Dubbin was King

I decided to convert my few static web pages about leatherwork, into blog entries and so here is the first one:

 

DUBBIN

The Ultimate Leather Finish / Dressing Any Leathercrafter can Use!

I have successfully made my own Dubbin: I rendered sheep fat for the tallow (beautiful white stuff - also good for cooking and preparing cast iron cookware), and then I added Beeswax and Neatsfoot oil and a few other extras. The result is all I expected and I do not feel anxious any more about having to import my Dubbin from South Africa!

• Etherington & Roberts says it is made of tallow and cod oil.
•  Thelma Newman, in her book "Leather as Art and Craft" describes DUBBIN as a mixture of Tallow and Codliver Oil.

 Why I Like DUBBIN so Much! 

• DUBBIN feeds and protects the leather from the inside and replaces all the oils taken out of the leather during the tanning process.
• DUBBIN brings out a deep glowing color in leather. In un-dyed leather it will cause the leather to turn a golden honey color when exposed to light.
• DUBBIN is very good for your hands - especially in winter. I always apply it by hand - it allows me to regulate exactly how much I put on.
• DUBBIN never acentuates stains on leather - it rather tends to clean up any water or light stains.
• DUBBIN Can be used over any non-sealing finish, such as spirit dyes and water based dyes as well as water based inks.
• DUBBIN allows leather to become supple without loosing its shape - it helps the leather to stay "alive" and always as beautiful as new.

Answers to DUBBIN critics

• It is sometimes said that DUBBIN rots stitching on leather articles. When applying DUBBIN you must simply make sure that you do not leave chunks of Dubbin in folds or seams of the leather - this will collect dust, trapped by the thick DUBBIN and the dust will then rot the stitching. I always polish a project that I have just applied DUBBIN to, with a soft brush - there seems to be some beeswax in DUBBIN that will cause the leather to have a natural shine when treated like this.