WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT to KNOW ABOUT LEATHER

Have been doing research on leather and found some interesting information that you can add to your knowledge base, and dazzle your customers with your technnical expertise.

Today much of the leather manufacturing, like many things, has moved away from Europe and the UK to Asia.

The most commonly used type of leather is cowhide.

Did you know that there are over 100 steps in making leather and it is a very labor intensive process. Without getting to complicated and providing you more information than you really need, let me give you information on two ponts that will help you.

FATLIQUORING - This is the wet-end, softening process known as fatliquiroing. Oils are added in the tanning or retanning process to make the hide soft and flexible. In the olden days leather was simply "stuffed" with oils and fasts and was left to just sit in the fiber structure.

But over time, the oils migrated out of the leather and consquently the oils had to be replaced at regular intervals and thus came the concept of "feeding leather" and it that nomenclature stuck.

In the oils were not replaced the leather would become hard, and shrink and crack. (Had a 69 El Dorado Cadillac with black leather that got very hard and cracked)

However, today leather manufacturing and the development of sophisticated chemicals has created oils that meet very high specifications.

These oils are typically full reacted to the fiber structure and as a result a minimal amount of oil migrates out of the leather. Because of this low migration is it really NOT NECESSARY to continually add conditioners and creams to replace lost oils.

Boy, that blows a lot of commonly held myths about what you thought you knew about leather, doesn't it?

FINISHING - The finishing process, where a coating is applied to the leather surface to obtain certain desired colors, has also changed dramatically.

Color is applied using pigments. Pigments require binding to improve flexibility, fastness and adhesion to the leather. This was achieved in the past by using what is called "casein" and resin, but these products have poor physical properties in terms of flexibility and color fastness. So the finish would form small cracks over time.

They also used something called "nitrocullulose" and the unstable plasticizers would migrate in the heat from sun exposure in a vehicle.

A way to prevent plasticizer migration was the use of leather conditioners to try and put the suppleness back in the leather.

However, once again today's leathers are finished using sophisticated binder systems that incorporate high acrylic and polyurethane resins.

These systems give leather an enhanced resistence and as a result, the leather finish should not crack.

After two or three base coat applications the clear top coat is applied. The final stage of the finishing process, is designed to make the leather more resistent to wear and tear and provide medium hardness allowing the leather extra flexibility and increased properties like color fastness which in turn improves the overall finish. A variety of additives can also be added to modify the feel and appearance of the leather and the heat sensitivity is also improved in today's processes.

Frankly speaking, today's leathers use a completely different finishing system and as a result do not need to be treated with products containing oils. Most leather experts believe that today's leather conditioners remain on the surface of the leather and simply do nothing but attract dirt and dust.

INTERESTING SIDE NOTE:

In the 1500's in Persia (Iran) the leather tanners mixed pegion dunk with water to create "muriate of amonina" (NH4C1) which acted as an important softening agent in what is called "bating," the final step before the actual tanning process.

(Most information obtained from Dr Leather).

Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS

Very interesting Bud.

Bud, there is a new leather finish coming out later this year or early next year in general production. The coating will be marketed as having higher soil resistance with fluorocarbon and siloxane technology actually built in to the core polymer of the resins. They have a new balanced equation of hydrophobicity, oleophobicity and soil release and should be very durable. However, leather cleaners need to be reviewed to make sure they work in harmony with the new coatings.

I see you got information from Darryl at Dr Leather. He's a very smart guy when it comes to leather and a tome of tacit knowledge! I've been saying for years that people should not use "conditioners" and simply use a good mild cleaner along with a decent protector.

What exactly is "fluorocarbon and siloxane technology?"

They have integrated Fluorocarbon and siloxane into the topcoat to give it the benefits of coatings that have up to now been superficially and "temporarily" applied.

Don't pretend you don't know about the phobicity or non-stickiness of fluorocarbon..... I know you so well!! LOL

From my viewpoint, I've been restoring leather as well as detailing for years so its a surface that I have put a lot of research and study into. Its actually a very interesting area and one of the few that you actually come home from work at the end of the day smelling nice!

Actually I do not, that is why I asked the question.

Bud Abraham

OK, no problem Bud. You mentioned something about fluorocarbons and teflon to me in another thread a while ago so I thought you were fishing!

Apologies. I was kidding as well.

Check with Dr Leather. The guy is a genius with Leather and coatings chemistry.

Thanks