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When to use Wood Juice

2011-10-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

It can sometimes be confusing knowing when to use our Wood Juice product and when to use our Pentacryl product.

Both products are wood stabilizers. You soak or brush each product on the wood until it is completely saturated. The Wood Juice and Pentacryl both displace the moisture (water) that is in the wood. The products then remains in the wood coating the wood cells. As the wood dries (slowly and naturally), the coated wood cells do not shrink, thus it helps to eliminate cracking, checking and warping caused by irregular drying.

Our popular Pentacryl product works best on green or freshly cut wood. The wetter the wood is, the better Pentacryl will penetrate.

Excellent results have been obtained on all types and sizes of wood using both products.

Wood Juice is formulated to penetrate and treat dry to semi-dry wood that has a lower moisture content (typically below 20-25%). The Wood Juice formula is thinner and will penetrate the dryer wood quickly and thoroughly.

As long as there is not a finish (sealer) applied, Wood Juice can also be used to rejuvenate and condition older, dried out wood.

Small pieces can be soaked in Wood Juice, while larger pieces can be treated by brushing Wood Juice on. After either method, the wood should then be allowed to dry slowly and naturally. Wood Juice will make working with your wood easier (turning or carving) as it will help to lubricate your tools.

Restoring a Leather Japanese Gun Case

2011-09-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

Take a look at a beautiful restoration project of an antique Japanese leather gun case using our Leather Rejuvenator.

It can be found on the Nihonto Message Board: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2554&p=91801&hilit=leather+rejuvenator#p91801

Treating Jaguar Car Seats

2011-04-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

Questions from: Gary

I have a pair of Jaguar leather seats that were in the car and in a barn. Unfortunately, the barn door was not closed and they received at least 2 years worth of weather and sun (the doorway faced west). They are dry and stiff but semi-flexible. The color was a good tan color but it is now a very light tan color. Will your products redarken or perhaps I should say, restore them to original color or will I have to have them dyed? Perhaps I should ask, how do I restore them to usability? What do I need to do?

Answer

Gary -
It depends on how the leather was tanned. Chrome tanned leather can take temperatures over 200 degrees F, however, synthetic tanned leather can not handle temperatures that high. The high temperatures that can build inside a car can change the structure of the leather and also evaporate some of the oils out of the leather (called "cooked leather"). Excessive heat can also harden the oils in the leather which is known as varnishing. Many times this change is irreversible.

If your leather seats have been exposed to the hot sun for an extended period of time, they may have "cooked" or "varnished". Jaguar leather seats are notorious for this. Depending on what stage the seats are, I would recommend first cleaning them with the Leather Cleaner and then applying our Leather Rejuvenator to soften and protect them (apply this on a warm day) - if there is any excess after it has dried, you can wipe it off with a clean rag . This will help to bring out the natural color of the leather. If the leather is faded in some areas, you may need to have it professionally dyed to match. Success will depend upon the sevarity of the damage.

Thank you for your interest in our products.

Pentacryl Question from Customer

2011-04-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Question From: Loren

As I understand it, Pentacryl can be painted on a piece of green wood after it has been turned on a lathe, to prevent cracking. Is this correct? Also, can a piece of green wood be soaked in Pentacryl before turning?

Answer:

Loren -

Yes, Pentacryl is a wood stabilizer formulated to treat green wood. It can be brushed on or the wood can be soaked in it. It displaces the water in the wood and prevents shrinkage as it dries. If you will be removing quite a bit of wood from your piece on the lathe, you can turn it first, then treat it with the Pentacryl. This way, you are not wasting product on wood you will not be using. However, you can still treat it prior to turning if you will not turn it right away. This will actually make turning easier as the Pentacryl lubricates the wood.

- Try to treat your wood as soon as possible to avoid premature cracking.
- Use enough product to completely saturate your piece, you can see how much is needed from our wood calculator on our website

http://www.preservation-solutions.com/woodcalc.php

- Dry your wood slowly in a cool area away from air movement, direct sunlight and weather.

Thank you for your interest in our products.

