Moro Shield

Bill · 23rd July 2006, 11:48 PM

I don’t know what you should do. I think the first thing would be to identify why it is falling apart. Dry rot is a fungus disease caused by moisture with poor air circulation and periods of heat changes. From things I have read, you pretty much have what you have, it’s not going to get better; you can only stop it from getting worse. Deteriorating leather (red rot) usually recommends lanolin and neat's-foot oil. There is Renaissance Wax, I’m sure it would help but if a better solution came along it might be problematic once applied. Certainly would not be a bad thing for the wood. Here are a couple of links you might want to look at. http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/RenWax.html http://www.philobiblon.com/pressite.htm
There is a collection of essays "Caring for your collections" by Harry Abrams, but I have not read it. Maybe calling some conservators and seeing what they would do??

Spunjer · 24th July 2006, 01:13 AM

excellent links, bill! thank you very much. i'm thinking that it was just a bad case of neglect. at first i thought about rewrapping the bald spots, but then again, i'm just gonna leave it as it is, kinda give it a personality, so to speak. now if there's any a moro armor out there that i can find for cheap to match this, lol...

VANDOO · 24th July 2006, 03:26 AM

NICE SHIELD! YOU WOULD USE THE SAME PRESERVATION METHODS ON THE RATTAN ON THE SHIELD THAT YOU USE ON BASKETS. I USE MINERAL OIL ON MY HAND WOVEN HAT FROM HAWAII JUST DAMPEN A SMALL RAG WITH SOME AND RUB IT OVER THE SURFACE, DON'T SOAK IT BUT YOU CAN DO IT OFTEN FOR A WHILE ALOWING IT TO SOAK IN A LITTLE AT A TIME WITHOUT GETTING A LARGE BUILD UP THAT CAN CAUSE DIRT AND DUST TO GUM UP YOUR SHIELD. THE MINERAL OIL DOES NOT BECOME RANCID AND WILL KEEP THE FIBER FROM DRYING OUT AND BECOMING BRITTLE WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR A HAT. IT DOES DEEPEN THE COLOR OF THE FIBERS WHEN YOU PUT IT ON BECAUSE IT RESTORES THE FIBER WHICH HAS BECOME DRY AND BLEACHED OUT BUT WILL NOT REMOVE ANY PATINA. IT WILL MAKE IT SHINEY WHILE WET BUT WHEN DRY DOSEN'T SHINE, IF THE FIBER HAS BEEN COVERED WITH VARNISH OR SHELLAC IT MAY NOT PENETRATE BUT CAN BE EASILY REMOVED WITH A DRY SOFT RAG, OLD TEE SHIRTS WORK VERY WELL. GOOD LUCK

I WON'T BE ABLE TO USE THE SHIELD I GOT FROM YOU FOR TRAINING AS MY HANDS AND ARMS ARE TOO BIG TO GET THRU THE GRIPS ON THE BACK. I COULD REPLACE THEM WITH LARGER ONES BUT I GUESS I WILL WORK IT OVER AND SEE HOW PRETTY I CAN MAKE IT INSTEAD.

23rd July 2006, 11:48 PM	#1
Bill Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago area Posts: 327	I don’t know what you should do. I think the first thing would be to identify why it is falling apart. Dry rot is a fungus disease caused by moisture with poor air circulation and periods of heat changes. From things I have read, you pretty much have what you have, it’s not going to get better; you can only stop it from getting worse. Deteriorating leather (red rot) usually recommends lanolin and neat's-foot oil. There is Renaissance Wax, I’m sure it would help but if a better solution came along it might be problematic once applied. Certainly would not be a bad thing for the wood. Here are a couple of links you might want to look at. http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/RenWax.html http://www.philobiblon.com/pressite.htm There is a collection of essays "Caring for your collections" by Harry Abrams, but I have not read it. Maybe calling some conservators and seeing what they would do??

24th July 2006, 01:13 AM	#2
Spunjer Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 1,730	excellent links, bill! thank you very much. i'm thinking that it was just a bad case of neglect. at first i thought about rewrapping the bald spots, but then again, i'm just gonna leave it as it is, kinda give it a personality, so to speak. now if there's any a moro armor out there that i can find for cheap to match this, lol...

24th July 2006, 03:26 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	NICE SHIELD! YOU WOULD USE THE SAME PRESERVATION METHODS ON THE RATTAN ON THE SHIELD THAT YOU USE ON BASKETS. I USE MINERAL OIL ON MY HAND WOVEN HAT FROM HAWAII JUST DAMPEN A SMALL RAG WITH SOME AND RUB IT OVER THE SURFACE, DON'T SOAK IT BUT YOU CAN DO IT OFTEN FOR A WHILE ALOWING IT TO SOAK IN A LITTLE AT A TIME WITHOUT GETTING A LARGE BUILD UP THAT CAN CAUSE DIRT AND DUST TO GUM UP YOUR SHIELD. THE MINERAL OIL DOES NOT BECOME RANCID AND WILL KEEP THE FIBER FROM DRYING OUT AND BECOMING BRITTLE WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR A HAT. IT DOES DEEPEN THE COLOR OF THE FIBERS WHEN YOU PUT IT ON BECAUSE IT RESTORES THE FIBER WHICH HAS BECOME DRY AND BLEACHED OUT BUT WILL NOT REMOVE ANY PATINA. IT WILL MAKE IT SHINEY WHILE WET BUT WHEN DRY DOSEN'T SHINE, IF THE FIBER HAS BEEN COVERED WITH VARNISH OR SHELLAC IT MAY NOT PENETRATE BUT CAN BE EASILY REMOVED WITH A DRY SOFT RAG, OLD TEE SHIRTS WORK VERY WELL. GOOD LUCK I WON'T BE ABLE TO USE THE SHIELD I GOT FROM YOU FOR TRAINING AS MY HANDS AND ARMS ARE TOO BIG TO GET THRU THE GRIPS ON THE BACK. I COULD REPLACE THEM WITH LARGER ONES BUT I GUESS I WILL WORK IT OVER AND SEE HOW PRETTY I CAN MAKE IT INSTEAD.