Leather Finishes, Preservatives, and Treatments: Post Yours Here.

[leatherman]

We hijacked anothers thread, I'm going to move the thread drift over here when I get a moment. Lets continue the discussion here please.

It might start out a little convoluted, but the gist is how some of us treat the sheaths we make and use. You dont have to be a maker to post here, most of the best formulas come from those of us who use our leather gear, not just make it. Truth.

When I come back I will move the posts off that other thread, but in the meantime please post your concoctions and off the shelf favorites!!

This is a judgement free zone. If you disagree please do it in a fair manner, there is no right or wrong, just differing opinions.

 

[AntCaps]

Iv been using a 50/50 beeswax and Tung oil mix I use a heat gun to warm up the mix and the leather, it drinks it in than I wipe off the excess and buff it up with a cotton cloth.
It ends up being a lot darker of a colour but it's completely waterproof.

 

[jdk1]

My name is jdk1 and I am a thread hijacker

I've used Saddle Butter with good results, but I'm new. I also haven't made many sheaths. That stuff could be cost prohibitive for any real volume of sheaths. I'm curious if anyone else has used it. I'll be trying some of the wax mixtures mentioned in the other thread as well. I like wax and love the smell of coconut oil

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Just to carry over from Florians thread-

Tan-Kote is not sold as a waterproofing finish. Still, I thought it would be better than nothing at all.

The bottom has two coats of Tan-Kote, the top is oil/wax. I took the pic as soon as the water hit the leather. That's a shadow at the top. There's no water uptake under the wax.

What is Tan-Kote for? I won't be using it again as a finish...

 

[Sam Wilson]

Iv been using a 50/50 beeswax and Tung oil mix I use a heat gun to warm up the mix and the leather, it drinks it in than I wipe off the excess and buff it up with a cotton cloth.
It ends up being a lot darker of a colour but it's completely waterproof.

I would recommend using a different non-drying oil. Tung and boiled linseed oil both cure by polymerization, and can become quite hard over the years, particularly tung oil. This can lead to the leather cracking and splitting or other potential problems. Beeswax is a great additive, though, and gives a nice smell also.

 

[druid189]

For waterproofing, I use the following recipe:

1 lb filtered/pure beeswax [yellow]
8 oz Turpentine
8 oz Boiled linseed Oil

Melt the wax into a metal container [coffee can or new/unused paint can] with a lid. While still liquid, add Turpentine and BLO and stir in until it begins to solidify. Let it set overnight.

Apply the paste to any leather, cloth/canvas or wood liberally and evenly. Using a heat gun on low or a hot hair dryer on high, heat the application and it will get 'sucked' into the object.

If you use the item heavily/in "weather" a lot, apply once a year. If not, reapply when you determine it's not repelling water any longer.

Note that this will not soak in to painted surfaces, nor will it in metals but it will protect metals while it covers it [axe heads, etc]. I would NOT use it on metal that processes or contacts foods like knives or fish hooks.

This compound is particularly suited for sheaths, canvas tents/bags/packs, unfinished wood handles [remove the finish from axe handles, hatchets, hammers, etc].

---------------------

For keeping leather supple [purses, wallets, etc] I use Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator. Tandy Leather has it.

 

[Sam Wilson]

For waterproofing, I use the following recipe:

1 lb filtered/pure beeswax [yellow]
8 oz Turpentine
8 oz Boiled linseed Oil

Melt the wax into a metal container [coffee can or new/unused paint can] with a lid. While still liquid, add Turpentine and BLO and stir in until it begins to solidify. Let it set overnight.

Apply the paste to any leather, cloth/canvas or wood liberally and evenly. Using a heat gun on low or a hot hair dryer on high, heat the application and it will get 'sucked' into the object.

If you use the item heavily/in "weather" a lot, apply once a year. If not, reapply when you determine it's not repelling water any longer.

