How Do You "tan" Leather When Finishing?

[RoosterShooter]

I've heard a few holster makers who use either Neatsfoot Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil when finishing their holsters. Then, they "Tan" the leather somehow so that it gets a darker hue to it ... similar to 'suntanning'.

Is that exactly what it is? Can I apply Neatsfoot, and let it sit in the window sill for a couple of days to give it a 'sun tan'?

[David8386]

I am not sure but some people have talked about neats foot oil and then putting it out in the sun. I usually do neats foot oil and then a finish but I have played with some practice pieces with just neatsfoot oil and left out and it does darken some. I did one with linseed oil just to see what it would do. It got a little darker than neatsfoot oil. I don't know how they would wear with just oil. Hopefully someone will answer that has done it a lot. Good luck

David

[TwinOaks]

Yes, 'sun tanning' is really just that - It's exposure to UV. You'll have faster results leaving it in direct sun, than in a window as the glass blocks some of the UV.

[cem]

Yep like TwinOaks said, in summer in our harsh West Australian sun I can get a really nice tanned hue in a couple of hours. I put a light coat of neatsfoot oil then put it out in the midday sun for couple of hours then put another light coat of neatsfoot on and finish the next day with a light coat of Montana pitch blend.

There are some types of leather it works better on I've found Hermann Oak to give the nicest hue some of the cheap stuff goes a muddy light brown if you want to try it try scraps first. The piece of leather in my avatar picture was done this way.

[RoosterShooter]

Thanks for the replies.

Can I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as well?

I have one bottle of Neatsfoot Oil, but I have to order it online because it isn't available locally. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available at any grocery store.

[footrat]

You don't have a sporting goods store? Look in the baseball glove section.

[cem]

Thanks for the replies.

Can I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as well?

I have one bottle of Neatsfoot Oil, but I have to order it online because it isn't available locally. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available at any grocery store.

Yep you can use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as well a lot of the holster makers use it, I've used it a couple of times when I've run out of Neatsfoot tends to give a lighter hue compared to Neatsfoot.

[ivarian]

Yep like TwinOaks said, in summer in our harsh West Australian sun I can get a really nice tanned hue in a couple of hours. I put a light coat of neatsfoot oil then put it out in the midday sun for couple of hours then put another light coat of neatsfoot on and finish the next day with a light coat of Montana pitch blend.

There are some types of leather it works better on I've found Hermann Oak to give the nicest hue some of the cheap stuff goes a muddy light brown if you want to try it try scraps first. The piece of leather in my avatar picture was done this way.

I do the same thing but in Italy the winter is so long and cold :-))

[AfroCrafter]

Thank you so much for all of these comments.

We battle to get a range of dyes and finishes in South Africa and so I will definitely be trying the olive oil technique.

Thanks guys,

Alex