Dry leather

[Qball]

i'm trying to make a sholder holster of some old straps and a holster i have.
But the straps are rather dry, any way to make them better?

[Camano Ridge]

I like skidmores cream. If they are realy dry oil them with olive oil or 100% neats foot oil, then apply a couple of coats of skidmores cream. When you oil let the oil soak in for 24 hours or so then apply a coat of skidmores and let set 24 hours apply additional cots as needed. Some may reccomend using lexol leather conditionser first, that should work fine to.

[Trailrider]

Sorry, but I strongly reject the use of Neatsfoot oil on leather! This stuff was meant to prevent cracking on live animal hooves! Use Lexol(R) Leather Conditioner. Use LIGHT applications and allow to penetrate and dry thoroughly. If this doesn't do it, try another light application. If that still doesn't do it, the straps may be too dried out to salvage. Some folks like Piccard, which seems to have a vasoline base to it. It might also work, but, again, after leather has dried too much, it is beyond help.

[Camano Ridge]

As you can see you  will find varing opinions, most of the reccomendations will be made based on our own personal experience and what we find works for us. No need to outwardly reject anything. I have used neatsfoot for over 40 years without any problems, I use light coat and let it absorb into the leather. You will find many people on here that use neats foot or olive oil and some people believe olive oil is only for salads. You will find that a lot of people will reccomend Lexol. I have never used Picards however there are people on this forum that say it is good. What ever you try do a small area of the leather and see if you are getting the results you want.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like to use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and lexol conditioner. I have a couple of holsters that I gave a fairly heavy coat of neatsfoot oil about 10 years ago and they're still in fine shape. Haven't tried Picards so I can't say anything on that.

[bedbugbilly]

As mentioned . . . everybody has their own ideas . . . pretty much based on their experiences.  Personally . . . I still prefer extra virgin olive oil.  I've used it for a long time and it has always worked well for me . . . plus, if rimes get hard, you can always eat your work . . . just add a vew tomatoes, some bacon bits and any other fixings you want.

[TexasToby]

I usually use Leather new By Farnan or Feiblies. Both have glycerin in them and I have had good luck with both. They are basicly the same thing and both are good. I found an old but new strrip leather out in some of my stuff that I had bought about 30 years ago. I started to work on it with some of the Farnan Leather New applying one coat every morn and one every evening and it wasn't long until it was as plyable as it was the day I bought it. No cracks at all. Ready to go to work except I don't have a place for it so I will give it to one of my friends that will need it.

[Qball]

Thank's, i'll give oliveoil a try then.

[ChuckBurrows]

Sorry, but I strongly reject the use of Neatsfoot oil on leather! This stuff was meant to prevent cracking on live animal hooves!

You have made this statement several times on this board and I'm curious about your documentation because in all of the research I've done on neat's foot oil in the last 40+ years nowhere have I come up with this info - the earliest references (200+ years ago) for using neat's foot are for leather care and also as gun oil......

[Cliff Fendley]

Personally I have found nothing better than pure neatsfoot for keeping leather conditioned. It's all I ever knew to use growing up.

Recent years I have tried Lexol numerous times for softening or conditioning leather and have never been happy with the results.

EVOO is ok but no better than pure neatsfoot.

Skidmores is a very good product that Johnny McCrae turned my on to a couple years ago.

[cavsgt]

  Almost any of the compounds mentioned will work.  We have used neatsfoot oil for more years than I care to admit.  In the saddle/harness repair business i have not seen any downside if you do not get carried away.  Try to remember that it did not get that dry in one day and will not come back in one coat.

  When working with neatsfoot oil be careful as there are many stories about it and spontanious combustion of the used rags/sponges/sheepskin.  I have not seen it personally but a old friend had it happen in his barn and almost lost it.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

One thing to remember with leather dryness, and that it can go over the line of recovery, at that point it's better to just replace the leather in question, especially where guns are involved, better to be safe and secure...


                 tEN wOLVES