Tips On Applying A Light Coat Of Oil

[gringobill]

I'm interested in hearing how some of you apply the proverbial "light coat of oil," and evenly to veg tan. In my case it's HO veg tan and I use extra virgin olive oil and apply it with a trimmed piece of sheep skin. I get along fine if I want to end up with a project that's slightly darkened. My problem comes when I want the project to end up pretty light colored. I antique most of my work. Pure neatsfoot oil turns HO veg tan a darker reddish tone, which is good when that's what I want and for some projects. But when it come to getting a light, even coat of EVOO a lot of the time it seems I end up with some darker spots. It seems that the standard method of application is with a piece of sheep skin. Do some of you only use the sheep skin until the actual "skin," starts to get saturated and then switch to a fresh piece where the oil is only loaded into the fibers?

Thanks in advance!

Bill

[bruce johnson]

Bill,

I use a fine napped paint roller and a tray. I pour my oil in, then roll it off on the ramp until I get the amount I want on the roller. If you really squeeze it out you will get a pretty light coat. Then roll it on the piece. That is pretty much how I do everything that can lay flat. I don't get swirl marks and what little overlap there is evens out pretty fast.

[dirtclod]

I use a piece of trimmed sheep skin and put it over the evoo bottle turn the bottle over and pull the sheep skin across the mouth of the bottle and they turn out nice i think. You might try some lexol to.

[Suicide]

I use either like dirtclod piece of shearling or just a dauber depending on the project size. Just saturate applicator and then apply onto the leather. Had no stain problems neither with NF nor with EVOO.

[gringobill]

Bill,

I use a fine napped paint roller and a tray. I pour my oil in, then roll it off on the ramp until I get the amount I want on the roller. If you really squeeze it out you will get a pretty light coat. Then roll it on the piece. That is pretty much how I do everything that can lay flat. I don't get swirl marks and what little overlap there is evens out pretty fast.

Bruce, thanks for the paint roller idea, that sounds like it would work. I will give it a try on some scraps and try to figure out how much oil is needed on the roller. Where I have issues is on smooth veg tan rather than on tooled pieces. As we know person needs to be more cautious in applying oil to tooling because it will soak it up a lot quicker and more freely than smooth parts. Blotches that aren't excessive don't show up as bad on tooling as they do on a smooth area. And you can put quite a bit more on the smooth parts without it darkening.

I thought I had the perfect idea one time and bought a kitchen salad oil pump sprayer and thought I could spray it on evenly.....not! That thing spayed it out in a real coarse spray rather than a fine mist, more like in globs. So much for that idea. It does work on salad though.

Thanks everybody for your responses!

Bill

[Suicide]

Where I have issues is on smooth veg tan rather than on tooled pieces. As we know person needs to be more cautious in applying oil to tooling because it will soak it up a lot quicker and more freely than smooth parts.

Just a crazy idea but however.... for smooth areas ... have somebody tried to apply oil onto only flesh side keeping grain untouched?

btw these spots you see with EVOO might be caused by uneven leather\s density though....

[colttrainer]

try warming your oil, it breaks down the fat deposits in the oil. penatrates the leather more evenly, uses less oil. This was done for Jan. challange on here, I gave it a light coat of NF oil after. Extra,extra virgin and it would have been super light.

Al

[gringobill]

Suicide, the blotching could be due to variations in the leather? It seems like it happens more often on real thin stuff like 2-3 oz HO veg tan that I use for lining.

I noticed a weird think in some 5-6 oz that I'm making a briefcase out of. While I was carving/stamping the corners, notice little black flecks/spots in the swivel knife cuts when I beveled them. There was nothing like it visible on the suface. It was something within the leather. It wasn't isn't a problem but I don't recall ever noticing that before. I am wondering if I is just a weird side I got or something from a certain breed? I've just never seen it in my life.

Colt Breaker. I have warmed my oil before and know that it sure penetrates/soaks in alot faster when you do that. It can get pretty chilly in my garage/shop this time of year even with a heater going and the EVOO is kind of thick. So a little warm sure wouldn't be a bad idea! I need to start paying more attention to that and take the time to prep the oil before I use it.

Thanks ya'll!

[colttrainer]

I keep my oil in a small crock pot, turn on low first thing, on the days I am doing all my finishing.

[gringobill]

I keep my oil in a small crock pot, turn on low first thing, on the days I am doing all my finishing.

That's a good idea. Least I could do is keep it in the house, that would help some.

Thanks for the idea!

Bill

[katsass]

I'm interested in hearing how some of you apply the proverbial "light coat of oil," and evenly to veg tan. In my case it's HO veg tan and I use extra virgin olive oil and apply it with a trimmed piece of sheep skin. I get along fine if I want to end up with a project that's slightly darkened. My problem comes when I want the project to end up pretty light colored. I antique most of my work. Pure neatsfoot oil turns HO veg tan a darker reddish tone, which is good when that's what I want and for some projects. But when it come to getting a light, even coat of EVOO a lot of the time it seems I end up with some darker spots. It seems that the standard method of application is with a piece of sheep skin. Do some of you only use the sheep skin until the actual "skin," starts to get saturated and then switch to a fresh piece where the oil is only loaded into the fibers?

Thanks in advance!

