TALLNDN

For general consumption https://www.nkunaturals.com/blogs/nkus-skincare-blog compares Shea butter and Cocoa butter. Although the discussion there has no focus on leather, Cocoa butter attributes seem best for working leather (cowpoke stuff and backpacks) while Shea butter might tip the scale for more delicate items. It's a "U=PIKem", but informative and interesting.

Thanx. Being a Western Oklahoma Geek, I'll always try to reduce things to the simplest level (science?) . There's a LOT of viscosity data available online, all of which show seed oils roughly the same at room temperature. Canola is thickest, EVO is "mid range". Then there's a gap after which Almond, Peanut and Walnut are very close to Pecan Oil - the least. Roughly the same relationships hold regarding "substance internal molecular friction" (again - roughly - lubricity). As it heads toward becoming cold, Canola again leads the pack, becoming "sticky" rather rapidly. My thought is: All of this backs your formula as elegant. Leather is a relatively dense collection of fibers rubbing together when moved. I think that as whatever seed oil is used reduces viscosity and internal friction of lubricants (cocoa butter, lanolin) as they "penetrate" (get into and between fibers) resulting in it beng more supple, and therefore - "conditioned". Then as the seed oils degrade or evaporate, additional "conditioning" is needed. Furthermore, almost all of the MSDS sheets I can find of the common "conditioners" show significant (almost shocking) amounts of petroleum products in their formulae. Petroleum products (mineral oil, paraffin, petroleum distillate etc.) will chase moisture and natural oils from whatever they encounter. That will wick lubricants OUT of the leather, making it eventually crack, rot or degrade in some fashion.

Thanks a heap. I notice in the recipe you include "(or similar non greasy scented oil)" Going to have to try the almond oil along in an experiment (fooling around) I've got going. Couple of days ago I ran out of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO). Just for the heck of it, I smeared some cooking-grade peanut oil onto a scrap of 6oz veg tanned leather. In making stir fry, I've often observed the very low viscosity of peanut oil, so the speed with which it INSTANTLY penetrated clear through the scrap shouldn't have surprised me. But it did. It was as though the 6oz veg tan wasn't much more than a filter. So - tried Canola Oil to virtually no effect. Got more EVO. Relaxed the veg tan some not great but some. But the peanut oil caused the 6oz veg tan to become relaxed that same sample to just plain FLOPPY. I also use Walnut oil for shellac finishing fine wood pieces - going to try that also and document results in a week or so. What I really want to know is: has anyone else on this site tried alternate seed oils, and if so - to what effect in finishing, especially with Tan Kote. anyone?