DIY leather conditioner

[Wepster]

I am guessing here, perhaps it breaks down the ingredients just a bit (assuming you use just a bit, in the wood finish its said to be a small amount) to aid in the blending of the wax and oil. Perhaps less stirring is needed?

[SUP]

@chuck123wapati you are perfectly right about adding solvents to oil based products - why would you? You want to soften the products, not degrade them. What is the advantage of that? I wonder what the end products are and how they will affect leather, the end products of degradation of the various oils and waxes I mean.

Anyway, why are we even talking about adding solvents to leather conditioners? It makes absolutely no sense! No one does it, except for miniscule amounts,  for like I said, fragrance or insecticidal properties - certainly not for its solvent properties!.

So maybe, just maybe, we should move on. 

 

Edited January 12, 2024 by SUP

[SUP]

I wonder if I write so badly that some people don't understand my posts? Some of the responses make no sense. 

Enough of grumpiness.

I have ordered several pounds of tallow and am just waiting to try it. Everyone has such praise for it, I had to get it. Not elk tallow though as @chuck123wapati uses.  I do not think we can get it for sale - we get beef, lamb, bison but not elk.

Does Tallow get very soft in summer? Here it gets pretty warm, so when I make the conditioner I want to be certain it will not get too messy in summer.

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2024 by SUP

[chuck123wapati]

22 minutes ago, SUP said:

I wonder if I write so badly that some people don't understand my posts? Some of the responses make no sense. 

Enough of grumpiness.

I have ordered several pounds of tallow and am just waiting to try it. Everyone has such praise for it, I had to get it. Not elk tallow though as @chuck123wapati uses. I do not think we can get it for sale.

Does Tallow get very soft in summer? Here it gets pretty warm, so when I make the conditioner I want to be certain it will not get too messy in summer.

 

 

 

 

tallow,  greases and oils all have specific melting points and is one thing that defines them as different.  I think tallow melt point is about 104 or so. the addition of wax will raise the melting point a bit.

I am in process of making soap with some of my Elk tallow lol. So far I have 36 bars of Lemon , Lavender and peppermint scented soaps with another 12 bars to be molded today. That will be enough bar soap for at least a year. I may make up a bit of conditioner just for shits and giggles. I still have several pounds to use up. I wonder now how hard it will be to render out some fish oils for experimental purposes lol. 

[SUP]

@chuck123wapati  And fish oils are supposed to be good for leather too -used in oil-tanning leather isn't it? At least, that I want is said in the literature. 

If I were in Nevada, I would have an issue with tallow as the temperature goes up to late teens there but here, it is positively balmy in comparison. So I will not need too much wax then. Thank you.

Edited January 12, 2024 by SUP

[deboardp]

5 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

I cant really see/understand adding a solvent/degreaser to an oil based product. The only thing i can see it would do is break down the oils and waxes to possibly help move them through the leather but they don't really need the help if mixed properly and at the proper ratios and applied correctly. Does it evaporate out at some point or stay in?  I guess I'm saying, the two are opposite in the intent of keeping good oils and greases in the leather, why would you add a degreaser to grease?

Exactly!

[SUP]

@chuck123wapati a bit off topic, but you said you use your tallow to make soaps - lemon, lavender, peppermint. Do you use essential oils for fragrance? 

 

[chuck123wapati]

36 minutes ago, SUP said:

@chuck123wapati a bit off topic, but you said you use your tallow to make soaps - lemon, lavender, peppermint. Do you use essential oils for fragrance? 

 

yes I just picked some up at the store but we did add some lemon juice as well to the one. I would like to try and make some someday but finding the time during the spring is difficult.

[SUP]

9 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

yes I just picked some up at the store but we did add some lemon juice as well to the one. I would like to try and make some someday but finding the time during the spring is difficult.

Making essential oils must be time consuming, isn't it? 

I'm actually looking for a leather or tobacco fragrance. I'm a bit tired of everything smelling of orange! I thought my leather  at least should smell a little different. Last week I added a tiny bit of a solid scent that I bought last month.  It is a paste so blends right in. Strong scent so only a little was needed - smells of leather and tobacco. If I don't get a good fragrance oil for a leather fragrance, I will probably continue to use it.

Edited January 12, 2024 by SUP

[jrdunn]

45 minutes ago, SUP said:

Making essential oils must be time consuming, isn't it? 

I'm actually looking for a leather or tobacco fragrance. I'm a bit tired of everything smelling of orange! I thought my leather  at least should smell a little different. Last week I added a tiny bit of a solid scent that I bought last month.  It is a paste so blends right in. Strong scent so only a little was needed - smells of leather and tobacco. If I don't get a good fragrance oil for a leather fragrance, I will probably continue to use it.

@SUP

Here is what I bought from Amazon.  I like it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071Y4CM3D/?coliid=I1QCOK7FF39BD1&colid=1AKLUS58CBF4H&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it