Note that this will not soak in to painted surfaces, nor will it in metals but it will protect metals while it covers it [axe heads, etc]. I would NOT use it on metal that processes or contacts foods like knives or fish hooks.

This compound is particularly suited for sheaths, canvas tents/bags/packs, unfinished wood handles [remove the finish from axe handles, hatchets, hammers, etc].

---------------------

For keeping leather supple [purses, wallets, etc] I use Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator. Tandy Leather has it.

I would strongly recommend against using boiled linseed oil, or any other drying oil for that matter. It's curing the whole time it's in the leather, and subsequent coats just compound a potential disaster. But to each their own.

 

[druid189]

My family has been using that recipe for over 50 years, I learned it from my father. I've not seen any ill effect from using that recipe in my, or family's gear.

 

[Sam Wilson]

My family has been using that recipe for over 50 years, I learned it from my father. I've not seen any ill effect from using that recipe in my, or family's gear.

I don’t want to argue, but let me just state a fact or two and as I mentioned, to each their own. Tung and boiled linseed oil are not leather finishes, they’re primarily used for wood. They aren’t designed and formulated for use on a flexible substrate. Even a cursory search on using boiled linseed oil as a leather finish will show that many are against it, and with good reason.

I used to work around a lot of furniture, and saw a lot of it restored. On tables with leather tops and leather chairs, it was very common for people to put boiled linseed oil on the leather as a preservative and finish. Sometimes in as little as a couple of years, depending on the type of oil and how often it was used, the results were catastrophic failure. It would often dry and split the leather, and there was no real fix for it. Sometimes it did not.

I’m not going to tell you that your recipe is bad or that it won’t work. What I will say is that boiled linseed oil is not a leather finish, even though it can be used as one. It is often used as an ingredient in varnish. If it works for you, that’s great. I’m just trying to relay what knowledge and facts I have to others so they can make an informed decision. Just because something works sometimes doesn’t mean it’s a good practice. I don’t think there are any commercial leather products, certainly none that I am aware of, that use boiled linseed oil or tung oil, as ingredients. I could certainly be wrong, though.

 

[druid189]

No no Sam....please believe me when I say I DO appreciate your knowledge and sincerely helpful nature - and I'm in NO way trying to argue. You are probably 100000% correct and believe me, I don't presume to imply that you are wrong [at least, I hope you don't get that impression of me]. I'm certainly no chemist, nor do I have much experience outside my little window of the world.

If I had to hazard a guess, perhaps the mix with the beeswax has something to do with it? I know that the wax has lubricating properties in its own rite....could there be a molecular change to all components when they are combined? I have no idea... I just know that this recipe has served us very well over the course of, and previous to my lifetime. That's all I meant by my reply.

 

[Sam Wilson]

Absolutely no problem. I have seen your posts before, and didn’t think anything ill at all about what you said. I just hate to get into internet confrontation, and it’s so hard to “read” each other online. I have enjoyed many of your posts, so I believe we’re on the same page.

I didn’t want to insult a family tradition/recipe, but I felt compelled to put it out there. I saw quite a lot of beautiful furniture/leather goods either ruined or need serious restoration due to using the wrong product for the job, and for some reason boiled linseed oil was quite frequently the culprit. Probably because most people feel safer with an oil product than a curing film finish.

I believe part of the problem lies with the metallic driers that are added to the linseed oil. They must be incompatible with leather on some level. Also, some oils can lead to mildew issues. And again, I don’t want to discount your experiences, obviously it has worked for you and your family. Somebody else may not do it the same way or whatever, and have serious problems. Sometimes people (just about all of us, occasionally) think if a little is good, a lot must be better, and get into trouble. I sure have.

I think the beeswax probably serves more to dilute the oil than anything. Diluted with solvent properly and add a little dark dye to it, and BLO works as an excellent wood furniture cleaner/restorer. Either way, the beeswax smells excellent, and is a great water repellent. Nice posts.

 

[elof_alv]

It might be the turpentine that stops the BLO from hardening too much...

