Home made oilcloth and it's kin

[hesinraca]

I've always made oilcloth from paraffin or bee's wax and linseed. obviously fire hazard as well. Some folks think of it as wax courbouli, but that is usually without the linseed, and is not courbouli

Ratio is fairly simple: more paraffin for stiff things (leather quivers, ground cloths, tents), less paraffin for softer things (jackets, pants, etc). This is effectively how the first water-proof jackets were made for lumberjacks, and has some validity in antiquity as well. I even did it to a pair of old Nike sneakers that are made of some sort of fake suede. Worked like magic, doesn't breathe for a damn.

Just double-boiler the wax to a liquid, add linseed, brush onto garment, and heat gun into the surface. Some folks buff the first layer in and then heat gun it to make it pretty.

Only issue is in hot weather it will 'sweat', so tents and quivers might get tacky..

[sgainbrachta]

you know- by the smell, it could well be linseed oil in this mix. Hmm... I'll make a test batch here in a few days and see.

This stuff isn't sticky once it sets for a day or 2, though- and the only sweating it does is into say, paper or light-colored leather. Even then- only in real high heat.

[hesinraca]

Yeah. I've never had sweating issues, but in warmer climates, some folks do. I think while beeswax is preferable in cold climate for elasticity, the paraffin doesn't sweat as much. But the linseed is a solid bet.

[Cinead]

I have made oilcloth from boiled linseed oil, brick red powdered paint pigment mixed with brown powdered paint pigment and baking soda (to combat the acidity).

It took FOREVER to dry......but finally dried...

If you want a period look with modern materials.....get red or brown latex barn paint....