Stretching leather

[Steve Barber]

Can anyone help me with a problem involving leather? I have a form fitting, zippered, camera bag made in the UK of heavy leather with a smooth, shiny outer surface and a rough inner surface all of which is dyed black. The problem is that, over time and, I suppose, not being used, the leather has shrunken to the point where it is very difficult to get it onto the camera and zipped up. Can someone tell me what I can do to overcome this and get a looser fit without ruining the leather or the outer finish?

Soaking the bag in water seemed to me to be the thing that would allow it to be stretched the most, but everything I have seen regarding this cautions against getting the leather soaked. Is that because of concerns regarding overstretching things like shoes or hats or is it something that would actually ruin the leather or finish? I would not care if the fit became baggy, but I would not want to end up with brittle or cracking leather.

[GPS]

Not water (not at all!) but oil is what the leather needs to get softer again. Googling some leather treatment for you problem could reveal more wisdom...

[r_a_feldman]

Take it to someone who does shoe repair -- they stretch leather shoes all the time and have the equipment to do that without damaging the outer finish.

[GPS]

Take it to someone who does shoe repair -- they stretch leather shoes all the time and have the equipment to do that without damaging the outer finish.

Never do that! They stretch shoes by force - what is more, the leather is not dessicated, has entirely different characteristics.
There is a plenty about the treatment of "your" leather on Google - from professionals.

[Philippe Grunchec]

Use saddle soap to clean the leather and then use special oil (leather dressing?).

[Laurent]

At least on NEW leather, a complete soaking (several hours can be needed) will soften, but it will shrink when drying. This method is used to form it around an object (a holder for a knife for example). I don't know what used leather would do in the same case.

[r_a_feldman]

Never do that! They stretch shoes by force - what is more, the leather is not dessicated, has entirely different characteristics.
There is a plenty about the treatment of "your" leather on Google - from professionals.

How else are you going to stretch the case back to size, if not by force? Also, I would consider a good shoe repairman a "professional," knowledgeable in working with leather. Explain to him what the problem is and he should be able to come up with a solution, including restoring flexability to the leather and getting the case to fit. The problem these days might be in finding a knowledgeable repairman.

[GPS]

How else are you going to stretch the case back to size, if not by force? Also, I would consider a good shoe repairman a "professional," knowledgeable in working with leather. Explain to him what the problem is and he should be able to come up with a solution, including restoring flexability to the leather and getting the case to fit. The problem these days might be in finding a knowledgeable repairman.

If you try to stretch dry leather you will tear it, it doesn't have any elasticity. You have to make it first elastic. Again, google "treatment for dry leather" and you will get interesting professional advice.

[percepts]

How else are you going to stretch the case back to size, if not by force? Also, I would consider a good shoe repairman a "professional," knowledgeable in working with leather. Explain to him what the problem is and he should be able to come up with a solution, including restoring flexability to the leather and getting the case to fit. The problem these days might be in finding a knowledgeable repairman.

cobblers...

Saddle soap or bees wax (the real stuff you use on wood as polish. Not the immitation stuff!) on the outer surface should soften the leather. That will make it easier to stretch over the camera. I suspect the leather has just dried out too much and become less pliable. It should not have shrunk unless it got wet.

[Jim Ewins]

As I recall it is called neatsfoot oil. Some 55 years ago I used it to waterproof boots - it did but they stretched. Also my brother used it to break in a baseball mitt.

[sun of sand]

sounds like a camera bag to me
Who cares what ya do to it

You'd want it flexible so stretching it through heat/etc ..so what


I wouldnt soak it in water but I would soak it in anything oily
Kitchen grease ..yes, I would
Tallow
Suet
a chunk of fat
Neatsfoot/Mink
Dubbin
Proofide

These guys want you to go to great lengths to make their journeys acceptable lol
It's a freakin camera bag
It's already been abused in that it's dried out

BE A MAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM YOURSELF
Take this thing to a cobbler and I'll have to LMAO

[John Kasaian]

Toss in a quarter stick with a long fuse, zip her up tight, take cover and wait. It'll stretch plenty ;)

[c.d.ewen]

If you try to stretch dry leather you will tear it, it doesn't have any elasticity. You have to make it first elastic. Again, google "treatment for dry leather" and you will get interesting professional advice.

Interesting, indeed. From:

http://www.davidmorgan.com/leathercare.html


The majority of leather dressings are based on tallow or neatsfoot oil. Tallow, even kidney fat, contains salts which build up with repeated dressing and attack the leather fibres. Neatsfoot oil compounds, long recognized for damage to sewing, also weaken and blacken the leather. Both these animal fats provide a culture for the growth of bacteria and fungus, and turn rancid, resulting in further attack on the leather. The more liquid formulations also evaporate quickly, leaving the leather dry and open to rapid deterioration by oxidation and mechanical break down.



Personally, I'm a Propert's Saddle Soap and Lexol kind of guy.

Anybody use Effax Leatherbalm? Made out of lanolin, avocado oil and beeswax.

Charley

[Neil_4793]

Please refer to Helmut Newton, the original leather stretcher.

Cheers,

[Robert A. Zeichner]

Steve, the preferred treatment for leather bicycle saddles is Proofide which can be purchased in tins at better cycle shops. You rub the stuff onto the leather and let it soak in and dry and then buff it out with a cotton rag. I'm guessing that the leather of your camera bag is far softer than the typical Brooks saddle, so the softening process should go at a faster rate for your application.