Leather - hardening, softening, maintaining?

[Old Savage]

What do you fellows know about the preparations, use and maintenance of leather for different purposes?

[mack]

First you take a cow.....
I've worked with it a bit over the years, made/repaired tack, some gun leather and such. Do you have specific questions?

[Washita]

Olive oil works very well as a leather preservative. Rub it in well with your bare hands, repeat every 6 months or so. A gunsmith friend who's also a serious Cowboy Action shooter told me about this several years ago.

[Grizzly Adams]

Both of these products are excellent.

http://www.lexol.com/product_leather_conditioner.aspx
http://www.leathercpr.com/leather-care/

Olive oil is for food.........

[olyinaz]

Olive oil works very well as a leather preservative. Rub it in well with your bare hands, repeat every 6 months or so. A gunsmith friend who's also a serious Cowboy Action shooter told me about this several years ago.

I must respectfully disagree. Food grade oils attract their own set of devils and all oils can weaken the long term structure, strength, and durability of leather. The instant effect is gratifying, and they do soften or make more supple a piece of leather, but so would motor oil. If you want it to last, use leather products and good ones at that, but that's just my 2 pence worth.

http://www.fibrenew.com/blog/do-not-use ... x-leather/

[92&94]

From what I understand, most leather conditioners are based on little more than mineral oil with some various waxy compounds added to it. The only downside to food oils like olive is that they may eventually become rancid, and have an unpleasant odor as a result. From a functional point of view, both oils should work well on leather as neither is a drying oil like linseed or tung oil.

On boots I use some mutton tallow that a friend gave me. Works better than any commercial dressing I've tried. Only downside is that my dog now has a tendency to lick my boots

I also sometimes make a lighter leather conditioner out of mineral oil (cheapest at the feed store) and parafin wax for canning. Hard to find the wax at city supermarkets, but its still common in areas where a lot of people have gardens. Melt the wax on a low hot plate and add a bit of oil to make the combination softer than wax alone. More oil means more soft, just like making bullet lube really. Could use beeswax in place of parafin, the big deal for me is getting livestock grade mineral oil so there is no smell to it like with machine oils.

I gather that a lot of surplus Swiss army leather was treated with just melted beeswax. Works well, but makes for some really stiff leather. I tried immersing a knife sheath in melted wax once, I think after that experience I would instead do a surface treatment with the wax.

[C. Cash]

Olive oil works very well as a leather preservative. Rub it in well with your bare hands, repeat every 6 months or so. A gunsmith friend who's also a serious Cowboy Action shooter told me about this several years ago.

I really wonder about Olive Oil and it's effects over the long term. I've used it on my Ozark roping saddles for about the past 8 years. The leather still feels strong yet supple, and no brown stuff comes off when you re-wipe like with Lexol. That tells me that it's not breaking anything down. So far, I've found no reason to not use it, but appreciate hearing the opinions of all here. I've had good luck with Neatsfoot too.

[Old Savage]

OK mack, specifically, some holsters are hard and shell like and olive oil and drying will give that effect in molding. Other are more supple - case in point a 20+ year old Hunter 4500-4 that I have. I wonder what produces the different effects and if I can do it on my own starting with a newly made holster of plain leather. I like to have both types. Hunter is now using a different process on the same series of holster.

But mack, I have found that if you throw these guys an open ended question you will often find out a lot of things you didn't know and maybe didn't know there was to know. Figured I would start that way then refine it or pose and unanswered question. Fibrenew for instance seems to be addressing furniture leather while C. Cash is addressing roping saddles.

[bdhold]

voting again for Obenauf's
https://www.obenaufs.com/index.php?rout ... duct_id=30

[Blaine]

voting again for Obenauf's
https://www.obenaufs.com/index.php?rout ... duct_id=30

I've trusted Obenauf's for 20 years on boots and my nice leather jacket. Very good stuff

The guy that made my custom leather seat for the motorcycle said to use Lexol cleaner and conditioner. Jury is still out on the Lexol, but, it sure has worked superbly for the short time I've used it.

[pokey]

go here, ask questions.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=57.0

warning; you may get more info than you really want.

[Old Savage]

Here is Red Wing Boot Oil for 20+ years sort of infrequent seasonal wear in rough country, chaparral and all.

