Hey All! Nice thread there on pronunciation!
Question: I’ve heard many things recommended for keeping leather bags supple - things like leather food, saddle soap… However, my bag has the smooth, shiny surface to the inside while the outside has a suede-ish effect. I’m guessing those conventional treatments won’t work for me, huh? What can I use to keep my bag in good shape?
Thanks,
Joey
Thats normal.Its the inside thats the important thing.All you need to do is season it once in a couple o years.Its dead easy and keeps it nice n airtight.Highland bagpipe seasoning (R.G.HARDIE) if you can get it.Take the lid off and place the tin in some water and gently boil it until it becomes liquid,but not boiling.Pour it into your bag(Plug the valveholes corks will do)kneed it in well,pour out the excess(it can be used again) hang it up overnight and thats it.Don’t worry about the outside.It should be in a cover anyway.(not for decoration as most folk think but for protection to stop wear on the bag)
Slan go foill
Liam
The R.G. Hardie seasoning Uilliam mentioned is called Airtight. It’s the best out there, period. It comes in a plaid tin and is available from most Scottish piping suppliers. A friend of mine who has worked for bagmakers and tied in more bags than you can imagine gave me lots of clues for seasoning.
Store the seasoning in a jar. The tin will react with the seasoning and degrade it. Over time it will turn brown which is bad. Put the tin in a pan of hot water to soften the seasoning then dump it into the jar, removing any spare flecks of tin. Keep the jar in the fridge.
Spend lots of time working the seasoning into leather, focusing mostly on the seam and where the stocks are tied in as these are you major leaking points. The sides of the bag should slide against each other. This should especially be true in the neck. You won’t need to use a whole lot since you are pumping dry, cool air into the bag and not blowing wet, hot air. A quarter of the tin should do it.
Since you probably aren’t working with as much pressure as Highland pipes (for which Airtight was originally made) this next tip may not apply. When I season my bag I stick the blowpipe in after working the seasoning into the leather. I blow up the bag until I can’t get anymore air in. Then I set the bag on the floor and kneel on it and pull around on the stocks. You are more likely to expose any leaks this way and the seasoning will go where any air escapes and plug them. I spend as much if not more time on this as I do rubbing the seasoning in. On repeat seasonings I do it more.
Some pipers (Uilleann and Highland) think it looks cool to go “bare” but a cover not only offers protection for the bag but also reduces drying. Corduroy covers are very durable and help the bag stay in place under your arm (provided the cords run horizontal). Since Highland pipers have the weight of drones pushing down on the bag from the top many use patches of gripping material, like what you would put under a rug or tablecloth, to add extra security. This isn’t an issue for Uilleann pipes but could prove helpful for beginners.
I hope I didn’t inundate you with information and you find some helpful stuff.
Cheers,
Aaron
i have had excellant results using 3 parts “Murphy’s Oil Soap” to 1 part “Crisco” warmed in microwave to coffee temp.it has been 2 years now on mine and a friends bag and bellows. smells good too. i must attribute this recipe to the infamous and knowledgeable royce lerwick.i have further instructions off line. shy away from anything containing or resembling neets foot oil.
tansy
You might want to try Liquid Latex, available at good art supplies. 2/3 latex + 1/3 water. Remove all parts, including anything with valves , plug mainstock cup and blow pipe (you can cover plugs with clingfilm or the like, pour carefully into neck then inflate by mouth DO NOT INHALE! Plug neck carefully keeping bag inflated. Squeeze bag very hard and slosh around thoroughly to coat inside, the latex will escape through any leaks, therefore showing any chronic areas that may need attention, remove neck plug, drain and reinflate and squeeze again and then drain again, inflate and squeeze again. Leave inflated for a day, so the latex drys allowing it not to be stretched too heavily when you play, then unplug and hang up to dry for 2-3 days. When dry (slightly tacky probably) add a small amount of talc and inflate and pat bag until the latex is all dusted. You must do it carefully or you end up with gobbets of latex blocking narrow areas. Though a messy and involved process it will last for much longer than any other “seasoning”. And reduces the risk of moisture and gunk you get from other stuff. And of course is cheaper.
It makes sense…
Cheers
Alan
…
Corduroy covers are very durable and help the bag stay in place under your arm (provided the cords run horizontal).
Where can u get these covers or are they ‘homemade’.
Dan
I was going to post a thread also asking where you can get bag covers and ask if I should look for anything special.
Joseph
Take your bag. Take some cloth of your preference. Put bag on cloth, chalk outline of bag with an extra .5-1". Flip over bag along long side. Chalk again. Cut chalk lines, fold along middle exposing the side of the cloth you want INSIDE.
Sew sew sew along the chalk lines, cuff the neck, cuff the rear (or add a zipper/velcro, &c).
One custom bag cover made to order.
Dionys
P.s. If you can’t sew.. Well.. Find someone who can.
http://www.landmhighland.com/pages/page7.htm
These guys make uilleann bag covers.
Be very careful about using Scottish Bag seasonings - they are designed for attracting moisture and if using them in a dry climate they will set hard - Garvins book suggested Hardies and have several sets that needed replacement bags because of this. A dressing that attracts moisture is also bad for the reeds.
Your bag is not inside out - shiny side inside is best and the easiest to dress should it require it.
Suede side inside is a curse - takes lots of dressing which will eventually soak through ruining the cover and clothes - too many NSP makers do this and fill the bag with “gallons” of oily mixtures.
Wilbert Garvin does indeed recommend Hardies Airtight Scottish seasoning for good reason.It works.I have never heard of several sets going rock hard and as for moisture from the bag affecting the reed !!come on what are you doing playing the set underwater?I had a reed accidentally bent out of shape into an almost S shape I popped it into my mouth for a minute or two (the wholereed)until it was soft enough to bend back into shape it was playing fine a minute or two later.(it is made of cane after all and cane when wet is bent into furniture)
If seasoning a bag is a problem an easy solution is to get you bag made from vinyl no maintenance at all required and it is better than leather(the animals will agree with me there) Paddy Keenan uses it, he swears by them and says they are better because they have more give than leather and give a boost to the bag when playing.So nuff said.
Slan go foill
Liam
[ This Message was edited by: Uilliam on 2002-10-23 05:40 ]
When did we stop using neetsfoot and beeswax?
Tony,like everything else time moves on and better things develope.If they had vinyl in Kenna’s day or or any one of the so called "non traditional"aids to pipe making I am sure they would have thought it manna from heaven.I’m not saying don’t use “traditional” methods but don’t forget todays methods will be tomorrows “tradition”.
Slan gp foill
Liam
I have heard that using heated/melted pure lanolin works perfectly. At room temperature it’s like a slightly soft beeswax. I haven’t used it myself.
Dionys