Softening bellows

[Fotoguy20d]

Does anyone have a recommendation for hire to soften stiff bellows? In this car they are on a Gundlach.

Thanks
Dan

[RichSBV]

What's the material? Leather or vinyl?

It's been a while since I had to treat bellows but I only used two products. "Son of a Gun' and lemon Pledge (has to be lemon!).

The Son of a Gun was for vinyl only. I don't even know if it's still sold or may have changed formulas? The lemon Pledge would work on either but there's better products for leather, and I don't have any functioning leather bellows (as I remember?).

[Steven Tribe]

I don't want to spoil your day but... when leather has really dried out, there is no real cure. The leather is not like a sponge that will revert back to a soft flexible item. It may look more like leather after an oil treatment for display, but will not be as flexible as it was originally.

[Randy]

I have an old Gundlach 4X5 with a stiff bellows. I gave it a good rub down (inside and out) with mink oil, which is a paste and comes in a tin like shoe polish. Anyway, I was just trying to keep the bellows from getting worse. It's still stiff, but usable. I think Steven is correct.

[Islandor]

There are 2 products (for leather) that I have had very good luck with. "Leather Rejuvenator" made by 'Preservation Solutions' and is available on Amazon, among others, and my favorite, "British Museum Recipe" conditioner that I have only found in the UK. Either will soften dry leather, but of course if it is already rotted it may be beyond help. The BMR formula contains lanolin, bee's wax and cedar oil and will keep leather in great condition. (I am not affiliated with either of them)

[stawastawa]

There are 2 products (for leather) that I have had very good luck with. "Leather Rejuvenator" made by 'Preservation Solutions' and is available on Amazon, among others, and my favorite, "British Museum Recipe" conditioner that I have only found in the UK. Either will soften dry leather, but of course if it is already rotted it may be beyond help. The BMR formula contains lanolin, bee's wax and cedar oil and will keep leather in great condition. (I am not affiliated with either of them)

Sounds like use of these for regular care of the bellows might be recommended?
say once every 5 years? or 1 year if in dry environments?

[Islandor]

Sounds like use of these for regular care of the bellows might be recommended?
say once every 5 years? or 1 year if in dry environments?

I think all old leather needs some TLC every year or 3, and there are lots of products that would be better than nothing. The BMR type I mentioned will help for many years, that's why museums use it. But you are correct also, cameras and leather should be stored in stable environments, not too hot and 45~55RH (relative humidity) is good for enough for leather, lenses and such a bit less than 50RH is better from what I've read. I live in the tropics so always need to keep the more valuable equipment in controlled conditions. Fungus (or 'red rot') is the enemy here, but if you are in a hot and dry environment 'dry rot' can be even worse, and treatment can be needed even more. Also, forgot to mention in last post that for the "Leather Rejuvenator" they also recommend to use "Klucel G" to be used in conjunction to stop any degradation... For me the BMR is easiest and best that I've found, so far.

And since this is the DIY forum, and also since the British Museum Recipe conditioner is only found in the UK (as far as I know) here is a recipe for it I found on the web:

• Anhydrous lanolin 7 oz.
• Cedarwood oil 1 fl oz.
• Beeswax ½ oz
• Hexane 11 fl oz.

Dissolve beeswax in hexane (extremely inflammable)
Add lanolin
Add cedarwood oil

1) Rub or brush it on and work it in gently.
2) Leave for hours or a couple of days.
3) Polish with soft cloth or brush.

I've never tried making it myself as I could never find the ingredients here in Phuket, but you might...

[LabRat]

There's a point with old leather that it might look fine, but it no longer can handle any strain/load...If it is covering the sides of a camera and it's treated, fine... But if it's something that is stretched/strained, the internal structure bundle fibers can become dry, brittle, and shrink, does not bind together like it did when fresher, and is as strong as a lightly tied shoelace... (I have had a few old leather camera/case straps suddenly let go (even with a light load) and feeling a rapidly whipping snake shooting over my shoulder and somehow having the reflex to drop my hand down and catching the falling object... Get rid of old leather straps before this happens on working gear...

With leather bellows, the main thing (on many) holding it together, is that on the inside there is a silk or synthetic net that provides the structure/strength with the outer leather providing the lightproofing and protection, but if the leather gets too stiff and can puncture/dent/stress the net, both will tear...

Lanolin is the main ingredient that feeds the leather, the other stuff allows it to penetrate, then seals it up, so it does not dry out... Treatments that are silicone based can be a problem later if repairs need to be done, as nothing used for the repair will ever stick well to it...

