Tin Cloth Recipe

[JohnLeePettimore]

Attachment 11882
I was at the other end of the highway today so I stopped in at the hardware store to see how much boiled linseed oil cost. $38 per gallon. What I ordered on Amazon was a bit less expensive.
Imagine if neatsfoot oil was "8x-10x the price".

Shop somewhere else. It's around $25/gallon at Lowe's. Walmart has quarts for $7.

[WilliamAK]

Shop somewhere else. It's around $25/gallon at Lowe's. Walmart has quarts for $7.

I can buy it from that one and only hardware store, or I can order it online.
I ordered some from Amazon, it was $32 for a gallon.
I didn't check at Walmart.com.

[Dc0341]

Kyratshooter, I just bought everything I need to give your tin cloth recipe a shot. I'm doing a pair of denim jeans to start with. I want them to be waterproof enough that I can walk through deep puddles without worrying about them getting damp. Would you recommend applying some of the mixture to the inside of the pant legs, or will applying it to the outside be good enough. Thank you

[Zoltar]

Hey everyone. This is my first post here, so I figured I would redirect a zombie thread. I make a lot of my own outdoors gear, like ultralight backpacking stuff, down jackets, Gore-Tex stuff etc. I’m an outdoor carpenter in the Pacific Northwest, and usually make all of my own work gear since I can make much nicer stuff than anyone sells. I’ve always used the fabrics with which I’m familiar, synthetic stuff from Polartec, Gore-Tex, and the like. Basically, think of the stuff used by Patagonia, The North Face, or other outdoor brands. However, I recently discovered waxed canvas and tin cloth, so I decided to make a jacket. I got some cotton canvas from the local fabric store, and sewed up a pretty nice jacket. Now it’s time to treat it.

Kyratshooter, thanks for your recipe. It is one of the only ones I could find online. Because I wasn’t about to destroy a really nice jacket I sunk hours into making, I did some small-scale tests with your recipe on some small samples of my canvas. I did two different mixtures: the first just as you said, and a second with additional wax (6.5oz toilet ring vs a single 5oz ring, 2oz beeswax, and 2oz paraffin wax). I did what you said and left both to dry for a week, then reheated with a heat gun to make them uniform.

I will say, I haven’t messed with Filson’s tin cloth up close in about a decade, but I feel the original recipe is a little light on wax. Either way, I was hoping for something a little stiffer with that more classic waxed canvas look where any creases really show as lighter lines. In that regard, the second, more heavily waxed sample was closer to the waxed canvas I’ve seen. Both seemed to shed water really well, however, so your recipe seems to work well and is definitely more supple.

All that being said, I decided to be dumb and go off the reservation. I wanted more waterproofness and durability. I went and watched the video posted on page 3-4 of this thread where the guy talked about microcrystalline wax. He sold me. Higher melting point, more flexible, etc. Also, multiple other sources say that traditional waxed canvas is closer to a 11 ratio of spirits:Linseed oil:wax. So, I hybridized your recipe with that of the video and others. Plus, you said you had done such a 11 ratio and it worked, but was waxy and stiff. So, my final application recipe was the following:
-16oz mineral spirits
-16oz boiled linseed oil
-1 5oz wax toilet ring
-8oz microcrystalline wax

Since application, tomorrow will be a week. The jacket is dry to the touch, but definitely more waxy than my two samples. I have yet to heat it, and will likely give it until the weekend to finish drying, as the mineral spirits smell is still pretty strong. I imagine the large amount of wax is inhibiting airflow and evaporation speed. I will update in a few days once it’s complete, and maybe post photos. So far, I think I’ll be happy, but probably should have only done 4oz of the microcrystalline wax.

Anyway, thanks for your time in developing and posting this recipe and thread.

[RangerXanatos]

Bellow and welcome to the forums. I look forward to your results.

A bit different but this morning I fabricated my own waterproof concoction to try. Mineral spirits and clear silicone. I have a pot of rubber boots that began leaking so I did a quick treatment on them. Don’t use them often but I’m hoping for good results.

[kyratshooter]

Rubber boots???

Good Lord Xanatos, go to Walmart to the bike department and get a tube patch kit! They work great on rubber boots. They bend and stretch and the glue usually holds well.

[RangerXanatos]

I’m not sure exactly where it’s leaking from. So the whole boot got treated.

I did a pair of pants today. While they still smell a bit, I sprinkled some water on them and the water all beaded up. With the amount I made, I could do several articles of clothing. And going for the prices I saw today, it would only cost less than $30. No telling how much it would cost for something like scotchguard. Tomorrow, I plan on washing the pants by themselves and seeing how it holds up after drying.

[crashdive123]

RX - the mixture you described is often used on DIY tarps.

[Michael aka Mac]

This isnt for the OP, but for those not familiar with the chemicals used.:

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how...eral%20spirits.

[Michael aka Mac]

err for proper disposal

[tradewater]

Once again resurrected. Such good info should bob up from time to time. Just did a Duluth truckers jacket with the OG's formula and method. Outstanding indeed. A much belated thank you for posting this.IMG_1661.jpg