Kill Mold NOW!!
 

I have been experimenting with killing the pesky mold spores for years. I won't bore you with the experiments only the SUCCESS!

It is relatively simple but involves your Wife's kitchen appliances...


Good luck! I have deleted this very bad advice...See more current method.


Jerry Burney

Yo, Paratrooper,

How long have holsters treated thusly been mold free?

YAP,
Tom A

Tom, A month is all I can claim right now. I seem to have certain problem pieces. No matter what I put on them they would regrow mold. Other pieces have never had any mold on them. It's so dry here I can't understand how mold grows anyway.

I used these problem pieces-MP40 sling strap-as tests. It was covered white! So far it has not shown a spec of mold growth.

I guess it is still an ongoing experiment but it sure as heck makes the thick white mold disapear! The stuff is hard to clean off any of the normal ways and I always worry I could be spreading it around.

It's promising anyway...I would be very surprised if it did not kill it permanently.

Airborne!

Jerry Burney

how come the heat of boiling doesn't break down the leather?

I wondered that also, pretty hot. Sounds promising, keep us updated!

I have a problem with Mildue on my collection of guns and accessories in my safes . I think "Mold" is similar , some sort of Fungus.

A museum conservator told me air circulation is the key to getting rid of such pests . Apparently they like still damp air. I have tried bags of silica gel but it makes no difference .

He suggested installing small electric fans like in a computer , or simply opening up the safes and putting on a fan now and again , to keep the air circulating. worth a try .

I as well as many others I know have had problem pieces for many years. The stuff seems to select a piece it likes and makes a home there while leaving others alone.
Perhaps museums have a more controlled environment that most homes. I have talked to many a collector who has mold problems even with the dessicant and safe hot rods.
Once this stuff takes hold it's a problem to shake off.

Ed, I guarentee you 212 degrees will not harm leather. I have tried it many times and the mold disapears, the leather is soft and pliable. Just like it should be. The leather only gets the heat and no moisture penetrates.

Another consideration...the mold is doing extreme damage to the leather. Eating the thread too..It's best to kill it.

A lot of people who send me holsters for repair don't even know they have a mold problem but I often find thick mold on the insides of holsters. Take a look with a flashlight at the insides!

Jerry Burney

Interesting, i did a little research of my own today after i saw this thread and discovered some damned interesting info. The mold can survive incredibly high temperatures and pressures, low temps (about 2 degrees!), can survive being airbourne, stay alive in a dormant state, and live unnoticed to the naked eye! only when colonies have established, does it become visible. no wonder it's so hard to get rid of. Touch wood, but currently i'm not seeing much at all in my gear, except since you mentioned it i did have a real close look, and have taken a suspect 45 holster away from the group. Where are you blokes storing stuff, for this to happen?

Went, In your research how high a temp can they survive?

I get no mold on 99% of my leather stored in plastic or cardboard boxes,, holsters with a known problem get it laying out in the open on a shelf. Some holsters I have had for 30 years with no problems. Others have been infected and get a white covering every several months.

Jerry Burney

The trick to killing of molds seems to be rather simple, but it's actually difficult. Without moisture, they die.

The trick is to remove the moisture without damaging the leather and to keep moisture levels to an acceptable degree afterwards without damaging (drying out) the leather.

I guess that's why Jerry's method works. Creating a vacuum, boiling and then freezing should remove most moisture from the molds direct environment thus killing it off.

I had heard that mold could be killed by putting the leather or canvas piece in a plastic bag with a couple of mothballs, seal the bag and let everything sit for a few days.

Haven't had the occasion to try this myself, but I know the fumes from mothballs are toxic, so it sounds like it might be worth a try.

Jerry unfortunately there was no base answer, rather just 'extremely high temperatures' Most of mine are in a glass cabinet with a few holes, save a few that i don't have room for and am still yet to build a new shelf/cabinet to show them in. I'll have to get some plastics slips to seal them in and put them in a drawer until i get around to it. My suspect one appears to be starting around the stitching, strangely its the best condition one i have, that looks to have been treated very very well, almost unissued condish. Could it be something in a leather treatment that can trigger it off? Also a bit off topic, but i did get around to using that Connollys - LOVE it, it's the bomb! :)

Went, Thanks! As far as living things on the surface of the Planet goes..212 is a pretty high temperature I guess!
Mold, like most everything else has to eat, drink and breathe. This is why it is suggested by most not to use any leather treatment if that is an available option. Mold eats it. They like thread too. Linen thread is made of a plant fiber.
Glad to hear you like the Connoly's. It really is great stuff if used correctly.

Too Tech..The stink of mothballs is too terrible for me to be around. It might work but it's not a solution for me. I like to sniff my holsters!

Jerry Burney

Not a problem, you're not wrong about the mothballs, i have never owned and never will own them, the smell drives me crazy!

When you sniff the mothballs, how do you spread their tiny little legs?

Well, with that low comment ;) I see this was never a sticky, nor closed :D

An old joke I first heard in grade school..60 years ago! And it's likely as old as mothballs..It did bring this old thread to my attention though..it was full of bad advice so I deleted the original post. Use my better method for mold removal..NOT this!