, will allow the paint to strongly adhere to the faux leather.

2Use a paint palette. Prepare a paint palette so you can easily and efficiently access your desired paint colors as you work. You can buy a wooden or plastic artist’s palette at an arts and crafts store, or you can use a sheet of aluminum foil, a newspaper, or a magazine to house your paint.

3 Mix a small amount of acetone to your acrylic paint. Squeeze your desired paint colors onto your paint palette and add a few drops of acetone to the paint if you are working with acrylics. The acetone will thin the paint, making it smooth and easier to work with. Gently mix the paint and the acetone together with a small paintbrush. Be sure to only add a few drops or up to a teaspoon of acetone to your paint so that the paint does not become too watery.

4 Apply a base coat for large surfaces. If you are painting a large surface in a uniform color, you will want to apply an even base coat of paint to the surface. Use the paint you selected for your project and apply it to the surface. This is ideal if you are working with furniture or clothing.

5 Apply paint to one side of a sponge. Lightly press the sponge into the paint from your paint palette. Use long, vertical strokes to distribute the paint across the faux leather surface. Acrylic paint can dry rapidly, so you will need to work quickly if you are working with this medium. Focus on creating long strokes when painting a large surface to avoid creating streaks. If you are working on upholstery, plan to paint only one side at a time.

6 Allow the paint to dry. Before adding additional coats, the paint will need to dry completely. Place the item in a safe place where it won’t be disturbed, damaged, or moved. Wait for about 15 to 20 minutes for the coat to dry completely.

7 Enhance the color with additional layers of paint. After the first coat of paint has thoroughly dried, add another layer of paint to enhance the brightness and saturation of the color. As you add additional layers, be sure that the previous coat is dry before you apply another coating of paint.

The Development Trend of Synthetic Leather Industry(1)

 Artificial leather, synthetic leather is the last century, one of the great inventions of mankind. Artificial leather in China began in the late 50s of last century,China's leather industry is one of the early development of the industry. After several decades of construction, especially in the 1970s, continued to the 1990s to introduce Japan, Italy and other countries the production of synthetic leather advanced equipment and technology. With the development of high-tech at home and abroad and the application of advanced industrial equipment, China's synthetic leather industry management, technology, product quality has been a qualitative leap, especially in recent years, China's synthetic leather industry has become the world's largest producer , Consumption power, import and export power.

New fiber technology continues to flood

Now with the development of modern high-tech, the current production of PU synthetic leather in terms of product quality, variety, or production have been rapid growth, its performance is getting closer to natural leather, some aspects of performance even more than natural leather. Such as anti-breaking strength, anti-tear strength, anti-peel strength, anti-sewing strength, abrasion resistance, flexural strength, cold resistance, aging resistance, fatigue, oil, chemical corrosion, mildew antibacterial, moisture permeability Performance, according to need, after special treatment, can be superior to the leather, to achieve the performance and appearance of natural leather quality and difficult to distinguish true and false degree. After the 90's, synthetic fiber and non-woven manufacturing, but also toward the ultra-fine, high density and high non-woven effect of direction. Polyurethane resin manufacturing to the PU dispersion, PU water emulsion direction. Product applications continue to expand in the daily lives of mankind occupies an increasingly important position.