Restoring Old Leather Question

2011-04-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Question:

I am the director of a Museum, we recently had a sheep skin, no wool on it, Mason Apron come in, I need to restore and preserve the apron. What would you suggest as the best solution. Thanks for your time. The condition is very bad, cracking, peeling etc. As best I can ascertain it's been in a closet around 50 years. I just need to stop the deterioration, there is no way to carry it back to original. - Jack

Answer:

Jack - I recommend treating with the Klucel G first. This is a consolident that will strengthen the leather - it forms a webbing. It comes in a powder form and you mix it with isopropyl alcohol to form a gel. Apply a thin layer (too much may darken the leather), let it dry and apply a second thin coat. After applying this, treat the leather with the Restoration Leather Conditioner. This is a gentle conditioner made for fragile leather and will help to soften and restore it's suppleness.
Thank you for your interest in our products.

Treating and Restoring Antique Leather

2010-10-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Many of us have leather items that are in bad shape or have deteriorated due to various reasons (prolonged storage, exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures and/or rain and humidity). Be careful when choosing products to treat this damaged leather.

Often times the leather is fragile, powdery to the touch (Red Rot) or cracked, dry, hard and stiff. Preservation Sol utions offers products specially formulated to treat leather in this condition.

This is a before and after picture of a saddle restoration project using Preservation Solutions products done by Ann Boes of Sloan Saddlery and Leather Shop in Farmington, MO. Click here to see the complete process and the products used.

CLEANING

Dirty items should be cleaned prior to conditioning so the dirt will not be rubbed into the leather when the conditioner is applied. The Leather Cleaner will remove surface dirt and the Leather Detergent Concentrate is a stronger cleaner for "washing" leather that is heavily soiled or grimy. It is also good for removing wax-build up on the leather.

POWDERY LEATHER

If your leather is powdery or flakes when you touch it, it may have Red Rot which is a degradation of the leather caused by the reasons listed above. In most cases, the areas of your leather that are affected by Red Rot can be strengthened by applying Klucel G which is a leather consolidant. Avoid applying cleaners to these areas (or very gently wipe it down with a rag dampened with Leather Cleaner). The Klucel G is sold in a powder form and when mixed with isopropyl alcohol, forms a gel that is applied to the Red Rot area. Put just a thin layer on first, let it dry and then apply another coat if needed. If it is applied too thick, it will darken the leather. Once dry, the Klucel G will form a webbing to strengthen the leather.

CONDITIONING

Once your leather is cleaned, you are ready to apply a conditioner. If the leather is dry with minimal cracking or hard and stiff but otherwise in good condition (showing no signs of deterioration), you can use the Leather Saver. Apply it with a soft rag over the entire surface of the leather. For hard, stiff leather, apply the Leather Saver immediately after applying the Leather Cleaner (while the leather is still damp). Let this dry and apply other coats of the Leather Saver as needed, allowing it to dry for several hours or overnight between applications.

For thick, heavier leather items that are in good condition, use the Saddle & Tack Conditioner in place of the Leather Saver. This is formulated to penetrate and soften thicker leather.

When treating older, brittle leather, leather treated with Klucel G, or leather bound books, condition these items with the Restoration Leather Conditioner. This is a gentle conditioner developed for older leather that will not harm stitching. Avoid applying it to metal hardware on the leather and the paper pages of books.

Depending on how the leather is used and the climate in your area, we recommended conditioning your leather items every 2-6 months or as needed.

New Wood Product!

2010-10-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to introduce a new product to our line of wood treatments. Log & Beam Treatment is specially formulated for treating larger logs, beam and timbers. It slows the drying and significantly reduces or eliminates cracking, checking, splitting or warping caused by shrinkage.

Log & Beam Treatment acts as a conditioner and allows the wood to breathe while drying. Since moisture is not tied up in the wood, it eliminates the chance of rotting from within.

This product is great for use on accent logs and beams, archways, columns, railings, stairs, etc.

The picture above shows two White Pine logs cut from the same tree at the same time. The log on the right was treated with Log & Beam Treatment while the one on the left was untreated. Both logs were left outside for 16 months. Note that Log & Beam Treatment is meant for indoor use, if used for exterior items, the wood must be sealed once the Log & Beam Treatment has dried. This will prevent the rain and snow from leaching the product out.

See the product page on our website for additional information:

www.preservation-solutions.com/product.php?product_id=1018&category_id=1000

2010-07-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Preservation Solutions

Innovators of Environmentally Safe Products for both Wood and Leather Conservation and Preservation.

Preservation Solutions offers a unique set of products for wood preservation and leather care. These solutions have been used by museums, professional restoration specialists and wood workers all over the world. Our products will preserve the original qualities of your wood and leather or help to restore those qualities.