I use a mink oil blend sometimes with lanolin... there's also another product over here which I use to help waterproof/care for my leather goods before the rains start hitting.... let me see if I can find it.
White Powder mold!
- Thread starter JWFilips
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Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm no leather expert by a long shot. The info regarding neatsfoot oil was given to me that does a lot of vintage motorcycle seat and saddlebag restoration. He's done work for the HD museum. He said that neatsfoot will eventually cause the leather to harden and crack. That was the case with a set of 1947 saddlebag I had that were worth big money, even in a crumbling state. I took his word as fact as he had no reason to lie to me. Now, I have no idea if 1947 leather was chrome tanned or vegetable tanned and never asked the question. So, that might be a qualifier he left out.
He recommended Lexol as well, but the original Lexol recommendation came from a native American leather artisan. She said she used a family concoction that she did not sell nor share the recipe. So, for palefaces, she recommended Lexol. I've been using it for years and seems to do the job on my bike leather.
He recommended Lexol as well, but the original Lexol recommendation came from a native American leather artisan. She said she used a family concoction that she did not sell nor share the recipe. So, for palefaces, she recommended Lexol. I've been using it for years and seems to do the job on my bike leather.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Huberds is pretty good stuff, their paste anyway. I never saw the oil. Their paste product seems to work at least as good as Sno Seal, which is real good!
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I have a recollection from harness type information I got someplace that for a while, maybe still, some "neatsfoot oil" wasn't the real thing. Maybe that's part of the reason the leather guy gave you that info? I know it will darken leather, as will any oil.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
When I used to tan vegetable tan hides the last step was to work the moisture out of the leather and replace it with pure neats foot oil! That was a real chore but it worked! That recipe came from the old English tanning industry !
Modern so-called neats foot oil is a disaster for good leather! It is filled with silicones and other nastys
Modern so-called neats foot oil is a disaster for good leather! It is filled with silicones and other nastys
Ian
Notorious member
Silicone ain't worth a damn on leather, it makes it squeak to hell and back. The neatsfoot oil I've used in the past rotted leather holsters, belts, slings, and boots to pieces in a few years. Never was impressed with Lexol, but didn't know about the tanning types. All of my homemade leather gear from the last couple of decades has been constructed of Tandy, 100% veggie tanned top grain cow hide. The only thing that has restored old dry, cracked, hard, neatsfoot treated leather has been the bear grease and beeswax, so that's all I use on anything anymore and going on 15 years now it hasn't rotted anything and only very rarely needs a re-treat. The disadvantage of the bear grease is the smell will absolutely drive a dog into a psychotic frenzy.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
That sounds like "Not real neatsfoot oil" tales I read. Just spent a little time researching and it looks like the culprit is called "prime neatsfoot oil" or "neatsfoot oil compound". Those are the one that aren't the real, pure stuff. If you hunt up 100% pure neatsfoot oil, that's the good stuff. The other stuff has petroleum oils, silicones and preservatives for the oil that are aid to cause the cracking and rot.
I suppose we should observe that there are leather conditioners and leather protectors. 2 different things. Neatsfoot or other conditioners soften leather by replacing the natural oils that are lost in the tanning process. But they do contain some organic acids, so you can overdo it. Protectors do just that, and thats where the waxes come into play. I like anything with some beeswax in it myself, although I've gone so far as to use plain store brand vaseline to help waterproof leather gloves and mitts in the past. I had a gallon of cheap corn oil and paraffin mixed up into a paste for harness long ago on the advice of old horsemen. It was okay, but not great and it didn't smell at all pleasant.
This is likely one of those Ford/Chevy/Dodge, Ginger or Mary Ann type things where one guy will just love one product and another will have see it as absolute junk.
Funny thing I just found out, sort of anyway. One tanning method used in Scotland was to just throw a hide into a peat bog and walk away for 6 months or a year. There's a lot more to it than that of course, but the tannins in the acidic bog water are reported to do a great job at turning the raw hide into good leather. Human bodies found in the same bogs have been well preserved after thousands of years. Used to be that's where the Druids would store their human sacrifices! Not my kind of hobby, but whatever floats yer boat...
CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
That would explain allot. "Fake" Neatsfoot!!
I have a very old bottle. Probably 60's its in a tin can like kroil comes/came. I dont remember buying but its been on my shelfs since I can remember. Cant read much as its worn so, but Ill try get a maker.
I see most of recomended brands on amazon. I started a thread on the bushcraft site (firearms area) I also frequent. Couple guys mirrored snakeoils comments. Most others just naming what they use. Only two use neatsfoot oil.
I have no brand loyalty here. I just used what I used without issue I realized.
CW
I have a very old bottle. Probably 60's its in a tin can like kroil comes/came. I dont remember buying but its been on my shelfs since I can remember. Cant read much as its worn so, but Ill try get a maker.
I see most of recomended brands on amazon. I started a thread on the bushcraft site (firearms area) I also frequent. Couple guys mirrored snakeoils comments. Most others just naming what they use. Only two use neatsfoot oil.
I have no brand loyalty here. I just used what I used without issue I realized.
CW
L Ross
Well-Known Member
I was going to get to this. There is Neatsfoot Oil and there is "Neatsfoot Oil Compound" out there. I was told by a leather artisan to avoid the compound product as it has additives.
Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
Bret4207 wrote
These are separate issues with different goals.
I think we have all seen leather that dried out and was damaged by age and work.
AND
I suspect we've all seen leather that was put away damp and damaged by that storage.
These issues are addressed differently.
I do not know of a leather care product that will directly address mold on leather. Mold must be killed and removed. However, a product such as SnoSeal that helps leather shed water and helps to prevent water from penetrating the leather will reduce the opportunity for mold to form in the first place. I put that in the “protection” category.
Products that help maintain leather from drying and cracking are more in the “conditioner” category. They both have their place.
I completely agree.
These are separate issues with different goals.
I think we have all seen leather that dried out and was damaged by age and work.
AND
I suspect we've all seen leather that was put away damp and damaged by that storage.
These issues are addressed differently.
I do not know of a leather care product that will directly address mold on leather. Mold must be killed and removed. However, a product such as SnoSeal that helps leather shed water and helps to prevent water from penetrating the leather will reduce the opportunity for mold to form in the first place. I put that in the “protection” category.
Products that help maintain leather from drying and cracking are more in the “conditioner” category. They both have their place.
JonB
Halcyon member
Many years ago, I bought an old one gallon steel can of Neatsfoot oil, it was almost full. Now I've never used it for leather, but my farmer buddy does. I use Bear Grease...kind of stinks, but being a old bachelor, I need any excuse to blame odd odors on, LOL. I've given my buddy a pint once...then years later, when he used that up, I gave him another pint. I planned to keep the gallon can as a collectable, otherwise I would have just given him the whole can. He says it works great for leather boots and leather water pump cups/washers.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
I knew a guy who was second generation saddle shop and shoe/harness repair shop. He said he had a customer who was in WWI and was in some mounted outfit. He still had his riding boots from his time in the army. They said he still used them and they did any repairs that were required like soles and heels. He asked the guy how he managed to keep those boots in such great shape and the guy said he never got them wet.
I was skeptical of that story and still am. But I imagine he's told that story to many a customer and some took it as fact and have passed it on as such ever since.
The neatsfoot oil compound is an interesting tidbit of info. I think I have a can of that stuff around here somewhere, and probably bought back in the '60's, probably for rubbing into my baseball gloves. Although I cannot with any confidence say if I ever actually did that. I still have those gloves. They are on my desk in front of me as I type this. Both are still supple, not cracked and even the leather laces are all good. So, if I did use that stuff, I just argued against what I said above in an earlier post. The good news is everyone is old here and won't remember.
I was skeptical of that story and still am. But I imagine he's told that story to many a customer and some took it as fact and have passed it on as such ever since.