 

[pugs75]

I have been using Montana Pitch Blend leather dressing for all my conditioning and waterproofing needs from the start. It works amazing, It uses Mink oil, Pine pitch and Bees wax. The leather comes out very nice.

 

[Salolan]

Mixing a batch of Anthony's Bees Wax/Coconut Oil blend as we speak.
Will let everyone know how I like it.

Chris

 

[vilePossum]

Mixing a batch of Anthony's Bees Wax/Coconut Oil blend as we speak.
Will let everyone know how I like it.

Chris

great, interested in this as well.
btw, i don't mind thread highjacking as long as there is so much information contained in it but i guess it makes it easier for everyone else to find this stuff right here (which i consider quite interesting).

@ sam wilson
correct me if am wrong, but pure linseed oil shouldn't have the metallic additives that boiled linseed oil has to help with drying, right? at least that's what i heard. it still doesn't change that it will polymerize eventually as well. which is why many people like to use it in eg knife handles.

 

[Gadsden]

I have had great results from Obenauf`s heavy duty lp. I use a hair dryer to heat the leather to help it soak in. The finish is a little darker and the leather hardens up a bit. For the other sheaths I have used Beeswax and Neetsfoot oil.

 

[David Bates]

I have been using Montana Pitch Blend leather dressing for all my conditioning and waterproofing needs from the start. It works amazing, It uses Mink oil, Pine pitch and Bees wax. The leather comes out very nice.

How much of each do you blend?

I don't have any homemade blends or family secrets, I use saddle soap, neetsfoot oil and tankote. Are there better products out there that preserve the leather better?

David

 

[druid189]

Absolutely no problem. I have seen your posts before, and didn’t think anything ill at all about what you said. I just hate to get into internet confrontation, and it’s so hard to “read” each other online. I have enjoyed many of your posts, so I believe we’re on the same page.

I didn’t want to insult a family tradition/recipe, but I felt compelled to put it out there. I saw quite a lot of beautiful furniture/leather goods either ruined or need serious restoration due to using the wrong product for the job, and for some reason boiled linseed oil was quite frequently the culprit. Probably because most people feel safer with an oil product than a curing film finish.

I believe part of the problem lies with the metallic driers that are added to the linseed oil. They must be incompatible with leather on some level. Also, some oils can lead to mildew issues. And again, I don’t want to discount your experiences, obviously it has worked for you and your family. Somebody else may not do it the same way or whatever, and have serious problems. Sometimes people (just about all of us, occasionally) think if a little is good, a lot must be better, and get into trouble. I sure have.

I think the beeswax probably serves more to dilute the oil than anything. Diluted with solvent properly and add a little dark dye to it, and BLO works as an excellent wood furniture cleaner/restorer. Either way, the beeswax smells excellent, and is a great water repellent. Nice posts.

OK good LOL.

Nope, I did not feel insulted in the slightest. I'm only a 'utilitarian' maker and thus, make things that are generally plain and serve a dedicated purpose. On a rare occasion, I might make something that is suited to multitask but that's rare.

 

[pugs75]

How much of each do you blend?

I don't have any homemade blends or family secrets, I use saddle soap, neetsfoot oil and tankote. Are there better products out there that preserve the leather better?

David

I dont blend it, I purchase it done already, great product.

 

[leatherman]

Montanna Pitch Blend is one of the best out there, highly recommended. Smells wonderful as well.

Mental note for myself, GET MORE! As soon as I run out of Aussie Leather Conditioner that is, got a little bit to go.

On the concerns above, if its good for wood, it isnt necessarily good for leather. If it has a chance of hardening, it probably isn't the best choice for a flexible medium. That reason is the biggest reason I dont like any acrylic sealers, bag kote and tan kote is included in that reasoning. Wet the leather and it goes away, not a good thing. Bend the leather and it cracks and crazes, not a good thing.

My opinions, with some solid fact, take it how you want to.