Bill

FWIW from the grumpy old guy; I use an airbrush. I stand off the project a short distance and give it a once over, and then get the hell away from it until (at least) the next morning. As soon as the oil hits you can see darker and lighter areas and, of course, the initial intention is to do it again to even things out. DON'T. I force myself to stay away for at least 12 hours. This gives the time needed for the oil to penetrate and even the saturation and color. It takes that long for the oil applied to the surface to wick through the fibers of the leather and disperse evenly. Keep it in a warmish area to aid in the process. I just finished a 56" gun belt (had to use half a cow for the damned thing) in a combination of thinned down Fiebing's Saddle Tan with a shot of Fiebings Dark Brown in it. Immediately after spraying with oil it showed some pretty good variations in color, but it got locked up out of the way 'till the following sunrise. Ends up nice and uniform. JMHO Mike

Edited February 16, 2012 by katsass

[pete]

Give BEE NATURAL saddle oil a try. It doesn't darken at all! All I use since Chan Geer showed it to me. Best stuff ever.

pete

[gringobill]

FWIW from the grumpy old guy; I use an airbrush. I stand off the project a short distance and give it a once over, and then get the hell away from it until (at least) the next morning. As soon as the oil hits you can see darker and lighter areas and, of course, the initial intention is to do it again to even things out. DON'T. I force myself to stay away for at least 12 hours. This gives the time needed for the oil to penetrate and even the saturation and color. It takes that long for the oil applied to the surface to wick through the fibers of the leather and disperse evenly. Keep it in a warmish area to aid in the process. I just finished a 56" gun belt (had to use half a cow for the damned thing) in a combination of thinned down Fiebing's Saddle Tan with a shot of Fiebings Dark Brown in it. Immediately after spraying with oil it showed some pretty good variations in color, but it got locked up out of the way 'till the following sunrise. Ends up nice and uniform. JMHO Mike

Mike, thanks for the reply and the airbrush idea. I have been out of town for a few days. I tried to respond to this thread while I was gone with my phone and it showed my response to you was sent but doesn't show up here? Anyway, I have wondered about spraying on oil with an airbrush and was wondering if it would spray properly, I was concerned it might be too thick. Maybe it needs to be warmed a little, then sprayed. I have used an airbrush before but never in my leatherwork. I may have to get another one and give it a shot. I can see how that would be a good way to apply oil and control the application. I know exactly what you are talking about when the areas turn different shades when you apply oil and the temptation to keep messing with it rather than leaving it alone and be absorbed on it's own. That's a sure fire recipe for applying too much oil.

Pete, thanks for the tip on Bee Natural Saddle Oil, I've heard of it but have never used it. i will probably get some and give it a shot.

Thanks everybody!

Bill

[particle]

If you don't want it to darken, use Lexol. It won't darken the leather.

[terrymac]

Have to agree with Pete, Bee's Natural Saddle Oil is the best I have ever used. Doesn't darken at all, if anything it will give the leather a golden "hue". Try it and you won't use anything else.

Terry

[katsass]

Mike, thanks for the reply and the airbrush idea. I have been out of town for a few days. I tried to respond to this thread while I was gone with my phone and it showed my response to you was sent but doesn't show up here? Anyway, I have wondered about spraying on oil with an airbrush and was wondering if it would spray properly, I was concerned it might be too thick. Maybe it needs to be warmed a little, then sprayed. I have used an airbrush before but never in my leatherwork. I may have to get another one and give it a shot. I can see how that would be a good way to apply oil and control the application. I know exactly what you are talking about when the areas turn different shades when you apply oil and the temptation to keep messing with it rather than leaving it alone and be absorbed on it's own. That's a sure fire recipe for applying too much oil.

Pete, thanks for the tip on Bee Natural Saddle Oil, I've heard of it but have never used it. i will probably get some and give it a shot.

Thanks everybody!

Bill

Bill, I use the absolute cheapest airbrush made. It's the 'Quick Change' set from Harbor freight. Runs on a hard fart --- very little pressure needed. I shoots neatsfoot oil, oil dyes and spirit based dyes easily. 'Taint very adjustable, but after a bit of practice you can do some stuff like this if you don't mind a bit of overspray on your table. Mike

[gringobill]

Bill, I use the absolute cheapest airbrush made. It's the 'Quick Change' set from Harbor freight. Runs on a hard fart --- very little pressure needed. I shoots neatsfoot oil, oil dyes and spirit based dyes easily. 'Taint very adjustable, but after a bit of practice you can do some stuff like this if you don't mind a bit of overspray on your table. Mike

Guess I'll swing by Harbor Freight and check out what they have. I'm a regular there anyway. I have a compressor so maybe I won't have to rely on fart power but it's good to know that's an option.

That's a nice looking rig there with the dark tinted edges, kind of like a sunburst guitar. It's kind of "space age," looking with the scope sight in the pistol, cool!

Thanks again from one old fart to another,

Bill

[Sylvia]

Runs on a hard fart --- very little pressure needed.

<coffee spew>

ha ha ha ha ha!

[Suicide]

Runs on a hard fart --- very little pressure needed.

Just imagined that setup!

[Colt Hammerless]

Gringobill, if you're going to Harbor Freight, check out their double action airbrush. It's normally 25 bucks, but I believe it's still on sale for around $17. I need to go take a look at one myself. I've heard they're pretty good. And if it's not on sale, you probably have a mountain of 20% off coupons from HF laying around, if you're anything like me. If I didn't live in a warm part of AZ, I'd probably heat my home with those things.

Colt Hammerless