The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1919-09-06
LONGER LASTING LEATHER
PROPER CARE EXTENDS LIFE

The rapidly increasing cost Of shoes,
harness, and other articles made of
leather may be checked and considera-
BILE saving effected in the expenses of
individuals by the adoption of simple
measures for prolonging the life of
leather, say the leather specialists of
the bureau of chemistry, United States
Department of Agriculture. Shoes and
harness properly treated will last twice
as long as when reasonable precautions
for preserving the leather are neglected.
Grease or oil should be applied to the
shoes whenever the leather begins to
get hard or dry. The shoes should be
brushed thoroughly and all dirt and
mud that remains washed off with
warm water, the excess water being
taken off with a dry cloth.
On dress shoes or polished shoes use
castor oil and apply lightly at night to
the dried shoe, especially along the
welt or where the sole-is sewed to the
upper. Polish the next morning. Tan
shoes are, of course, slightly darkened
by grease and even by polish. Do not
apply any oil or grease on rubber heels
or composition soles, since such applica-
ton is unnecessary and injurious.
Work shoes which are not to be pol
ished may be creased with neat 'sfoot
oil, fish oil and tallow, vaseline, or
petroleum.. The oil or grease should
be rubbed well into the leather, es-
pecially along the welt.
If it is desired to secure greater
water resistance than the above oils
and greases will insure, heavy dress
ing or greasing with either of the fol-
lowing mixtures has been found excel
lent for this purpose:
" pound of neutral wool grease
(get from drug STOREY,
"a pound of (heavy) dark petrola-
tum tget from drug storel,
u pound of Qight) yellow paraf-
fin wax; or
go of pound of petrolatum,
Ito of a pound of beeswax.
Very good water resistance can lie
secured by adding beef tallow to any
one of the oils or greases mentioned
above for greasing work shoes. In all
cases each mixture should be melted to-.
gether by warming carefully and stir
ring thoroughly. Better penetration is
secured if the grease is applied warm,
hut it should never be hotter than the
hand can bear. The creased shoes
sh ould be left to dry over night in
warm place. The edge of the sole and
the welt should be creased thoroughly
as too much grease cannot be applied
to these parts. Any one of the above
mixtures should be applied warm to the
sole of the shoe, thus increasing Its
durability, pliability, and water resist
ance.
Harness leather should be washed
and oiled frequently. Tepid water
neutral soap, and sponge or stiff,
brush should be used. After rinsing in
clean tepid water the harness is hung
up to drain little while before oiling
Neat 's-foot oil or castor oil is best
for driving harness, but there may b'
some tallow mixed with either Of these
oils-a mixture Of tallow and fish oil
about equal parts of each-for heavy
harness. The application should b
light for driving and liberal for heav,
harness. The oil, warm to the hand
is rubbed thoroughly into the leathe
while it is still wet from the washing
A clean, dry cloth should be used Il
remove excess oil which the leather i
unable to take up. Harness can b.
kept soft and flexible for a long Will
and made very much more attractiv
in appearance by the proper application
of oil.