How to treat mold/ mildew on old sling?
- Thread starter farshot
- Start date
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I'd figure for your time and the price of cleaning materials wouldn't it be cheaper to find a replacement??
For a 70 year old Japanese milsurp?
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I would take a vacuum cleaner with a soft bristled attachement and brush the mold off as much as you can without scuffing the surface. Most folks that deal with old leather for a living (museums, etc) just about crap their pants when you start talking about any leather preservative. The majority of these modern treatments are designed for new leather, to keep it soft and pliable. They are not good to use on old leather that you want to prevent from rotting away. Keep it in relatively low humidity and out of the sun, and that should keep them mold from coming back.
Thanks to date -- for some more facts :
I live in Alberta and my house is very, very dry. I do keep it out of the sun and I did brush / vaccuum it away a few months ago - but it is fuzzing up again.
It appears to be an original sling, the brass is nice and green - but I am no expert in the Arisakas - so it maybe a repro. hmmm maybe a picture would help....
I live in Alberta and my house is very, very dry. I do keep it out of the sun and I did brush / vaccuum it away a few months ago - but it is fuzzing up again.
It appears to be an original sling, the brass is nice and green - but I am no expert in the Arisakas - so it maybe a repro. hmmm maybe a picture would help....
This is what I would sugget:
1) get an old stiff-bristled toothbrush (or a new one?) and physically try to scrub as much off as you can DRY. Don;t push hard enough to damage the leather.
2) Using a cotton rag LIGHTLY wetted with ballistol, try to "wash" the remainder off. It will come off this way. Don't overdo it. Ballistol won't hurt leather, but you want only trace amounts to penetrate the leather itself - no more. Over-soaking it will make the sling mushy or soggy.
1) get an old stiff-bristled toothbrush (or a new one?) and physically try to scrub as much off as you can DRY. Don;t push hard enough to damage the leather.
2) Using a cotton rag LIGHTLY wetted with ballistol, try to "wash" the remainder off. It will come off this way. Don't overdo it. Ballistol won't hurt leather, but you want only trace amounts to penetrate the leather itself - no more. Over-soaking it will make the sling mushy or soggy.
