doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Scotchguard For Canvas/Leather Cases

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.