Hot Oiled Leather?

[bobkiss]

Does anybody heat oil and soak leather in it? How do you do it and what does it do? My wife says the "old timers" used to do it, well, I've got a wood stove, a cast iron pot and a jug of neatsfoot oil and I'm getting closer and closer to being an old timer everyday!

[TwinOaks]

Heating the oil makes it more fluid, which I suppose would make it penetrate faster. If you get it too hot, you end up with fried cow hide. I suspect it'd be really easy to over oil it, too. She may have been thinking of a hot wax and oil dip finish that was once common, and now sees most service in the SCA.

[dirtclod]

If you have pure neetsfoot oil it needs to be warm ( not hot ) to turn it to a liquid espically if it's cold. Neetsfoot compound works fine right out of the jug. You can for sure over oil something. I have seen several saddles ruined from over oiling. Plus it will get all over everthing it touches and leave a oil spot.

[UKRay]

Having said that, I use a deep fat fryer to dip my oiled straps. The basket makes a great drainer!

(I just don't turn it on LOL)

Ray

[lazybum]

If you have pure neetsfoot oil it needs to be warm ( not hot ) to turn it to a liquid espically if it's cold. Neetsfoot compound works fine right out of the jug. You can for sure over oil something. I have seen several saddles ruined from over oiling. Plus it will get all over everthing it touches and leave a oil spot.

You mean pure neatsfoot oil is not liquid under room temperatures? So fiebing's 100% pure neatsfoot oil is a scam?

[UKRay]

I don't think that is what Dirtclod is saying, Lazybum.

Tandy/Fiebings/whatever 100% pure neatsfoot is fine to use at room temperature (depending on how cold your room is!). Like most good quality oils (think automobile oil here), it gets quite a bit thicker when it is cold and may need to be warmed to improve viscosity and enable it to sink into the leather. Neatsfoot compound (a blend of oils) is a lot more forgiving IMHO, but I'd personally rather use the 100% pure sort as I feel it enables me to make a better product.

Ray

[lazybum]

Haha I see

Weather is on the warm side here, hence never had that kind of experience before

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Well, I guess I am an old timer! I have been using this heating method for over thirty years. I don't even remember where I or who told me about it. First I take a small (1quart) cast iron pot and put about 1 pint of pure neatsfoot oil in it, then I add 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to it. Next I put this pot on my grill and heat it till it begins to bubble. Then Very carefully, I bring it into the shop and with a doubled piece of sheep skin, I wipe it onto the parts that I am looking to rejuvenate. Be carefull not to apply it too liberally, a light coat will penetrate very well. I don't use this method on new leather, just the really old and dried leather saddles that come into my shop for reworking. It does a nice job of breathing some life into what was previously dead leather.

Bob

[UKRay]

I was only talking about new work, Bob. Warm neatsfoot oil is a great rejuvenator of old leather and I've used it myself occasionally when repairing old dry stuff. I have to say that most times I'd probably use Skidmore's on my repair jobs as it sinks in quickly and I get a nice clean finish pretty quickly. I ought to add, I don't tend to repair many saddles although I do get a fair bit of strap work.

Has anyone brushed on neatsfoot or do you all use rag or wool? Just interested...

Ray