308. Water-proof Boots.—A pint of boiled linseed oil, half a pound of mutton suet, six ounces of clean bees'-wax, and four ounces of resin, are to be melted and well mixed over a fire. Of this, while warm, but not hot enough to shrink the leather, with a brush lay on plentifully over new boots or shoes, when quite dry and clean. The leather remains pliant. The New England fishermen preserve their boots water-tight by this method, which, it is said, has been in use among them above one hundred years. They can thus stand in water hour after hour without inconvenience.
309. Water-proof Boots.—I have had three pairs of boots for the last six years (no shoes), and I think I shall not require any more for the next six years to come. The reason is, that I treat them in the following manner: I put a pound of tallow and half a pound of rosin in a pot on the fire; when melted and mixed, I warm the boots and apply the hot stuff with a painter's brush, until neither the sole or the upper-leather will suck in any more. If it is desired that the boots should immediately take a polish, melt an ounce of wax with a tea-spoonful of lamp-black. A day after the boots have been treated with tallow and rosin, rub over them this wax in turpentine, but not before the fire. The exterior will then have a coat of wax alone, and will shine like a mirror. Tallow, or any other grease, becomes rancid, and rots the stitching as well as the leather; but the rosin gives it an antiseptic quality, which preserves the whole. Boots and shoes should be so large as to admit of wearing cork soles.—Correspondent of Mechanics' Magazine.
310. To make Cloth or Outer Clothing of any description Water-proof.—Take a quarter of an ounce of yellow or Castile soap, and one gallon of rain water; boil for twenty minutes; skim, and when cold, put in the cloth or garment; let it remain soaking twenty-four hours; take it out, and hang to drain; when half-dry, put it into the following solution:—Alum, half a pound; sugar of lead, quarter of a pound; dissolved in four gallons of rain water. Let the cloth be thoroughly soaked, and then hang to dry. This process entirely destroys the capillary attraction in the fibres and threads of the cloth, and the rain or wet pours off the surface without lodging or penetrating through the cloth. The solution has no effect in altering the texture or appearance of the cloth or article immersed. Great care must be taken as regards the sugar of lead, not to leave it where children or any persons ignorant of its qualities can get access to it, as it is a powerful poison.
311. To make an Oil-skin Coat or Wrapper.—If a stout coat or wrapper is wanted, let the material be strong unbleached or brown calico. If a light one is preferred, make use of brown holland. Soak it (when made) in hot water, and hang to dry; then boil ten ounces of India-rubber in one quart of raw linseed oil, until dissolved; (this will require about three hours' boiling,) when cold, mix with the oil so prepared about half a pint of paint of any color which may be preferred, and of the same consistency as that used for painting wood. With a paint-brush lay a thin coat over the outside of the wrapper, brushing it well into the seams. Hang it to dry in a current of air, but sheltered from a powerful sun. When thoroughly dry, give it another coat; dry as before, and then give a third and last coat. The wrapper, when well dried, will be ready for use.