Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Restoring an old and worn leather sling? Tips?

Well I picked up a very old (I would bet it is older than me, hence 'very' old ) leather sling yesterday from a gunshow. It is for my new beauty, 1952 Mannlicher Shoenauer. However the sling shows some age, and is quite dry. Cracked in a few places as well.

I put some 'goop' that Charlie May sent me for his sheaths all over it, and today I used Chamberlins leather milk (An awesome product BTW, smells great too). The surface looks worlds better now and I am pleased, however I'm not sure if the 'inner' leather has been re-moisturized. It has nice character to it, and I don't really want a new sling because the rifle is 60 years old. I don't want it to look new, just be functional without a chance of tearing/failing.

Any one have any tips for refurbishing old leather to be usable?


Thanks!

George, I have a beautiful 1949 year model Winchester model 70 super grade, it has what I believe to be an original sling, these rifles [yours included] are far to valuable to risk a drop from old worn slings.

Mine was the same as you describe, worn to the point I could no longer trust it, I pulled the swivels and sent em up to Scenarshooter for one of his very nice 'Montana Slings', they look very nice with the older rifles and are bulldog stout.


Gunner

Unfortunately that is what I thought. Stylistically and aesthetically the sling is beautiful, but it has some mileage. The part that makes me nervous is the bottom area, opposite the buckle. The H shaped brass fastener that slips in/out of the leather is where it looks the roughest. Also where a failure would be heartbreaking.

Perhaps I can send it as an example to have one similar fashioned?

Well here are a few pictures of the sling, with two of the bottom area that I was worried about.

After another coat of leather milk the sling has taken a new life. Looks a lot better! I can fold it 90 degrees without it cracking, but I can tell it is still a whisker dry.

Still serviceable? If so I have a brass chicago screw to use instead of the snap.

George,
FWIW, had bought a gunshow swedish mauser sling in at least as rough of shape: dry, cracking, rigidly in a coil shape after years of storage somewhere or other. I first wet it down and gently massaged it with "Fiebing's Leather Balm Atom Wax", a liquid. This softened it and took considerable dirt out. After letting it hang a day (to straighten by time/gravity, which it did), I waxed it well with "Ross Leather Treatment" from Brownells. Turned out far better than expected and remains supple with no new damage under use that can tell.

I tested the sling this evening with some weights and it held up beautifully. Then I scavenged a few parts from other slings, like a worn brass chicago screw, and a nice leather piece that looks sorta like a dollar bill, that the main sling slips through. Widens the area on your collarbone/shoulder. I gave it another rub down with leather milk and it seems ready to rock.

Glad I didn't go with my first instinct with this one, and let it play out.

obenauf

I checked the prodcut out via google, seems pretty nifty. I might even have an old tin for boots I forgot about. The label on their website looks familiar.


I use Chamberlins leather milk on my leather bags, knife sheaths, boots etc with good result. But its more of a hydrate/conditioner as opposed to a witch doctor raise-from-the-dead juju juice. But with May's goop and the milk it looks nice. Might pick up another product just to try it out

Try a new sling from Murray Leather. Looks like the old ones. A few coats of Lexol will "age" the appearance a bit and soften it up. No sense risking a classic rifle on a deteriorated sling.

I don't see a problem with it.. spray with Lanotec GP and call it fixed.

Pecard leather care.

link

I purchase old horse related leather items and have found this product to give new life to them. An Amish harness maker suggested it to me several years ago.

Thank you for the link. Boy you think you have an area pretty well figured out, and then you ask everyone else!


I find trying new products is a fun precursor to hunting. Will have to give these a go.

The custom slings I make are all treated with neat's foot oil. The leather is submerged in the oil for 10 minutes. then removed and then surface dried. A light re-oiling every few years keeps all in excellent shape. This treatment I also use on old leather goods that are used out-of-doors. This is same technique used by Lawrance holsters.
RF

What wyld suggests sounds like what the military did as well. Followed by Bees Wax with some manufacturers.

You could discretely put a liner or reinforcement in the one area your concerned about. If dyed to match it wouldn't stand out too much especially if you did the neat's foot soak.

Or use the old one for show and a new one to hunt with.