Care of stacked leather handles?

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flintrocker

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Sep 1, 2014
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I'm curious if there are any standard treatments for traditional stacked leather handles on fixed blade knives. Wax? Saddle soap? I'm guessing that oil is not good. I've read that such handles tend to rot, but can rot be staved off? I like the look and feel.
 
Pretty much the same as a good pair of leather shoes....smooth and shiny is good. With a nice drink of dubbin/ saddle soap every so often the leather should outlast most of us...wholesome beeswax organic vegan leather dressing type products as well as packet leather wipes( like tissues) are good too. Keeping the leather waxy and kind of moist will give plenty of grip too.
Like anything ...if you keep it clean it will last a long time....If you leave it outside in the weather or dump it in a rusty old toolbox it will dry out, get mouldy and eventually fall apart...
Cheers.
 
I like stacked leather too. I have heard of rotting too, but I think those rumors came from military use. Soldiers and marines used leather handled Kabars in jungles and some of them rotted due to lack of care. Other knives held up beautifully. Its a matter of maintenance. I have used neatsfoot oil before, which works alright on leather (rehydrates it well) but softens leather a bit. I use Obenaufs Heavy Duty Leather Protector on everything now though. Its great stuff. Its beeswax and oil mixed basically.
PS. Saddle soap really isnt too great for leather, its more for cleaning as needed than maintaining.
 
I've used saddle soap once every couple of years and clear shoe polish.
I've never had a leather handle rot away or become unusable.

Leather is tougher/longer lasting than you think. Even if it is dry, shrunk, and looks rotten, it can be brought back.
 
As far as I know saddle soap is just for cleaning leather and does nothing to nourish and protect it.
I only have one stacked leather handle, but on all my leather I use Obenauffs heavy duty LP.
It nourishes and protects they have the standard stuff that looks like petroleum jelly and they have the liquid version.
I use the normal stuff, but the liquid could potentially work better on stacked leather.
 
Most on here are users but some are collectors. Renaissance wax is a great choice maybe best for preserving and restoring antiques. Ballistol is good stuff. Just some great products to consider. Heavy use and general maintenance I’d go with the Obenauefs.
 
Fallkniven are a little vague, recommending 'some form of wax' for the care of leather handles, 'although not grease or oil, which will make the leather soft.'
 
One of the best things I've ever used on old stacked leather handles is brown shoe cream - not standard shoe polish, but the thinner cream, sometimes spelt creme.

It keeps the colour nicely (you can choose different colours) very easy to apply, soaks in well if you keep rubbing it in, keeps it waterproof - and when dry and polished, is very good in the hand and not slippery.

These days, when making stacked leather handles, they're often finished off with the very runny version of superglue - many layers applied with latex gloved hands, this soaks in and protects the leather very well indeed, providing a hard waterproof finish that can be buffed to a real good shine

My old Sheffield dagger got the shoe cream treatment...



 
Chui Chui The shoe cream idea sounds convincing, here in Europe there's a range made by Woly of Switzerland/Germany? including neutral colour, you can use it to good effect on leather bags&satchels that need toning up. I have an Italian leather sofa and there's a cream and cleaner to use on that (hell of a laborious job ;)) but it keeps it supple in this very dry environment. So I'd believe in the shoe cream (not polish) approach.

Mink Oil is very good for sheathes, keeps them supple&waterproof but I don't know about stacking.
 
Nevertheless a prime example of well prepared and cared for stacked leather handle....cheers.
PS..there's leather....and then there's that cheap belly leather and also even worse...that cruddy reconstituted leather that looks and feels like cardboard...
 
Neatsfoot oil was something I used on leather fire brigade equipment back in the old days...superceded now.
 
Ren Wax on handles and sheaths.. Knives too.. 1 product to do all!!:D
John
 
All just my opinion and a lot of blah blah blah but this is how I do mine. I live in a dry climate and carry a stacked leather knife daily.

I use oil, a dressing, then a wax, think in terms of viscosity. The oil penetrates, the dressing seals and the wax encases (a very light coat of CA does wonders too).

The least effective of this is the wax as it doesn't penetrate much if any. However if you're just protecting a safe queen, a coat of wax should do fine as oils will discolor it.

Personally I use Montana Pitch Blend "Oil & Conditioner" and their "Leather Dressing" followed up by Ren Wax or the like.

I don't use Neatsfoot or Linseed oil mainly because of the smell.

It takes me about a week to condition a new handle. I apply a few coats of oil a day until they keep some shine and then move to a couple days of working in the dressing. From there a quick coat of Ren Wax.

Maintenance from there is a light coat of oil. I don't use wax after that although there is nothing wrong with that.

I've been meaning to start a reminder thread for stacked leather maintenance and now is a good time to do it with the weather change.

That's my two cents and from a few years of trying different methods.
 
meako said:
Chui Chui ...how old is that dagger? William Rodgers....60 odd?...superb!.
Click to expand...

- yes, guess you're about right there :thumbsup: I gave this away on my wee knife forum in UK as a prize, it went down well.

Will Power said:
Chui Chui The shoe cream idea sounds convincing, here in Europe there's a range made by Woly of Switzerland/Germany? including neutral colour, you can use it to good effect on leather bags&satchels that need toning up. I have an Italian leather sofa and there's a cream and cleaner to use on that (hell of a laborious job ;)) but it keeps it supple in this very dry environment. So I'd believe in the shoe cream (not polish) approach.

Mink Oil is very good for sheathes, keeps them supple&waterproof but I don't know about stacking.
Click to expand...

- yes, I use TRG Grison renovating balm on my car seats and leather upholstery.........it is a bit of a job, but well worth the effort ;)

jmh33 said:
Ren Wax on handles and sheaths.. Knives too.. 1 product to do all!!:D
John
Click to expand...

- a very underestimated potion. Have had that as part of my leather tool-kit for years. It is thinner than most heavy waxes and soaks in very well.

With the heavy waxes, particularly Barbour types, a careful application of the hot air from the wife's hair dryer sees it soak in better and create a very satisfying finish
 
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