Starch and Shooting Jackets

[ZD]

Anyone ever used starch to re-stiffen their shooting jackets/ trousers? My understanding recently is that the canvas from the manufacturers comes with starch in it. Thus, why not put more in. My concerns of course would be damage to leather, I would think you would need to submerge your shooting suit in hot water with a mixture of starch then let it dry to embed the starch, but I would think the leather and suede would be ruined. Thus, it might be fine for an all canvas pair of gear, since canvas is cotten based, but not for anything with a mixture. Any thoughts, anyone actually done this? It would be nice to add some more life to old gear, although it would be detrimental to ruin it.

-Zach

[RobStubbs]

Starch would be a temporary solution if it worked, but may well render any clothing used with it illegal (i.e. too stiff). I've never used it or heard of anyone using it, I'd suggest you try it on something you don't mind damaging and see if it works....

Rob.

[RobinC]

You don't need starch and it could be risky on EC stiffness.
The act of simply cleaning a jacket (or trousers) with soapy water on a scrubbing brush or sponge and then hanging up to dry naturaly both gets the canvas clean and fresh, and stiffens it as well back to an almost as new level whilst still passing EC. It also does no harm to the leather.
We do ours regularly.
Good shooting