Caring for leather

[GunClick Rick]

I usually get a good chaw goin,bout the time it's consistancy is that of good stain i hual off and go to spittin,rub it in followed by nuetral shoe polish for a buff

[Mean Bob Mean]

Thanks for all the help, as it turns out I found the weapon the case went with and traded it to the gent. 

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I was going to put in a link to Skidmore's website, but it seems kinda moot .... still, here it is:

http://www.skidmores.com/

TTFN,

[TexasToby]

Any good leather conditioner will help. When leather gets old and dry, it really needs something that can replace the natural oils. Neetsfoot needs to be used sparingly, as the Major said. I've never used Lexol, but many swear by it.

I have some Leather New liquid glycerine saddle soap by Farnam that works wonders, too. I'm not sure what the ingredients are, but it must have some lanolin or oil in it. I use it to soften leather after I dye it. I'm pleased with it.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=2E87C2F6-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5&ccd=INK001

Thanks for asking this, Cammie. Since this is a common need, I'll sticky this thread so it will be easy to find in the future. Hopefully we can get some other ideas posted here, too.

I use this also but, I usually add some lanolin in with it. Bedel Rodgers made a saddle for me. The first time I rode it, It didn't need any breaking in, just adjust and set the stirrups. So I called him and ask about what had he treated the saddle with. He made his own mixture of neetsfoot oil, glycerin and lanolin. He made a quart up for me, but I never got the exact recipe. But I can sure tell the difference in the stuff before and after the adding of the lanolin.

[Skeeter Lewis]

What do pards use on the flesh side (other than gum tragacanth) to seal the leather. I'm making a scabbard and want the flesh side to stay smooth.
Skeet

[Camano Ridge]

Skeeter, I just made two scabbards I will be posting shortly in Non cowboy category. I used skidmores and bunished by rubbing wish antler tine. You can use a glass burnisher or what ever you have. I have done this on a few other items and it works very well.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, Camano. I used Skidmore's as you suggested. It worked out fine.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

I started using Skidmores Leather Cream in 2006, and find it to be the best I've found for keeping my leather in great condition, I've turned several of my pards on to Skidmores over the years and they too are now believers, Johnny Mc Crae comes to mind and he swears by it also, Thanks again to Cowboy WC, for the heads up back then...

           tEN wOLVES 

[Graveyard Jack]

Olive oil is for cooking.... NOT for leather.   (unless you want to DESTROY your investment)

http://www.fibrenew.com/blog/do-not-use-olive-oil-to-fix-leather/

Stick with saddle soap, mink oil, and other "leather care products".
You'll be happier in the future.

Pure,  unadulterated nonsense.

[dwight55]

Years ago on leatherworker.net, . . . a lady from the Pacific NW told about making a concoction of virgin bees wax and neetsfoot oil.

I tried it, . . . love it, . . . use it almost exclusively to condition "less than optimal" leather.  It rubs on almost like Kiwi shoe polish, . . . touch it with a heat gun the wax melts, . . . it all soaks in, . . . is really nice, . . . IMHO.

I simply put equal weights of the two products in a jar, . . . set it in my crock pot (on high) with enough water to float the jar, . . . go get a cup of coffee and a doughnut (or 2), . . . when it all liquifies, . . . I pour it into muffin papers in a muffin pan, . . . it makes neat little cakes I can use.

Generally, I use it as if it were Kiwi shoe polish, . . . works for me.

May God bless,
Dwight