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  • For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

    Gentlemen,
    For all you 19th century (military culture) leather fanatics.....David Jarnagin and I have a new article we wish to share with the distinguished and learned members of this forum. It is coming out this spring in the Company Journal of the Company of Military Historians entitled: MILITARY LEATHER IN THE 19TH CENTURY, ITS METHODS AND SECRETS. It is a comprehensive look at the types and color of military leather used on equipment in the war time period as well as the tanning, currying, dyeing and finishing processes common to the period. Some of you may wish to read it. In addition, we have a second article coming out in the summer issue of the Journal entitled CONFEDERATE LEATHER BLACK OR BROWN, HOW & WHERE?. It is an in depth look at Confederate leather types, colors and production. It is a re worked-reprint of an article of the same title published last summer in the NORTH SOUTH TRADER magazine.

    As a teaser, I offer a couple of excerpts of the first article, MILITARY LEATHER IN THE 19TH CENTURY, ITS METHODS AND SECRETS. ........

    ................. All leather intended for military equipment construction was dyed and finished at the tannery during the tanning process. For military usage two types of leather were provided by contract tanneries to both the government and to private accoutrement suppliers and used in making cartridge boxes, cap pouches, belts, bayonet scabbards and horse equipment- “sleeked” (vegetable tanned leather dyed black on the “grain” or smooth side of the leather) or, “buff” (“mineral”tanned then dyed black or white on the “rough” or “flesh” side of the leather). White buff was used extensively by the military through the Mexican War. In the 1850's the army had trouble getting buff in any color so in 1858 they switched to black “waxed” leather (leather finished over the rough or flesh surface side) for its belts and slings. For most other Federal “war time” leather accoutrements (cartridge boxes and cap boxes) “bridle” leather was usually used and finished (“sleeked” or “jacked”) on the grain (smooth NOT rough) side. Black buff leather was still made for belts and slings but did not make up a large part of Federal accoutrement production. (See Text Box # 1)..................

    .............So, how was leather dyed black? Historians have naturally assumed the formula found in the 1861 Ordnance Manual was the pervasive recipe for military equipments. However, this formula was never meant for dyeing sleeked leather. It in fact, lacks the necessary ingredients to chemically bond the tannin to turn vegetable tanned leather to black. In practice, this recipe was only intended as a re-blacking or touching up formula for mineral tanned buff leather and in effect, little more than a good quality black ink.
    The use of the word, “dye” is a bit misleading too. In actuality, the process of coloring vegetable tanned leather to black is a chemical reaction between iron mordants, logwood and the tanning agent used in leather during the tanning process. Iron mordants are particles of iron often mixed with mild acids such as vinegar. Logwood is vegetable matter that acts as a natural dyeing agent to get the blue black iron mordants to turn a deep, rich black. Tanning agents are residue from plants essential in the process to preserve hides into leather. As noted above, for most military usage leather this tanning agent (in vegetable tanning) was usually the bark from oak trees. Careful and often secretive preparation of the leather at the tannery including the right balance of the above ingredients, will determine the quality of both the leather, the black color and how long each will last. 1.....................


    .............. What about the chocolate brown colored leather often seen among other wise legitimate artifacts today? Why are they not black? These leather artifacts were made from hides tanned with Hemlock tree bark rather than the officially sanctioned and, correct Oak bark. Before leather was dyed and finished it was easy to tell the difference between Oak and Hemlock tanning. The two major barks strike unique, entirely different colors. Oak bark always leaves a yellow color whereas hemlock always leaves a reddish skin tone color. However, they further distinguished themselves when dyes were applied. “The most interesting aspect of Hemlock tanned leather and one that created enormous troubles for the Federal Ordnance Department during the war and for collector’s today, was the inert tendency for the dyes of Hemlock tanned leather to fade, often quickly, from black to brown.” 7. Unlike oak bark, hemlock bark tannin does not seriously bond with the iron mordants to change form and thus turn the leather black. After tanning, various specialty dyes were applied that will turn the leather black but usually only temporarily. Unfortunately, the logwood in the leather will eventually oxidize (sometimes very quickly), causing the iron to change form again and return the hemlock leather from black to the chocolate brown we often see today. (Photo # 4)
    Nevertheless, it is clear tanners routinely “cheated” and used hemlock tanning anyway. But why? Hemlock bark had a higher percentage of tannin than Oak and it thus shortened the overall tanning process by a month or more. Another advantage was that Hemlock tanned hides tended to be heavier and therefore brought more money because leather was sold by the pound (until about 1885) rather than by square feet as it is today......................

    UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SLEEK, WAXED AND BUFF LEATHER:
    “Sleeked” and “Waxed” are finishes applied to vegetable tanned leather.
    “Sleeked” leather as noted above was finished on the “smooth” or, “grain” side of the leather. “Waxed” leather was finished on the rough or flesh side however, the “blackening” finish for waxed leather was very different. Waxed leather was not dyed using iron mordants but instead lamp black, tallow and wax was mixed into the finish and carefully applied in multiple layers to completely conceal the rough flesh of the leather. This type of leather has a heavy finish which can show up in photos with a high, brilliant shine. The appeal of waxed leather was its beauty and its thick finish which allowed it to be repaired if scratched or damaged. Its disadvantage was that the lamp black cracks and breaks off with age.
    “Buff” leather went through the same initial beam house preparation as vegetable tanned leather but was then “mineral” tanned ( a totally different process). Buff leather has the grain surface destroyed during the extended liming and what is not removed is sanded off. This sanding process was called “buffing” and may be where the leather derives its name. For accoutrements, the leather was finished (dyed black or whitened) on the “rough” or “flesh” side. To dye buff to black, extracts of logwood, pulverized nut gall, copperas and rain water were mixed then carefully applied to dye the leather a deep black yet retain the rough finish. White buff was made white with the use of “Paris Whiting” or chalk powder.
    Correspondence of the period suggests ordnance officers were often confused about the complicated tanning and dye methods and their different applications for sleek, waxed and buff leathers and thus, relied upon the more experienced (and sometimes unscrupulous) leather tanners for direction. ............................

    PHOTO CAPTION: Two 1864 dated Watertown Arsenal Federal cartridge boxes. The box on the left is Chestnut Oak tanned and still retains its dark black dye finish. The one on right is Hemlock tanned that has turned its signature brown. Fading will always result on Hemlock tanned leather regardless of the finish applied.

    For more information, you may wish to obtain the full article. Thank you!!

    Ken R Knopp
    Attached Files

  • #2
    Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

    Hi Ken,
    I definitely would like to have the full article. Where can I get it from?
    Can you give me any quotes or sources that brought you and David to the conclusion that "buff leather" is mineral tanned ( alumn I guess)?? Because "buff leather" at least in translation as "Sämischleder" is a fat/oil tannage. thsi makes it very durable and resistantagainst weather .
    I know that some terms have changed their meaning through the decades and century but I would really like to know what tannage exactely was used in the mid 19th century and what around 1800??
    Jan H.Berger
    Hornist

    German Mess
    http://germanmess.de/

    www.lederarsenal.com


    "Und setzet ihr nicht das Leben ein, nie wird euch das Leben gewonnen sein."( Friedrich Schiller)

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

      Are there period instructions for dying buff leather a black color without the dye bleeding through to the reverse side? Has anyone been successful in dying new, high quality, reproduction white buff leather a black color without the bleed- through?

      While we are at it, anyone figured out the period formula and application process for pipe clay/whitening of white buff leather? Not the modern shoe store sponge applicator stuff.

      The detective work that has gone into understanding the various technical approaches to hide preparation for military accoutrements is extraordinary and the authors are highly commended for making the results widely available to the field! Thanks!

      Dean Nelson
      1st MD Infantry CSA, N-SSA

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

        Not sure if this a good thread to post this question but with the discussion being on period dye I will ask as the dye in question was mentioned in the above article.

        I have heard of mixing iron particles and vinegar to make a dye for both leather and wood. I was told that the longer the iron sits in the vinegar the darker the dye will be. So it it would be possible to dye leather a dark black or even a dark drown if desired.

        I have two friends that claim they have used this dye. One used it on leather and the other used it on a maple gun stock.

        The leather worker claims that this dye would not work on wood and would turn it a nasty black color. However, I have seen the guns stock and it looked very nice and was finished with linseed oil.

        Does anyone have any experience using this iron and vinegar dye on wood? If so please share your experiences with iron dyed wood and leather for that matter. Pictures would be great!

        Thanks,
        Paul Herring

        Liberty Hall Fifes and Drums
        Stonewall Brigade

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

          Originally posted by J.H.Berger View Post
          Because "buff leather" at least in translation as "Sämischleder" is a fat/oil tannage. thsi makes it very durable and resistantagainst weather .
          I agree Jan. Any original buff that I've ever examined and properly tanned actual contemporary buff (which you just can't find today regardless of what people say they're using) has always had a very high oil content. Cutting a cross section to see the yellowish center and natural buff color confirm this when examining "buff". Buff is so resistant to weather and aging that it consistently remains pliable 150+ years later and definitely outlasts even the stitching often holding an accouterment together.

