Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
RSY
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1082
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:09 pm
Location: Georgetown, TX

Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by RSY »

Belt is 50-60+ years old. Any recommendations on what to put on it? Was going to just put some neatsfoot/boot oil on it, but thought I'd open it up for other options first.

Also, should I just treat the finished side of the leather? Or, both rough and smooth sides of the belt?

Thanks, amigos.

Scott
JRD
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 142
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:28 am

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by JRD »

An old friend of mine who was a collector of Civil War leather goods among many other fields showed me that he swore by "Pecard antique leather dressing". He showed me some Civil War belts that were still supply enough to wear (although he still handled them very carefully) and said never ever to use Neatsfoot oil or any other animal based product.
He claimed that if you applied Neatsfoot oil or something similar it would be fine for a while but eventually the animal oils would cause the leather to rot. Also he said never to slather on the Pecard's, and that if you over oiled the leather it would get soft and loose it's shape.

Pecard's is commonly available online and not too expensive. And in looking at their website, their advertising claims are exactly what my friend told me 15 years ago. Perhaps he read their advertising too...

I'd go with a gentle application on both sides of the belt.

Jason
User avatar
Hawkeye2
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 709
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:46 pm
Location: Winchester, VA

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Hawkeye2 »

A definite no for neatsfoot oil. It's OK for something you expect to use hard and wear out long before the lather and stitching would reach the end of its natural life. I have always used Fiebing's saddle soap for any leather I care about including antique items. Clean with the saddle soap a number of times working up a good lather and allowing to dry for a day or more between applications. Follow that after the item has dried for a few days with one or more applications of Lexol Leather Conditioner allowing time to dry between applications. Nothing against Pecard's but these are the only two things I will use on any leather item I even remotely care about. I have used them on everything from a 200 year old saber scabbard to my repro 30 year old Civil War leather gear which is as good as new today.
Stevie
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 134
Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2017 2:47 pm

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Stevie »

Hubert's Shoe Oil brought a 1888 vintage 'Wilkenson Sword Co' sword-bayonet scabbard that came from the Nepal cache back to life. Have used the Hubert's oil on several pretty dilapidated leather items with success.

I honestly thought the big British bayo scabbard was probably too rotten to salvage...but either the scabbard wasn't as bad as I thought or Hubert's Shoe Oil is some really good stuff!
gcs
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 570
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:42 pm

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by gcs »

Recently had to bring back a 50 year old dried out holster that was my fathers, I remembered reading on a Ballistol can about using it for leather.
Well i put a light dose on and I'll be darned it came out like new. Didn't soften the leather at all. Worked better then I would have imagined
User avatar
Blaine
Posting leader...
Posts: 30495
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:22 pm
Location: Still Deciding

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Blaine »

I would not hesitate to use Lexol on anything that was valuable. I've had a couple custom leather motorcycle seats that I used it on. Lexol kept it like new and waterproof in all sorts of nasty weather and direct sunlight.
But, check it out and draw your own conclusions.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lexol&r ... e&ie=UTF-8
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First

Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Skidmoors is the best I have found. It conditions and feeds leather without making it soft or darkening very much.
It is made by a family in Montana and has a big following by leather crafters. Find it on Google.
M. M. Wright
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 4296
Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
Location: Vinita, I.T.

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by M. M. Wright »

I like Blackrock Leather N Rich. Happened on this stuff at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in OK City. They even sell it in their gift shop. I have some old saddles, chaps and holsters that I use it on and am very satisfied with it's performance.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Chuck 100 yd
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6972
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: Ridgefield WA. USA

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

As you can see , there are a bunch of choices out there. Neatsfoot will soften and make leather limp if over used.
Most commercial leather dressings will work quite well.
User avatar
jeepnik
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 6830
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: On the Beach

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by jeepnik »

Here's one from left field. If you don't mind a bit of darkening try Redwing Boot Oil. I've been using it on leathers that are darkly stained and have been happy. I tried it on one lighter shaded leather and it darkened it, but it turned out I liked it.
Jeepnik AKA "Old Eyes"
"Go low, go slow and preferably in the dark" The old Sarge (he was maybe 24.
"Freedom is never more that a generation from extinction" Ronald Reagan
"Every man should have at least one good rifle and know how to use it" Dad
Marturo13
Levergunner
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2018 1:54 pm

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Marturo13 »

I have good luck on leather Rifle slings & hunting holsters with Bear grease.
Foggy Mountain Guide service used to sell it. Use a hair drier to get it in the leather.
User avatar
Sixgun
Posting leader...
Posts: 18563
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Sixgun »

Common sense....oils for hard use everyday leathers...........Lexol for high quality leathers.....we have saddles here that cost 2-3g's back n the seventies....used Lexol and they still look like the day we bought them.

As for everyday leather goods, like quality boots that don't last 10 years anyway we use Obenaufs.---6
Model A Uzi’s
Image
User avatar
Malamute
Member Emeritus
Posts: 3766
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:56 am
Location: Rocky Mts

Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???

Post by Malamute »

I found this interesting, its changed some of my ideas about leather, though they had been changing some recently from taking to a gunleather maker.

http://www.jarnaginco.com/leather%20pre ... iginal.htm
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-

Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Post Reply