Vintage Quiver Restoration

[JavelinaHink]

I have a quiver here that needs to be saved, any ideas on what products to use.

I'll have to go inside and try to glue something like leather or material to keep it from tearing more also.

Its not to use just to display. Thanks, Bill
 
 
 
 

[seboomook]

Hi Bill
Just did some research after a similar thread last week about my bear quiver. Reddoge put me on to pecards leather dressing. Unlike most others(saddle soap and Lexol) that will darken and add detergents or other chemicals, it is neutral and will preserve well. Which I think is the best you can hope for here.
Also neatsfoot oil contains animal fats that turn racid and create bacteria that will destroy the leather over time.
If you google it you'll find plenty of reading.
Still waiting for mine to arrive, got it from the manufacturer in wisconsin.
Brad

[Tom I.]

Bill.....man, why didn't you come with a question that would hard to answer...lol.
I don't know...but that looks like toast to me.
I do a lot of leather work and once it gets to that amount of dry rot there's really not much one can do... perhaps some Fiebing's Liquid Glycerine Saddle Soap, available from Tandy's.
There's a lot of mold there too...that's deadly to leather.  The liquid saddle soap with at least get some moisture back into the leather and
may prevent further dry rot...
You've got a job, my friend...
Tom I.

[JavelinaHink]

Brad...I just went on line and ordered Pecard Antique Leather Dressing 32oz and a few other products from them. I'll give it a try. Thanks

Tom...I don't think its mold at least it doesn't seem to be. Its had some black, green and brown paint added to the front. It will be a project for sure. But worth it, being its from one of the first collectors of archery related items."OSAGE Jim" Murphy, and came from Hugh Rich. Thanks

[Shaun]

I believe the leather will continue to tear unless you line the entire quiver with a new inner shell of thin leather or fabric as backing. Even then it will be touch and go for actual field use. If it was me, I would clean that one up and patch it up for display and make a copy to use afield.

[JavelinaHink]

Shaun...I believe you got it right there, thats what I was thinking on doing with a liner. And there was no way I was going to use it since it has his name on the quiver and wouldn't want anymore damage to occure in the field.

I wonder what type of glue I should use to glue either leather or canvas to the inside?

I also have his metal horn-nock bow to go along with it. I just have to find a picture of him to go along with the two.

[reddogge]

For the mold I'd use a mild solution of bleach and water and using a lightly dampened rag clean the mold off.  Set it out in the sunshine for a day or so.  I did some moldy mocassins like this and it worked pretty good.

For the conditioning I try the Pecards.

The leather is really starting to rot badly so maybe trying to glue some backing on it may help where the bad tears are.

If you really want to do it like the museums here is a good link to do that.  I never tried anything like this though.
  web page

[Shaun]

For glue I would use a contact cement, Barges or similar for leather and a spay on contact adhesive like 3M for cloth.

[JavelinaHink]

Richard.....Thanks for the link , that is a very good site, sure is alot that can be done.

Shaun...thanks....I'll keep the updates coming once I start into the project.,

[d. ward]

Bill now I ai'nt saying I'am no leather pro by any means OK ? however I did watch a person in person on the restoration of old native american leather goods.Such as backboards for youngens.
The best trick I ever saw to reshape old stiff leather was to first thing of all slowly pack it full of wonder bread.Yes wonder bread the moisture from wonder bread in just enough to soften the leather and not damage it any more.Once softend the bread was removed and it was slowly reshaped and stuffed with old new paper to asorb the left over moisture.And dry the leather into its original shape.
Then it was lined with another piece of leather that had been coated with a thin layer of comtact cement as Shawn said barge and the inside of the leather backboard had also been coated with barge cement as was alomst dry also.He let that dry almost completely so it was not to tacky.Then fit the liner inside the backboard and pressed it all together.Then finished the leather with a product called DYO clear cote protective sealer & topcoat for smooth leather.Keep out of the reach of children.DYO Division 1-800-527 2161.Then bowdoc says DYO will stop the ageing process and prevent any more damage and yes I use it all the time maybe even every day on leather grips in my shop...bd

[42WLA]

I would not even try. I have ruined old leather trying to make it usable again. Better off trying to make an exact replica.

[JavelinaHink]

Don.......I can see how that might work and it sure can't hurt it. I'll be heading to the bread store in the morning and get some of the loafs they save for bear bait. I will post the job as it moves along from step to step...now most will think I can be talked into anything,,but it just might do the trick. Thanks

David ...Can't really make a replica thats signed by "Osage Jim" Murphy. If I wanted to use one lke this that would sure be the way to go though and might be a nice quiver to use....so I'll give it a try to restore.

[R.V.T.B.]

When I was growing up my dad shot almost daily using his Indian Archery Golden Chief back quiver. He died when I was 17 in 1976 and his quiver had been hanging on a peg in my mom's basement up until a year or so ago.  The quiver was in terrible shape, the bottom two inches were almost completely covered with mold and the old field points on the arrows in it were actually rusted to the bottom of the quiver. I used warm water and washed a lot of the old mold off. I then used a leather cleaner made by Montana Pitch Blend.  Rubed it in and then gently wiped it off. I then used regualr old Montana Pitch Blend and put a real heavy coat on it. I lined a rack in my oven with newspaper and put it in there at about 150 degrees for a little while. When I took it out it was shinny but pretty much back in the same shape. The leather had absorbed all of the pitch blend. I ended up doing that process 3 times and the quiver now looks 100% better. Although the leather still has cracks in it and I am sure is delicate, it is soft and supple and I don't worry about it breaking.  I really put a heavy coat of the stuff on the seams and laces. It now hangs on my wall as a reminder of who got me started in this bow and arrow stuff.

[JavelinaHink]

Randal,Its always nice to save something that means alot to you, thats great that you got to it in time.  

Oven: I use to do my work boots that way when working outside in the winter it worked great.  I guess I'm going to have to get to it soon. I've been looking for another quiver around here for a week that's going out in the mail as soon as I find it, thats first on the list.
Thanks for the reminder...Bill

[Rick Enos]

Hay guys,The wonder bread moisturizer for old quivers really works.I have been wondering what to do with an old hard leather quiver I have & read Bowdocs thred on stuffing wonderbread in the quiver to get moisture into the leather.It works very nice.Thanks bowdoc for that info.....