Mineral oil bad for leather? Or good? Or neutral?

[SUP]

@fredk That's a good report for a single location. For you too, mineral oil (baby oil) has stiffened quite  bit.

I have used Vaseline on several items that I made for home use - they get wet off and on but do not seem to absorb any. So for leather that will get wet for short periods, Vaseline is evidently a good water repellent.

It has not rained here recently, unfortunately. so cannot do the next test just yet. Keeping watch on the weather. As soon as rain I predicted I will start the Vaseline test. I plan to check after 1 hour in the rain, 2 hours and so on for a few hours, to see what happens. I will be very specific about the thickness of leather used, maybe use different thicknesses. Shopping trip tomorrow for that, methinks.

 

[fredk]

We are getting enuf rain for both of us!  Its raining in between the showers, and when its not raining it teeming down 

I think I will copy you and do several pieces of leather with vaseline on them. I, too, want to check the waterproofing

Having written that now the rain will stop for a few weeks!  

 

[SUP]

That is what happened here too.  

[fredk]

01:30

I just cut a piece of 1.5mm - 4oz into 5 unequal sized pieces and coated them liberally with vaseline, front, back and edges

Tomorrow, later today, I'll figure out how to present them to the rain (if)

[fredk]

I checked the leather. The vaseline has been absorbed into the leather leaving just a slight slickness on the surface

and, the weather forecast, and indeed, is for no rain. A weekend of cold & sunshine. 5% chance of rain  

[SUP]

 Yep. That is how we humans control the weather.

Another way is to get the car cleaned and waxed - it is sure to rain that day - did so even in bone dry Nevada!

 

Edited April 27, 2024 by SUP

[fredk]

There was a small amount of rain during last week but I was otherwise busy and never got the Vaselined pieces out. I got them out today but there is no rain forecast

[SUP]

They forecast rain this week but dry as ever although the air is very humid.

I have the leather ready. I live in hope!

[fredk]

There was misty rain this morning and I checked the vaselined pieces

Most strange; the control piece showed 100% water absorption, as expected, but the test pieces are in a range from 5% to 100% = 5. 10, 25 75, 100% 

I'll dry them and try them again

[SUP]

Oh. I wonder why. Do you think multiple layers of protection might work? I mean some oils or waxes and then Vaseline?