          Looking forward to the article, Ken.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

            Gentlemen,
            I am posting answers to your questions on behalf of David Jarnagin. Thank you! Ken R Knopp

            Dean,
            For us today, the effort behind dyeing whitened buff to black has the same issue the Ordnance Dept ran into in the early 1850’’s. That is, the whiteners need to be removed before the dye will take. The solution at that time was to send the buff leather back to the tannery and have the whiteners removed, and then stain the leather with oak ooze. This is why the blackened buff has a yellow color. It also makes it easier to spot when someone has tried to back date an 1850’’s sword belt and pass it off as an earlier dragoon sword belt. Whitened buff leather will also yellow a little but nothing like buff leather stained with oak. One other thing I should point out on blackened buff belts is that by regulation the edges were also dyed. For further understanding of the staining process you might wish to obtain the article.
            White buff leather belts and NCO shoulder belts were available through the Ordnance Dept all through the 1850’’s. The term ““whitened”” was never used by the War Department when referring to buff leather. It was called either “blackened buff” or just “buff”. I have added the word “whitened” to our modern usage of the terms so as provide clarity for collectors.
            Re-whitening quality buff leather today is quite easy and does not require pipe clay. The simple answer is to do what they did and use powdered chalk. Apply the chalk and then rub it in with a stiff brush. The original period name used for the these whiteners was called ““Paris Whitening”” and it is in reality, nothing more than powdered chalk.

            Paul,
            Any time you attach iron to a tannin you should get a black but it really depends on how good the source of the tannin is in the leather. Will it work in wood? I just do not know since all I have studied is the bark processes however, like many of us I have seen many iron stains in wood around old nail holes. It also seems to me that the older iron gets the quicker it disintegrates (depending upon a lot of factors). In fact, I believe that there is a life span to iron especially the soft, malleable iron of the period but it really depends on many factors. The main problem I found in using home made iron sources for leather dyeing is that you never know what chemical mix you will get and sometimes it will simply not work well as a dye. To be honest, I gave up that effort along time ago and now use a commercial form of (period correct) copperas to dye my leather since it gives me a consistent dye every time.

            Jan, David will contact you by private email.

            Hope this helps! Ken R Knopp for David Jarnagin

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

              Here's a little more information "not" found in any of our articles............


              19th CENTURY SEWING THREAD FOR LEATHER WORK

              *** This is a “work in progress”. As a result it is most certainly “incomplete”. We post it here as a reference, for education and discussion for those of “us” that are “leather nerds”..... Ken R Knopp and David Jarnagin


              SOURCE: The Harness Maker’s Illustrated Manual, By W.N. Fitz-Gerald, New York, 1875


              As will be seen, 19th Century leather sewing thread was no doubt, much more complicated than most of us today realize. For example, it came in various sizes as noted numerically by harness makers. No’s. 0, 10, 3, 12, & 5, the later being the finest used. No. 5, 6 & 19 are the same size, but of different colors, 5 being black, 6 white & 19 being yellow. (note these are all single strand threads)

              Owing to its possessing greater strength than the colored thread, white thread was preferred by harness makers who have tested its merit on heavy stitching. It should be noted here that the “white thread” described was not the same white thread as we use today. The white thread in the period was really a natural, “off-white” color compared to today’s “bleached” white. Thread was not bleached in the period as it would weaken the material but rather left a natural, off-white color. Also, we note that shoe thread was black and that black thread was used on buff leather.

              PREPARING THREAD FOR SEWING:
              Having selected the requisite number of thread the next thing is to break (cut) off strands, wax and twist it up; unless this is well done the work will prove a failure. After the strands are all broken off, rub them well by giving one turn around the awl handle and rubbing it back and forth, then apply the wax, and twist up moderately firm. A thread may be injured by twisting too firmly as well as by leaving it too loose. In the first instance it will not take the wax well and wears away rapidly; in the second, the strands are likely to open and show after the stitch is laid. The workman must therefore depend upon his own judgment as to the proper amount of twist to be given.
              In running off (twisting/waxing) each strand, it should be examined to prevent any hard, irregular spot being twisted up in the thread; in most cases the little lumps which are found loose and can be removed without injuring the thread where this can be done, break it off and start anew.

              THREAD WAX:
              The best wax used during the period was ordinary shoemaker’s black wax. This was made of equal parts of pitch and tallow, and is a good wax for general use however, it was too hard for use in cold winter weather when a larger percentage of tallow (one pound of tallow to three quarters of a pound of pitch) was required. Various degrees of hardness may be obtained by changing the proportions. This, however, will not answer for white or light-colored thread. A good wax for this purpose can be made of refined pitch and tallow, the proportion to be governed by the degree of hardness desired. Ordinary yellow and white wax are also used for light thread, but they are not as good as that made of pitch.


