Important: Safety Warning
This page describes practices involving highly flammable materials in ways that create a serious risk of fire or explosion.
This page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Leather, Ink, and Miscellaneous: India
Or melt together 4 ounces of neat's-foot oil, 4 ounces of beeswax, and 2 ounces of India rubber until thoroughly blended. Apply hot with a brush to warm, clean leather.
Or dissolve in pint of camphene as much India rubber as possible.
Pour off the clear liquor, and to this add Currier's oil, pint; tallow, 3 pounds; lampblack, 1 ounce. Mix with gentle heat.
Shellac Varnish.-Put in a glass bottle or fruit jar 4 ounces of gum shellac. Cover with alcohol and let stand until dissolved. Add 1 ounce of gum camphor and ounce of lampblack. Shake, and mix thoroughly until dissolved. Thin, if necessary, with alcohol, and apply with a brush.
This covers the leather with a waterproof coating having a high polish, but is hard, brittle, and tends to crack.
Or mix 1 pint of alcohol, 3 ounces of white turpentine, 3 ounces of gum shellac, and 4 ounce of Venetian turpentine in a glass fruit jar, and let stand in a warm place until dissolved. Add ounce of sweet oil and ounce of lampblack. This is a flexible varnish which will not check or crack.
Or mix 2 quarts of alcohol, ounce of sulphuric acid, and 12 ounces of gum shellac. Let stand until dissolved and add 2 ounces of ivory black. Mix and let stand 24 hours. Pour off the top and apply with a brush.