Oil finish

[Brushpopper]

Is neatsfoot oil or olive oil enough of a finish for leather?

[TwinOaks]

A little more info please. What type of leather, what application, what kind of expected exposure to the elements?

[Brushpopper]

A little more info please. What type of leather, what application, what kind of expected exposure to the elements?

Hi, Twin Oaks. The leather is veg. tan tooling leather. The item is a holster. Exposure to the elements could be considerable!

Your thoughts would be welcome....

[TwinOaks]

For holsters, it'll do. Some folks (Freedom, Lobo, are two that I know of) use only the oil for a finish. Others (BOOMstick, Shorts.....) use acrylic finishes. Still more use tan-kote/bag-kote. Personally, I prefer Aussie Conditioner, with a top coat of leather balm.

[esantoro]

If exposure to leather is considerable, I would suggest dunking the leather in top coat #200, then neatsfoot at the appropriate time. then tuff kote at the appropriate time. then possibly aussie wax or similar to top it all off.

I've never tried this approach, just throwing out an idea that peaks my curiosity but may have some legs to it.

always test on scraps.

ed

For holsters, it'll do. Some folks (Freedom, Lobo, are two that I know of) use only the oil for a finish. Others (BOOMstick, Shorts.....) use acrylic finishes. Still more use tan-kote/bag-kote. Personally, I prefer Aussie Conditioner, with a top coat of leather balm.

[jbird]

I have done it either way and they each have ups and downs to me I like a nice coat of dye then oil then tan kote, and the dye is a take it or leave it depending on color.

Josh