M14 Forum

Phinehas · November 2nd, 2011, 05:22 PM

Do any of you collectors out there know any old tricks to stop, or at least slow down the reaction between brass and leather acids, commonly referred to as verdigris?

Seventh Fleet · November 2nd, 2011, 06:03 PM

I spray mine with WD-40 and use an old Tee shirt to wipe the stuff off of my leather. Then I use a good leather preservative such as Obenauf's to protect the now cleaned leather.

http://www.amazon.com/Obenaufs-0103-.../dp/B0020LQO1Q

If you want to see some funky ammo, leave some .357 mag rounds in a leather police cartridge carrier for any length of time and the ammo will have a green film on it. I learned to unload any of my Sam Browne belts back when I switched over from revolvers to semi autos. This was due to the way the cartridges looked when I forgot to take them out of the cartridge loops on my Sam Browne belt I had set up for a revolver.

7th

bd111 · November 2nd, 2011, 06:28 PM

Vinegar

M1A's r BEST · November 2nd, 2011, 06:34 PM

Not sure about the effects on leather, but......I have been using lemi-shine (get it at Walmart in the housecleaning section) in water to clean the tarnish off brass I'm cleaning prior to reloading it.

Last summer I had some GI web straps for the map cases, radio cases, etc. that the black paint was wearing off of the brass metal/clips. The clips were turning the webbing green around the snaps, clips, etc. I decided to trial one strap so I mixed up the warm water and lemi-shine (about a table spoon to a quart of water) and dropped the web/buckles and all into the water and let it sit for about 15 minutes. The corrosion (green stuff) in the webbing and on the brass was gone. It didn't face the OD webbing but I've not tried it on leather.

Rather than soaking the leather I'd just try wiping some of the water and lemi-shine on the brass/discolored leather and maybe scrubb it with a toothbrush before wiping it off with a soft cloth and then using some leather protectant.

Good luck with it.

Phinehas · November 2nd, 2011, 06:56 PM

Seventh Fleet;I spray mine with WD-40 and use an old Tee shirt to wipe the stuff off of my leather. Then I use a good leather preservative such as Obenauf's to protect the now cleaned leather.

http://www.amazon.com/Obenaufs-0103-.../dp/B0020LQO1Q

If you want to see some funky ammo, leave some .357 mag rounds in a leather police cartridge carrier for any length of time and the ammo will have a green film on it. I learned to unload any of my Sam Browne belts back when I switched over from revolvers to semi autos. This was due to the way the cartridges looked when I forgot to take them out of the cartridge loops on my Sam Browne belt I had set up for a revolver.

7th

Some good advice if it wasn't for the fact of it being brand new old stock period WW2, where much of the leather is very light in color and would compromise it's collectability. Not that collectability is everything, especially at the cost of deterioration, I did consider the possibility of using Picards leather dressing, a kind of wax based compound. I would imagine that compound would slow the process by keeping the air locked out. Was just hoping for a solution a little less invasive, yet I do appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks,
Phinehas

Phinehas · November 2nd, 2011, 07:04 PM

Vinegar

No kidding, interesting, I will look into it also.

thank you

sac troop · November 2nd, 2011, 07:27 PM

You want to remove the green gunk the best you can. Lemon juice and salt works but probably hard to apply just to the brass and not the leather. A tooth pick, small brush, even some dental floss for some applications can remove a lot of the Verdigris by itself.
Remember Verdigris is poison so wash up after working around this stuff.
After you got as clean as you can the Picards isn't a bad product to use. Others prefer Renaissance wax but it's costly. If you clean it with an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, etc. you must seal it with a wax or it will come right back.

Phinehas · November 2nd, 2011, 08:32 PM

sac troop;You want to remove the green gunk the best you can. Lemon juice and salt works but probably hard to apply just to the brass and not the leather. A tooth pick, small brush, even some dental floss for some applications can remove a lot of the Verdigris by itself.
Remember Verdigris is poison so wash up after working around this stuff.
After you got as clean as you can the Picards isn't a bad product to use. Others prefer Renaissance wax but it's costly. If you clean it with an acid like vinegar or lemon juice, etc. you must seal it with a wax or it will come right back.

Removal has been just as you've suggested over the years but gets to be a bit of a chore and was hoping to lessen the frequency of that detail. Humidity is a constant 45 - 50% & temp 65 - 70, and up to now the leather is as naked as the day it was tanned, but looks as though the compounds you've mentioned might be in order. I've used pure neatsfoot oil on leather in the past and found it kept it soft and pliable, but it also allowed the leather to stretch too much, even though that seemed to be the standby for many years in the military.

Thanks sac troop

DukeRustfield · November 2nd, 2011, 08:43 PM

I thought verdigris actually protected from harsher damage. Which is why they don't bother fixing it on statues and state capitals and such. That's what the History channel told me about this, anyway:

mariodesmo · November 2nd, 2011, 08:47 PM

I just rub it off my sling with a rag. My sling is a good 40 years old and
the green looks like a patina or sorts.

It has not hurt the leather and if I rub it off, it comes
back.

Phinehas · November 2nd, 2011, 09:35 PM

DukeRustfield;I thought verdigris actually protected from harsher damage. Which is why they don't bother fixing it on statues and state capitals and such. That's what the History channel told me about this, anyway:

Well, that may be true for Miss Liberty, but I've noticed on leather it seems to actually eat away at the leather where it comes in contact with brass such as the gromit where the thong runs through on a .45 hip holster, or the flap hole becomes enlarged. Again, some of that may also be do to many applications of neatsfoot oil.

DukeRustfield · November 2nd, 2011, 11:05 PM

OH on leather. My mistake.

sac troop · November 3rd, 2011, 12:59 AM

The wax can retard the return of the verdigris if it manages to form a barrier between the brass and the leather. The compounds used in the tanning help promote the verdigris. There doesn't seem to be a perfect way to stop it so yes it's one of those things that you have to stay on top of and yes the humidity you mentioned isn't going to make things any easier. I've seen examples where the verdigris actually pushes the leather away from the brass to the point where it will eventually pop out.

The neatsfoot oil is generally frowned upon by conservators. It does serve a purpose in preventing the leather from drying out but as you mentioned it affects the leather. Not a big deal when your using it on a pair of shoes you'll end up wearing out in a few years but for something your trying to preserve.

You might want to look over the link below for suggestions from some people with a lot more experience than I have.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/foru...?showforum=603

You can use their search tool for verdigris and see a few discussions there.