OK, I'm on a casing binge before bird seasons start. Just spent quite a bit of time cleaning mud spots off the outside of a nice canvas/leather case and thought there must be a better way. Does anyone here have experience using aerosol Scotchguard or anything like it on the exterior of canvas cases? I'm thinking I can mask off the brass bits, spray the case lightly and then just wipe off the leather parts. Anybody see a downside to this?

Scotchguard can stain (change the color) of some materials so you may want to try a small less obvious spot first. I am not so sure the scotchguard will keep the dirt off but it may make it easier to clean next time.

As a side note don't you think a little dirt adds character.

It will repel moisture, which probably is a good thing. But I'd sure test it. I don' tthink it will change color, but it might keep the color from aging. No big deal.

Do they still make Scotchgard?

I would recommend a product called Camp Dry. It is a silicone based product and works well on both the canvas and the leather. It will make the leather a little darker in color. Use outside and let dry. A couple of coats.
You can buy it at Walmart for about $5.00 and I use it on all leather products. It will extend the life of the leather.

Agreed, but one of the problems I'm having with cases from multiple makers is that when I do have to wipe off the outside of the case with a damp rag, even plain water pulls some of the color out of the canvas (color comes off on the rag). This leaves the canvas color a bit blotchy and I figure the protectant will minimize the amount of wiping/rubbing I need to do. I have two cases I'm willing to experiment with.

Yep. Spray cans at the hardware store. I'm also looking at some of the automotive fabric protectors. If whatever I use does change the color, that's OK as long as the change is uniform.

I just Googled Camp Dry and I recognize the can. Thanks for the suggestion.

Didn't start out looking for waterproofing, but research is kind of leading me in that direction. I already have some NikWax in a pump sprayer that I use on my old duck parka. I think one of the advantages of something like NikWax would be breatheability once it's on the case. I have no idea how much these cases can breathe, but I don't think I want them to hold moisture inside.

I've used Campdry on my old hunting coat for years; couple treatments per season. Works great

Has anyone used Nikwax? Works great on shoes of any construction and I'm beginning to look for other applications.

Nikwax has a bunch of different products, including one for shoes that supposedly works on both leather and fabrics, and I think it's breatheable. I'll probably call them later today and see what they think of my idea. Their customer service people have been helpful in the past.

I sprayed some Scotchgard on my Loden overcoat and it does shed water better
than before. No change in colour.

JC

Spoke with NikWax and they don't seem to have anything that is ideal for my purposes. All their spray-on products are recommended for application to fabrics that have been pre-wetted, and I don't really want to wet my cases before I treat them. All NikWax products are water-based, including their boot treatments. They seem to think that ScotchGuard is a better choice for canvas/leather cases, partially because it is solvent-based. As EDM likes to say, investigation continues...

Silicon is the main water repelling ingredient in both Camp Dry and Scotch Guard. If you compare the two I think you will find a higher percentage of silicon in the Camp Dry.

Your results may very.

Learned three things so far today. First, "Scotchgard" does not have a "u" in it; my error. Second, per a phone call to 3M, Scotchgard does not contain any silicone. Third, 3M does not recommend using Scotchgard on gun cases, especially those with leather trim. They cautioned about color change on the fabric (I could live with that) and they are adamant that Scotchgard is not suitable for leather. The can clearly says "do not use on leather," and they told me that the product can leave a white film on leather even if you wipe it off immediately after spraying. I went through a whole list of Scotchgard products with them, and none of them are recommended for canvas/leather cases. I may try it anyway if I don't find something better. Still looking.

Decided to try 303™ High Tech Fabric Guard on the cases. Ordered some on Friday after talking with the manufacturer. Product is solvent-based, works on fabric and leather (as long as the leather does not have a plastic coating on it), no color change to color-fast fabrics, contains no silicone. They recommend setting the CLEAN case out in the sun to warm up, then spray the product on and let it flash dry. If you saturate the fabric, there may be some running of color with some fabrics, so don't soak it. Price isn't too bad, found it at $7.49 for 16oz pump sprayer on one of the auto parts sites. Should be here in a few days to test.

http://www.303products.com/shop303/index.cfm/category/66/303-high-tech-fabric-guard.cfm

Update:

I tried the 303 on a canvas/leather case, and I like this stuff. I have a Jeff's c/l case that had some mud stains on the lid and when I finally got them cleaned off, the fabric was a bit blotchy. I cleaned the case exterior with Folex spot remover (from the hardware store) and let the case dry thoroughly. Set it in the sun and sprayed the bottom, ends and sides with the 303, let it dry overnight, then flipped it over and sprayed the top. Full, wet coats. When it dried, the color of the canvas looked a little richer (kind of like your truck after you wax it; same color but better), and the leather had a nice, soft sheen. No discernable film or residue on anything. The blotchiness from scrubbing off the mud is a lot less noticeable now. I masked off the locks and hardware, and the 303 did not seem to soften the tape adhesive (3M Blue Painter's Tape). Tape came off cleanly.

I like the 303, and highly recommend it for protecting new cases or refreshing old ones.