The neatsfoot oil compound is an interesting tidbit of info. I think I have a can of that stuff around here somewhere, and probably bought back in the '60's, probably for rubbing into my baseball gloves. Although I cannot with any confidence say if I ever actually did that. I still have those gloves. They are on my desk in front of me as I type this. Both are still supple, not cracked and even the leather laces are all good. So, if I did use that stuff, I just argued against what I said above in an earlier post. The good news is everyone is old here and won't remember.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Found this on the web. Pretty much reiterates points already made here. But nice to see it in writing and on the web, where everything you read is true.
en.wikipedia.org
Neatsfoot oil - Wikipedia
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
When FW said it was "spew" I thought he was making a comment about the comments being made. I'm chuckling as I type this. I did a search on the web and it would appear everyone is right as it can be more than one thing.
More on the topic from the web:
www.leathervoice.com
More on the topic from the web:
Why Does Leather Turn White ? How Do You Fix It ? - Leather Voice
Why Does Leather Turn White
www.leathervoice.com
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Found this on the web. Pretty much reiterates points already made here. But nice to see it in writing and on the web, where everything you read is true.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Nothing worse for leather than water, unless it's water and manure! I've tried about everything to keep manure and water from ruining leather. Sno Seal is about as good as it's gonna get IME. Fact is that if you're going to get leather wet, you are probably better off using a synthetic or rubber if you can. That is if you want to keep the leather. Or you can oil the crap out of it until the leather won't take anymore and then put a wax over it. I've never been able to get some leathers to take oil, like Bean boots. The finish they use won't take any oil I ever tried, so the leather rots around the stitching, it gets stiff and there ya go. The Sorls uppers are the same way. Hmmm, maybe I should have tried applying the oil from INSIDE the boot?! If you want to wear leather around manure, just get the cheap boots cuz they won't last any longer than the high dollar ones. Of course most people don't live in manure by choice, so maybe this is wasted effort!
I buy 3 or 4 pair of "choppers" every winter, the mitts you put wool liners in. Most I can get are Alyeska brand I think, maybe some Kincos too. Anyhoo, they tend to be a yellowish finish and you simply cannot get them to take any sort of waterproofing or oil when new. Once the "yellow" wears off you can get then to take some, but that finish only wears off after repeated wettings it seems and by then the leather is starting to let go around the stitching. Wish I could still get the old NY made deerskin choppers like they used to make down in Gloversville NY (they made gloves, so, Gloversville). I haven't seen them in decades, and they were expensive back then. Used to be guys going around the mountians buying deerskins to sell for gloves and mitts.
I buy 3 or 4 pair of "choppers" every winter, the mitts you put wool liners in. Most I can get are Alyeska brand I think, maybe some Kincos too. Anyhoo, they tend to be a yellowish finish and you simply cannot get them to take any sort of waterproofing or oil when new. Once the "yellow" wears off you can get then to take some, but that finish only wears off after repeated wettings it seems and by then the leather is starting to let go around the stitching. Wish I could still get the old NY made deerskin choppers like they used to make down in Gloversville NY (they made gloves, so, Gloversville). I haven't seen them in decades, and they were expensive back then. Used to be guys going around the mountians buying deerskins to sell for gloves and mitts.
RBHarter
West Central AR
I've put a lot of Hubbards and Kiwi mink oil on boots . I've used Kiwi mink oil on belts and such getting tired and dried out without any ill side effects . I have a Hunter holster that I can't say for sure is old but as early as 1955 and no newer than 1970 . It probably hasn't anything but Kiwi mink oil on it it's whole life and an unknown to me "saddle soap" probably pre 1970 neatsfoot . Keeping in mind that keeping the oil in the leather most of my life was far more important than keeping the water out except about 3 weeks in December and January and about in November sometimes.
The trouble is most of the products I've used make the leather soft ....... Not really great for holsters . I have about a pint of older neatsfoot oil left .
The trouble is most of the products I've used make the leather soft ....... Not really great for holsters . I have about a pint of older neatsfoot oil left .
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Bret, when I grew up real rubber boots to the top of the calf were called "milkers" as that is what they were used for. Haven't milked a cow since I went to college and don't plan to milk any more. When I moved to the West, it was orchards and row crops and hay; no darn cows!!!!!!!!!!!
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
They call 'em "barn boots" around here. The Brits would call them Wellingtons or "Wellies".