"Vertigras" (SP) - Green Crap!!!

[Mike Haas]

You know the Green Crap thats around the brass on leather slings and holsters etc. Anyway.. the "old WW2/Korean War Vet" that owns it came here yesterday and insisted it should be cleaned up some.
I was very reluctant since it's a USN Boyt "43" shoulder holster for a S&W 4" Victory .38 Cal Revolver. (I posted ID request Info on the 1911 Forum acouple of weeks ago). Anyway 'Bernie said he wanted to clean it up some and see if we could get the name to show up. The entire unit was well used and sweat/dirt covered with oil stains on the retainer strap and holster face. Certain areas were very dry in paticuliar the belt loop snap. Bernie unlatched that and the belt loop broke at that point!. Bernie said "Oh Well" and then started to use 'Kiwi" saddle soap on the other straps. Amazing how well the straps cleaned up. Plenty of marks there yet but much better.
Back to the "Green Crap". Bernie then very lightly scubbed the face of the holster with the Saddle Soap using a soft old tooth brush (frequently rinsed); he paid particulier attention to the rivets & snaps. He then wiped with a wet/damp sponge and that was the end of it for the day.
I went back to it this morning and resoaped around the rivets and snap on the holster face, wiped it off some and used a dental pick to clean around them. Kinda amazing how clean they came up. I used a small primer pocket cleaner brush & Q-tips to clean the snap pocket. The "Green Crap" was abit gooey but using another clean/dry toothbrush it removed easily.
Once the holster is cleaned to "Bernie's" satisfaction it will be treated with Pecards Antigue Leather Dressing per instructions.
I'm only posting this to point out how well (IMO) the method worked to get rid of the "Green Crap". Sadly the belt loop is broken but I tend to think that the balence of the rig will be better off for the process. Preserved, not restored so to speak.
Before anybody jumps me for removing "Patina" - it was Bernie's rig, all I'm doing is helping the ole Boy doing what he wants to do.
Pic's to follow next post.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Mike Haas]

You know the Green Crap thats around the brass on leather slings and holsters etc. Anyway.. the "old WW2/Korean War Vet" that owns it came here yesterday and insisted it should be cleaned up some.
I was very reluctant since it's a USN Boyt "43" shoulder holster for a S&W 4" Victory .38 Cal Revolver. (I posted ID request Info on the 1911 Forum acouple of weeks ago). Anyway 'Bernie said he wanted to clean it up some and see if we could get the name to show up. The entire unit was well used and sweat/dirt covered with oil stains on the retainer strap and holster face. Certain areas were very dry in paticuliar the belt loop snap. Bernie unlatched that and the belt loop broke at that point!. Bernie said "Oh Well" and then started to use 'Kiwi" saddle soap on the other straps. Amazing how well the straps cleaned up. Plenty of marks there yet but much better.
Back to the "Green Crap". Bernie then very lightly scubbed the face of the holster with the Saddle Soap using a soft old tooth brush (frequently rinsed); he paid particulier attention to the rivets & snaps. He then wiped with a wet/damp sponge and that was the end of it for the day.
I went back to it this morning and resoaped around the rivets and snap on the holster face, wiped it off some and used a dental pick to clean around them. Kinda amazing how clean they came up. I used a small primer pocket cleaner brush & Q-tips to clean the snap pocket. The "Green Crap" was abit gooey but using another clean/dry toothbrush it removed easily.
Once the holster is cleaned to "Bernie's" satisfaction it will be treated with Pecards Antigue Leather Dressing per instructions.
I'm only posting this to point out how well (IMO) the method worked to get rid of the "Green Crap". Sadly the belt loop is broken but I tend to think that the balence of the rig will be better off for the process. Preserved, not restored so to speak.
Before anybody jumps me for removing "Patina" - it was Bernie's rig, all I'm doing is helping the ole Boy doing what he wants to do.
Pic's to follow next post.

Since the process could be applicable to slings etc. is't not completely OT.
See pic's.

