Leather tool- rolls & things?

[garywayne]

Hi folks,

I have just been looking around the net at tools. (Window shopping without windows).

I have noticed a lot of chisel sets, and some saws are wrapped in leather. :-k

I remember reading that leather is not a good thing to use, [-X as it contains tanning, which, if I have this right, is an acid, which will inturn encourage corrosion or rust.

Can anyone throw any light on this? because I am totaly confused. :?

My sanity is totaly in your hands. ](*,)

ATB Gary. :mrgreen:

 

[Alf]

Gary,

I'm somewhat perplexed by it too, practically speaking. F'rinstance I had to hoick my L-N chisels out of their leather roll PDQ when they started to rust. They're now in a bog-standard canvas roll and not a sign of ferrous oxide. There's much discussion on the matter on The Porch, e.g. this thread. The most effective tool/bit roll material I've come across is actually baize, funnily enough. But I suppose that isn't posh enough and it's resistance to sharp edges is total pants of course. Oh, and like leather, not all baize is treated the same way either. #-o I'm afraid it's the perceived "quality" of something supplied or stored in leather that's the reason; it looks and sounds good. :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[ike]

Alf wrote:

I'm afraid it's the perceived "quality" of something supplied or stored in leather that's the reason; it looks and sounds good

I'll second that! (he who found out the expensive way). :roll:

Ike

 

[Waka]

F'rinstance I had to hoick my L-N chisels out of their leather roll PDQ

Me to, LN should really know better

 

[Anonymous]

I'm very surprised LN would have this problem. I've made several knife sheaths, tool holsters, and handgun holsters without incurring rust problems. I've always used a vegetable tanned leather (tannic acid is a common culprit in causing rust) and used neet's foot oil or beeswax on the surfaces in contact with metal.
I haven't worked any leather in a long time now. I hear people are using stuff like water-based polyurethane and acrylic latex to treat leather these days.

 

[garywayne]

So, basically, it's a materialistic or snob thing then, or just a marketing ploy?

One thing I know, I wont be using leather of any kind to keep my tools in.

I do have a couple of machetes in leather sheaths though, but they are taken out often, and oiled. So a reaction between leather and metal is highly unlikely.