              THREAD SIZES: Notes on thread sizes I have found so far. (This is an incomplete list but I am still looking for more information- David Jarnagin)

              No. 0 Being the coarsest, used for 8 stitches per inch and under. This is listed as being used as four strands of thread twisted before use.

              No. 10 A little lighter than 0, used for lightest work stitching not more than 10 nor less than 8 stitches per inch. This is listed as being used as four strands of thread twisted before use.

              No. 3 Finer than 0 or 10 and used for stitching ranges from 8-10 stitches per inch. This is listed as being used as four strands of thread twisted before use.

              No. 12 for work 10 to 16 stitches per inch. This is listed as being used as four strands of thread twisted before use. (When the stitching is as fine as 18 to the inch the same number is used but only 3 strands.)

              For all work finer than 18 to the inch No. 5 is the only thread used and in a single strand.

              These numbers represent the ball thread; skein thread, however, varies but little in size with corresponding numbers, but, owing to its being smoother, it appears finer.


              As can be seen, the thread used in sewing leather was not monolithic nor simple. In fact, our study of period leather including tanning, currying, dyeing, finishing, trimming and even sewing has concluded that the 19th century leather industry was far more complicated, scientific, secretive and, dare we say an “art form”, than can be fully appreciated today. Furthermore, it probably can never be fully duplicated (for many reasons including environmental concerns) but remains a “lost art” waiting to be rediscovered if only for posterity.

              Ken R Knopp and David Jarnagin

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                Ken...thanks for your informed explications of the buff leather white and black surface finishes! Very interesting and useful!

                Sincerely, yours in the hobby....

                Dean Nelson
                1st MD infantry, CSA, N-SSa

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                  Does anyone have any experience using this iron and vinegar dye on wood? If so please share your experiences with iron dyed wood and leather for that matter. Pictures would be great!
                  I have used it on both leather and maple wood. It turned my leather almost black and caused the maple's striping to be very briliant. All the vinegar does is disolve the iron and then when it's applied to the wood it soaks into the softer fibers more than the harder fibers, which is what the stripes are. Work the wood back down with a very mildly abrassive substance such as burlap or 0000 steel wool and the apply a stain or oil of choice. When the wife comes back from her mother's place I will take a picture of the scrap I did this on.
                  Last edited by Clark Badgett; 05-10-2009, 09:47 AM.
                  Clark Badgett
                  [url=http://militarysignatures.com][img]http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member14302.png[/img][/url]

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                  • #10
                    Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                    Join the Company of Military Historians-- You will meet in person the people who do this type of research. We had our annual meeting last month and as part of the program we toured the Vault at the West Point Museum, the Vault at the New York Historical Society, and the Vault at Fort Ticonderoga. Many of these curators are Company members, and the ranks contain many of the museum curators from around the world.-- for the record at the New York museum they pulled out for us three Confederate caps from their collection!!!
                    Beinge a Company Member has some advantages----

                    Please Join-
                    We need you.

                    Tom Arliskas
                    CSuniforms
                    Tom Arliskas

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                    • #11
                      Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                      Let me echo Tom's comment..............
                      In my opinion, no other group has contributed more to saving and honoring our American military history than this group. None!
                      The Journal is publishing our second article in this series in the next issue. They were going to print it "in color", however, we now understand that they are discontinuing color in their magazine due to budget constraints resulting from dwindling membership.
                      If you love American military history and its material culture please join!


                      Ken R Knopp

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                      • #12
                        Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                        I thought I'd weigh in on the conversation. I use the vinegaroon formula on my leather work. It's kinda cool to watch the leather turn as you wipe it on.
                        I dissolve steel wool in apple cider vinegar. but you have to neutralize it in baking soda and water.
                        Cpl. Joseph Lambert
                        7th TN Co.D

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                        • #13
                          Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                          I'm a member. This quarter's issue was particularly good, the excellent article on military leather being the highlight for me. Thanks for sharing.
                          Bob Muehleisen
                          Furious Five
                          Cin, O.

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                          • #14
                            Re: For all you military culture "leather nerds" (like us)...

                            Originally posted by csuniforms View Post
                            Join the Company of Military Historians-- ... Please Join- We need you.
                            Tom Arliskas
                            CSuniforms
                            How do you join? Could you provide a web address or other info?

                            I went to this website (http://www.military-historians.org/), but the "How To Join" link on the left menu of the site is broken. It gives me a 404 Not Found error...
                            Matt O'Driscoll
                            1st Reg. KY Volunteers, Co. E

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