Ack! Moldy waxed leather scales!

[Fearghus Macildubh]

Some of my armour showed up in my latest household good delivery. It's been in transit since April. For the first time in 15 years and 6 moves, it's moldy. Well, I should say some scales are moldy. It ranges from little white spots to full on green furry nightmare. Since the scales are all waxed with candle wax, I'm thinking it's all surface mold. Even the worst comes off with a quick wiping.

According to the turnshoe thread and some others on moldy leather, what I need to do is clean it and expose it to sunlight, correct? I'm thinking I should reheat and wax the scales again as well.

[losthelm]

I would use a good leather cleaner, like lexol or sadle soap.
Then wipe down with vinagar and set it in direct sunlight for few hours.

What are you using it for and why did you chose parafin?

[Fearghus Macildubh]

It's SCA armour and 15 years ago paraffin was the wax of choice for wax hardening armour. The leather itself is from the scrap bundles Tandy used to sell at Estrella. Back when Estrella was still at Estrella State Park.

Luckily, my mother-in-law is a horsewoman and has lots of saddle soap.

[Maeryk]

I would use a good leather cleaner, like lexol or sadle soap.
Then wipe down with vinagar and set it in direct sunlight for few hours.

What are you using it for and why did you chose parafin?

That's not going to do diddly, if it's waxed already. Those are for unsealed leather. Lexol, Saddle soap, and mink oil are leather conditioners.. they moisturize and clean the leather itself. Wax seals the leather. So they would pretty much be a waste.

As to the OP. yup.. you _might_ use a weak vinegar solution to wipe it first, then lay it out in good ole solar radiation for a day or two. Dry and Light are mold and mildew's (and more likely, you have mildew, which is feeding on something on the wax.. sweat, food, gatorade), worst enemy.

I'd follow with a quick buff of the wax just to shine it up.

[Fearghus Macildubh]

I cleaned the scales with white vinegar and salt water. The ick came right off. One strange thing I noticed, all the scales that were the worst were from the same two types of leather, both chrome tanned but dyed different colors. While other scales had a few spots or slight fuzz, these looked like that forgotten cheese left in the back of a dorm fridge you find when the school year is done. I think the catalyst was the piece of unwaxed leather which make up the shoulder yoke for the armour. That piece was a total loss, moldy to the point of crumbly.

[sergeant@acre]

Did you try putting a heat gun to one.. give it a try.