finish on saddle

[steve mason]

Howdy;

Wondering what all you saddle makers use for a finish on you saddles, I am currently using 100% neatsfoot oil, then for a finish I use tan cote, just a light coat hitting the high spots of the carving. I find this puts a nice gloss to the carving. If there is a better way I sure would like to hear it.

On personal items (belts, daytimers, photo albums, wristcuffs etc) I oil first, then antique, then I put on neat lac, I don't use neat lac on anything that goes on a horse.

Anyways, I would like to hear what you guys use on your saddles.

Thanks Much

Steve

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hey Steve,

On saddles that I know are going to be used a little less and kept a little cleaner I do the same as you with the tan kote. If I know the saddle is going straight to work and is going to be covered in dust and dirt most of the time, I don't bother with the Tan Kote... pure neatsfoot oil and a good coating of R.M. Williams.

I find alot of the finishes look nice when put on but wear off unevenly or don't allow oil to penetrate very easily.

Darc

[ryan]

Which brand neatsfoot oil do you use? I have had best luck with neatsfoot compound but want to start using 100% again if I could find one with better results.

Also, when you do your floral carving, what is your process for finishing to give it that rich brown color. I am a really big fan of oil, neat lac, antique, then tan kote. I too don't want to put any neatlac on a saddle so do you forgo the resist all together or do you use another type of resist?

Ryan

[bruce johnson]

Steve,

I am with Darcy and you. Pure NF oil and TanKote. I had a problem with not labeling a squeeze bottle. I put Resolene on my calf roping saddle. Ryan Cope and Dennis and David saw it when they were here. It made a sticky oozing mess on the tooled corners, the basket stamping has stayed OK. I figured eventually the dust would absorb enough of the ooze to be OK. It finally did, but is a hard crust now. Thumbs down from me on Resolene. One of these days I am going to soap it up and see if it will clean up.

On the roughouts I oil and then use a light application of Williams, let it solar age for a couple days, and do a second application. I haven't had a bleedoff like I got sometimes with Saddle Butter or Hide Rejuvenater used on roughout.

[Bob]

All I've ever used is Pure NF oil and tan cote.... I'm with you guys, why fix it, if it an't broke?

However, while in Sheridan. I got talking with the lady in the booth with Bee Natural. Turns out that TL puts some stuff in their NF oil thats not so good. Pork fat.... You can see it when it settles to the bottom.... She may have been just up selling their products, but I may take a closer look at that and try their products... If it says "Pure Neatsfoot Oil" and it's NOT, then whats goes? That nice lady also said that their Neats foot oil has an additive to prevent any mold or mildew... Thats not usually a problem around here, it's usually too dry and the problem is getting enough water back into the leather. Especially if the rig comes in covered with grease and dryed out.

It would be good to hear from some of you others about this point.

[greg gomersall]

neetsfoot and tan kote. Greg

[Todd]

100% NF and tan-kote for me. I find NF compound is not good for the stitching. On an interesting side note I know a maker who was using vegetable oil and even peanut oil until recently when he moved his shop from town to his farm and an abundance of mice there allowwed him to discover that they have an affinity for vegetable oil and especially peanut oil and have teeth that can chew through the toughest of leathers.

[hidepounder]

Why don't you guys like using Neat-Lac on carved saddles....never heard that before? Is the concern not being able penetrate the finish with oil again?

Edited November 15, 2008 by hidepounder

[superchute]

ok here's a Question how about the Bee natural leather RTC in the place of neatlac. For saddles and little thing

Russ

Edited November 15, 2008 by superchute

[Go2Tex]

Neatsfoot oil and Tankote and then on plain saddles, I've been using Bick 4. Resolene is a good resist but I use it very sparingly on the carving because it does seal the pores of the leather and inhibits penetration of oil as well as antique.

The resolene makes things look like plastic but I found that deglazer works good for taking the shine out.