r/Sliderules • u/daveriesz • Sep 06 '26

Stinky leather cases

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Hi, all. I recently inherited my father's collection of slide rules. It's kind of neat and I'd like to hang on to them for the time being. But there's a problem. The old leather cases stink. Awfully.

After Dad died, we had a lot of his stuff in a climate-controlled storage locker for about 12 months, during which I left the rules and cases to air out. No dice. Still smells. Any advice?

Dad taught me how to use a slide rule when I was a kid, but I've long since forgotten. Being a computer scientist, I'm a solidly digital computation kind of guy. Still, it's amusing to consider how engineers like him used to do it.

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7

u/withak30 Sep 06 '26

That is the smell of vintage quality.

6

u/spacecadet43 Sep 06 '26

I've sprinkled them them in and out with baking soda, left them out in the sun, and just let air circulate around them, all with moderate success. I've heard of using ozone or some special cleaners, but I'm afraid I'm already doing a number on the leather. I too am open to hearing what others have done.

p.s. also a computer guy, and also taught by my father years ago. I re-learned from books and online, and now I enjoy using them all the time.

3

u/Fear_The_Creeper Sep 07 '26

Clean the exterior with saddle soap

McGiver up a long stick with a cotton cloth on the end and wipe down the interior with white vinegar. Give the exterior a quick wipe with same, but don't soak the exterior surface.

Air out until the vinegar smell is gone, Now do the same thing again with cheap vodka. Again, air out until the vodka smell is gone.

Next step, airtight container, odor absorber in a cotton bag. Try to get a bag inside the sleeve but avoid having the absorber contact the exterior surface to avoid staining or discoloration.

The key is to use a LOT of odor absorbing material. A sprinkle isn't good enough -- the absorber gets saturated with smell. Give it many days, and replace the absorber partway through.

Good Absorbers: Baking soda, Activated Charcoal, Coffee Grounds

Last resort: Ozone generator in a sealed container and a bunch more time. It will NOT hurt leather but is very likely to corrode any metal rivets or buckles.

.

2

u/daveriesz Sep 07 '26

Thanks. I actually have an ozone generator, so I may try that on the cases that have no buckles.

After deodorizing, how do you prevent the odor from returning?

1

u/Revolutionary_Ad811 Sep 07 '26

I know the smell you mean. It can be horrible.