[Jim Tarleton]

Saddle soap works wonders on dogs too. Thanks for the info, Mike. I don't think it is OT either. I fight the green crud all the time due to our high humidity and corrosive atmosphere here. I will try your technique next time.

Jim

Jim

[Mike Haas]

Saddle soap works wonders on dogs too. Thanks for the info, Mike. I don't think it is OT either. I fight the green crud all the time due to our high humidity and corrosive atmosphere here. I will try your technique next time.

Jim

Jim

Jim - I seriously doubt my ex would either understand or appreciate a can of "saddle soap"
Since my last post about a few hours ago I went to the basement and pulled out a Boyt sling I had just used Pecards on two weeks ago. I used Saddle soap tonite and the method described above on some rivets. Judge for yourself. I suspect regular application of Pecards will keep the "Green Crap" away.
Must admit I use a lighted magnifier lamp to work the dental tool around the edges. My hands aren't to steady so on occation I scratch the brass/leather. The leather is not much of an issue since the Pecards seems to cover those small scratchs.
The "Green Crap" reminds me of the corrostion on battery terminals, same concept I guess.
Pics attached

[jmoore]

I always thought it was the chemicals in the leather preservatives that caused the verdigris (French for "green grease", I think). Is the brass more sensitive to acids or alcaline(sp?) substances?

[Jim Tarleton]

I always thought it was the chemicals in the leather preservatives that caused the verdegris (French for "green grease", I think). Is the brass more sensitive to acids or alcaline(sp?) substances?

It may be volatile fatty acids from the leather.

Jim

[Mike Haas]

I always thought it was the chemicals in the leather preservatives that caused the verdegris (French for "green grease", I think). Is the brass more sensitive to acids or alcaline(sp?) substances?

Beats me just exactly what causes the "Green Crap". I was more interested in the removal of it. Now it seems I've stumbled on a process that works in a non-destructive fashion.
Next step is prevention. I suspect routine application of Pecards may work.
Only time will tell on that.

[us019255]

"... exactly what causes the "Green Crap". ..."

Acids and bases both tend to extract the Copper from the brass. It is Copper in its highest (+2) oxidation state that is green. If one does not have to worry about leather, ammonia will complex copper and remove it. Think of various copper removing bore cleaners. Long application of the ammonia base dissolves the copper fouling and results in green patches.

There is nothing magic about various saddle soaps. They are made from grease (usually Lanolin), wax (usually Beeswax) some solvent (paint thinner), and soap (sodium stearate). It is cooked up into an invert emulsion (water droplets in oil). When you work up the lather with water, the emulsion inverts to oil in water. Since it has a lot of grease and wax are deposited on and in the leather. The result is the leather becomes internally lubed and thus softer, the wax left on the surface allows for a shine.

From the beginning to the end of its life leather depends upon grease or oil to help make it soft and supple. This use of natural biological oils is part of the reason mold likes to grow on leather in damp climates. The mold eats the oils as well as the leather.

By the way, putting a small amount of Cu+2 in and on the leather does a good job of slowing mold. Copper sulfate is a good chemical for this. The problem is that you don't want to put very much on (the blue green color again). Dissolve some copper sulfate in water, soak a soft rag in it, and allow to drip dry. Then rub the dry rag over the dry conditioned leather. It will stop mold growth for many months. The rag can be reused for years. An old chemists trick.

(By the way I am an old chemist, but this method predates me by centuries)

[gunner]

Yes, all the stuff in the leather wich makes a leather out of an animals hide at the tanning process, causes that "green Crap" ( i like the word ). So it also causes rust on your guns, for that dont store a gun in a leather holster for a longer time. And from my experiences ( i work as a saddler for 26 years) it will also happens on leather chromium tanned leather, not only at the natural, but here it happens much faster.

Regards

Gunner

[ibuymilitaria]

"VERDIGRIS" is the correct spelling and an FYI it is very poisonous keep away from open wounds you could get blood poisoning, that would not be good! deadly in fact.
Regards,
Jeff B