Bulling Leather?

[Nervous Jock]

I've got an old military sporran that was originally brown, but has been bulled to a deep, shiny black. The sporran is in good shape, but I'd like to touch up the finish and prevent the leather from drying out.

There's not much info on bulling online. Does anybody here have experience bulling leather? If so, what would you recommend? I don't want to screw up the hours of work that have already been put into this finish. Thanks!

I'll provide you with a link to a site with info on this but I don't have the detail here at work.

As an aside it is time consuming and hard work you might want to think about an alternative unless you are prepared to do it every time your sporran takes a knock. you could use a product like morello which you will find on Ebay

[Yaish]

Never heard it called "bulling". Sounds like advice from across the pond. From what I have been able to find online, it just sounds like standard issue G.I. spit shine. Figure out how it got the name.

Did quite a bit of it in the Marine Corps. The key is a soft cotton rag and lots and lots of time.
I found old T-shirts to work best, and you'll need much less water than everyone says.

[Nervous Jock]

Enjoy

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...c/t=15357.html

[ccga3359]

For sporrans only Gents, not boots. Unless you are sick of the 'question'.

[Clockwork John]

For sporrans only Gents, not boots. Unless you are sick of the 'question'.

That gives new meaning to "My boots are so shiny I can see myself in them."

[Chef]

Never heard it called "bulling". Sounds like advice from across the pond. From what I have been able to find online, it just sounds like standard issue G.I. spit shine. Figure out how it got the name.

No offence to the corp, but even the best Marine spit shine probably wouldn't pass muster as parade boots. Parade boots, when bulled properly starting with heat and beeswax are so shiny they look like high gloss plastic. In truth they almost look fake. They almost always have a double or triple sole so the boots won't bend (to prevent creases in the leather).

Parade boots are not everyday boots by any means; except maybe for Palace guards. However the process is such a pain in the neck that many soldier's buy their boots already bulled, and they gladly spend $200-300 on them. There are ex-guardsmaen that make a living bulling boots and I don't mean a $5 shine.

[Yaish]

No, the Corps stresses practicality, so if the soles won't bend that would be what we call a 'brick' and would serve no purpose. You can always knock the shine down on a boot and wear it in combat if need be.

[Chef]

No, the Corps stresses practicality, so if the soles won't bend that would be what we call a 'brick' and would serve no purpose. You can always knock the shine down on a boot and wear it in combat if need be.

Exactly, same deal on my Corcorans in the Army. The British parade boots are specifically NOT the same boots used for combat, purely for show.

[ccga3359]

Parade boots are not everyday boots by any means; except maybe for Palace guards. However the process is such a pain in the neck that many soldier's buy their boots already bulled, and they gladly spend $200-300 on them. There are ex-guardsmaen that make a living bulling boots and I don't mean a $5 shine.

Here is one such bloke I found when searching for ammo boots after being interested in them from another thread.

[Chef]

Here is one such bloke I found when searching for ammo boots after being interested in them from another thread.

That's the one I saw before, couldn't find it again, thanks. He charges $50 just to bull the toe and heel of the boots, plus the shipping. If you want the full boot beeswaxed and bulled it's $90 plus shipping

And he claims a turn around time of 28 days because he's so busy.

But those are definitely shiny boots.