Your thoughts: oils

[Slowhand Bob]

What are your thoughts on oiling leather?  Do you prefer neats foot oil, olive oil or something completely different?  I am mostly thinking about use as part of an overall finish rather than continuing care products.  I'll go first, I use neatsfoot oil but keep planning to try some olive oil on an experimental basis.  I do not like to stuff the leather with heated oil but rather prefer a single liberal coat applied with a wool swatch to medium or heavy leather.  I will dye over this application and possibly add another lighter coat of oil if the leather is thick enough.  I only oil the grain side of most projects and if liners are used the liner side is oiled very lightly with a wrag.  Unlike many, I have never had a complaint with neatsfoot oil on my leather as long as it was applied correctly.  What are your opinions on plain oil finishes?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

All I've ever used is neatsfoot oil or saddle soap. I know there are a lot of other things available, but I like to keep it simple.

[Kid Cavalier]

Nearly 20 years of playin with leather.  All my teachers said to use Neatsfoot.  I apply it then any dyes.
If olive oil was supposed to be good for leather then why don't I see it advertised in the industry publications?
I'll be stickin with Neatfoot, it aint broke.

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[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pards,

Let me respectfully, but firmly disagree with the use of Neat's Foot Oil on leather!  NFO was intended to prevent horses' and cattle's hooves from cracking.  As such, since it it used primarily on living tissue (similar to your fingernails), it doesn't matter if the hoof softens too much, since the hard materials are replaced by more tissue.

NOT so on tanned leather.  Neat's Foot Oil will eventually rot the fibers of the leather, and make it fall apart!    I personally have use Lexol Leather Conditioner, IN MODERATION, on all my topgrain cowhide products (holsters, belts, accessories) since 1975, with excellent results.  Even in a dry climate a limited application (spray or wipe on) of Lexol Leather Conditioner applied once a year will usually do the trick.  Of course, you may want to apply the stuff when the leather has been thoroughly wet, such as in a rain or snow storm, AFTER the leather has been dried AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

OLD leather that has dried to the point where it is cracking or the surface flaking is probably irrecoverable!   It too bad, but if it gets that far, it is probably too late!

Hope this is of some interest and help!

[Nolan Sackett]

NOT so on tanned leather.  Neat's Foot Oil will eventually rot the fibers of the leather, and make it fall apart!    I personally have use Lexol Leather Conditioner, IN MODERATION, on all my topgrain cowhide products (holsters, belts, accessories) since 1975, with excellent results.

With all due respect Lexol Conditioner is sulphanated (or sulphurated ? never remember which) Neats Foot Oil.

At least two professional saddle makers have had laboratories do exhaustive tests with neatsfoot and mink oil on leather and the old "it rots it" has been scientifically disproven WHEN IT WAS USED PROPERLY. Also personally I've repaired several thousand pieces of leather over the last 45 years, including harness which starts out with a high oil content, and have yet to see proof that the oil was the culprit when rot occurred, except when over oiled. Sweat is a much bigger problem in my experience as is pure neglect

ANY oil can/will ruin leather if over done - IIRC the optimum oil content of leather is around 18-20% +/- depending on the intended use. Too much oil and the cell walls can be broken down. It doesn't actually cause it to rot, but rather weakens the cell walls and thus you get loss of the leathers integrity. For this reason I use I recommend Lexol Conditioner to non-pros since it is hard to over do it, unlike the pure oils which can be fairly easily over done. The "trick" is as Trailrider noted is plain and simply MODERATION  - just don't over "love" your leather!

In my shop I use do use neats foot, olive oil, and Lexol, dependent on the "look" I want. Kid C - olive oil has been used for leather for several thousand years, lots of things aren't included in modern trade journals in big part because of where the money is. Olive oil gives a nice finish that oxidizes faster than most other types.

As for oiling before dying - I've noted this method is used by others in order to get a more even dye job, BUT PLEASE do not do this if you are not using a GOOD seal coat. On an unsealed piece the oil will act as a carrier for the dye and it WILL bleed, especially on a hot day...........

[Slowhand Bob]

Good information Nolan, thanks.  Kid Cavalier, you once posted pictures of holsters that you said used neatsfoot oil and Weavers Oil Darkening Liquid, if memory is correct.  These were a beautiful finish and I'm wondering if there is a small lot ratio that you use, or is it something you guys mix only in the large batches recommended in the catalog?

[Nolan Sackett]

Bob - yes you can mix the oil darkening liquid in small amounts. The less ODL the lighter the oil of course. I like about a 25-30% mix of the liquid to the oil. I'd suggest starting out with a tablespoon or two of the ODL to a cup of oil (I like to use olive oil but have used everything else including Lexol) and add more up to a 50/50 mix.

The carved slim Jim I did for my DVD was finished with that oil/ODL mix over a couple of coats of walnut dye.....

[Kid Cavalier]

Slowhand,
We get the neatsfoot oil pre-pigmented from DYO chemical. (For consistency)
I have used the weavers oil darkener before though.  I made small sample batches until I got something I liked.