Steve K

[Islandor]

Lanolin is the main ingredient that feeds the leather, the other stuff allows it to penetrate, then seals it up, so it does not dry out... Treatments that are silicone based can be a problem later if repairs need to be done, as nothing used for the repair will ever stick well to it...

Steve K

Agree Steve, especially about neck straps and such, should never trust old ones even if they 'look' nice, and especially if they have never been 'cared for' (conditioned). But I do think though that the Beeswax and Cedarwood Oil are also important, with their antibacterial/fungal properties, and the beeswax does allow the leather to breath as well even while helping to keep some of the oils in.

[Islandor]

151236151237

Thought I'd show a 'before and after' using the BMR conditioner.

[coisasdavida]

I have used Neutrogena Norweggian Formula hand cream on a Technika bellows before with sucess, its been two years and I feel it improved a bit.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

For leather bellows and bellows made of so called Russian leather (don't think that's real leather) I use TANA Cleaning Milk; it cleans and nourishes .....and smells very nice
anyhow it is made for delicate leathers

[stawastawa]

I think all old leather needs some TLC every year or 3, and there are lots of products that would be better than nothing. ...

• Anhydrous lanolin 7 oz.
• Cedarwood oil 1 fl oz.
• Beeswax ½ oz
• Hexane 11 fl oz.

Dissolve beeswax in hexane (extremely inflammable)
Add lanolin
Add cedarwood oil

1) Rub or brush it on and work it in gently.
2) Leave for hours or a couple of days.
3) Polish with soft cloth or brush.




Thanks for the info! I'm not sure where one would come across Hexane 11, but I will put it on the list of things to get!

I assume asking a shoe shop for recommendations might also be a decent route to go?

[Jim C.]

For leather bellows and bellows made of so called Russian leather (don't think that's real leather) I use TANA Cleaning Milk; it cleans and nourishes .....and smells very nice
anyhow it is made for delicate leathers

Actually, Russian leather is a real leather, I think it's no longer made but I'm to sure, my Century Grand folding 5x7 has Russian leather bellows
according to catalogs from back then and for a 115 year old camera the bellows are in amazingly good condition.

Article on Russian leather found in a shipwreck - http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/28/nyregion/a-200-year-old-gift-from-under-the-sea.html

[Two23]

I have a vintage 1925 Gundlach Korona 5x7, and the bellows are stiff. HOWEVER, I think they are made of a synthetic material. Will any of the above be of use? I kind of doubt it.



Kent in SD

[LabRat]

I have used Neutrogena Norweggian Formula hand cream on a Technika bellows before with sucess, its been two years and I feel it improved a bit.

As I mentioned, the main ingredient for feeding the leather is lanolin, as this is a collagen for the leather, so some skin products contain this...

The hexane is used as a solvent to dissolve the beeswax, but it might be possible to use turpentine, as it is another solvent for wax, but it will require much longer to dissolve the wax for stock solution (much mild heating and mixing is involved, but you might find instructions online to do it), and much longer to dry...) Hexane might be had at a good art store...

With vinyl bellows that have hardened, sometimes using mink oil will soften them a little... The plasticizers in the vinyl leave the material, but vinyl purse collectors have stated that they use this to soften and preserve them... I've tried it and it does work sometimes...

But be careful as some old bellows look like leather or a synthetic, but are really nice textured paper, that can be damaged by most treatments (old folding Kodaks are paper covered)...

But if you plan to shoot the camera much, instead of just a display piece, consider a new set of bellows... (Not so much for the custom import jobs...) Old bellows DO become a game of "wack-a-mole" trying to keep them from leaking!!!!

Steve K

[Randy]

...and the beeswax does allow the leather to breath....I bought a 5X7 B&J off Jim Galli a few years ago and when it arrived and I opened the box I found the bellows to be very moist in places. I shot off an email to Jim for an explanation. He replied that, of course, bellows are leather...and leather breaths...and anything that breaths is bound to cough every now and then...and anything that coughs will eventually cough up something... :)

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Actually, Russian leather is a real leather, I think it's no longer made but I'm to sure, my Century Grand folding 5x7 has Russian leather bellows
according to catalogs from back then and for a 115 year old camera the bellows are in amazingly good condition.

Article on Russian leather found in a shipwreck - http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/28/nyregion/a-200-year-old-gift-from-under-the-sea.html

Thanks!