[92&94]

I've used Obenauf's too, its good stuff - especially the liquid treatment.

With the liquids and some of the softer waxes, one thing that I like to do is apply the goop and then hit the leather lightly with a heat gun. Especially when using heavy pastes and tallow the leather really soaks it right up.

[Blaine]

I've used Obenauf's too, its good stuff - especially the liquid treatment.

With the liquids and some of the softer waxes, one thing that I like to do is apply the goop and then hit the leather lightly with a heat gun. Especially when using heavy pastes and tallow the leather really soaks it right up.

+1 On the heat....A hair dryer works, too....I use extra on the seams and stitching.

[Old Savage]

Ordered some of that stuff - not sure what I will do with it yet.

[jkbrea]

I've always used Sno-Seal or Henry's shoe grease. Always worked good for me, especially when I preheated my boots. When I run out I'm going to give Obenaufs a try.

[Chuck 100 yd]

"Olive oil is for food........." NOT!!!

Use ONLY extra virgin olive oil. It is pure and cold pressed first press. It wont turn rancid.

There have been sandals found in digs in the middle east that belonged to the Roman soldiers that are still supple after a couple thousand years. They were oiled with EVOO.
Some of the most famous saddle makers, Will Ghromley for one, uses EVOO (extra virgin olive oil to oil his leather).
http://www.willghormley-maker.com/index.html

If you want it soft, use Neets foot oil found at most farm supply stores in the saddle and tack section.
I like my holsters STIFF and form fitted to the gun.

[cshold]

Removed

[new pig hunter]

here in Kali, lots and lots of Neatsfoot Oil has always done it for me, a good hose-down, then a couple of days to soak in.

Cheers,

Carl

[olyinaz]

There have been sandals found in digs in the middle east that belonged to the Roman soldiers that are still supple after a couple thousand years. They were oiled with EVOO.

Oh EVOO? Yes, I use that on my EVOO black rifle.

That or Mobil 1.

[AJMD429]

...I have found that if you throw these guys an open ended question you will often find out a lot of things you didn't know and maybe didn't know there was to know. Figured I would start that way then refine it or pose and unanswered question.

That's what I do too, and I never fail to learn something cool here, levergun or otherwise...

[L_Kilkenny]

First decent holster I made I used a "substantial" quantity of neatsfoot oil followed by a couple coats of Kiwi neutral shoe polish. Didn't have the right stuff, probably didn't know any better but to tell the truth that holster is still workin well. It BTW is what I'd call soft. After a few holsters I settled on a little neatsfoot followed by a couple coats of "Gum Tragacanth" (http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-u ... 0-140.aspx) followed by a couple coats of "Leather Balm w/Atom Wax (http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-u ... 80-00.aspx). I apply the Gum Tragacanth liberally with a rag and rub the crud outta it until it's almost dry. Then buff and repeat. These recent holsters are holding up very well and are what I'd call stiff. The latter finish also buffs into a nice satin.

Not sure how any this applies to prefinished leather but works well on the raw stuff.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Here is where the pros hang out...
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index. ... ,57.0.html
Go there and do a search for EVOO .
Or check out the FAQ thread.
Also read about Will Ghormley (made leather for Dances With Wolves, Crows rig in
3:10 TO Yuma, Rigs for open range for Kostner and Robert Duvall and many others).

[Old Savage]

Got the Obenaufs Heavy Duty LP - put that on a plain holster leather holster by Tex Shoemaker and Sons. I like the effect, kind of a light satin luster with a light to medium tan color. We'll see how it goes. Combination of beeswax and oils of some sort I think.

[Chuck 100 yd]

For finished leather goods there is nothing better than Skidmores Leather Cream
http://www.skidmores.com/
Also can be used on fine furniture and wood products. Great on gun stocks to give that luster that makes older guns look well loved.
It is mostly bees wax and other high grade waxes and it is soft and easily applied and buffs up to a real nice soft glow.

[Old Savage]

Chuck, I have been reading as you suggested the threads at CasCity on leather work. Skidmore's seems very popular there. Haven't decided yet what to do with the holster I just got from you regarding finishing.

[Old Savage]

Here is a holster by Tex Shoemaker and Sons I got on Ebay - appears very plain and dry - description said it had been a drawer for years.



This is the same holster after two applications of Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP