Leather Conditioner Recipe?

[lightingale]

I sell tooled dog collars online, and I think it might be nice to send along a small container (like a lip balm container) of homemade leather conditioner with each purchase.

I'm imagining something with the consistency of butter, that you can dip your fingers into and rub in with the warmth of your fingertips. I've dabbled in making hand balms for the skin (beeswax, shea butter and almond oil), and the recipe could probably be modified for leather.

My thoughts for leather conditioner ingredients are:

Beeswax (just enough to get the butter consistency, maybe 30-40% of the total?)

Oil - Olive? Peanut? With a touch of neatsfoot?

Vitamin E drops - a preservative

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[humperdingle]

Whatever they put in Fiebings Aussie Conditioner... It's a great product.

[Alamo]

Personally, I would stay away from oils that come from plants like olive oil; I feel as though they might potentially go rancid, expedite stitch rot, and encourage bacteria and mold growth in your leather. Stick with neatsfoot oil for sure.

[Dwight]

I use a 50/50 by weight: virgin beeswax and neatsfoot oil for some of the rigs I make, . . . especially if the owner enjoys "period correct" stuff.

That (at least I was told so many moons ago) is an ooooold recipe for a leather finish / conditioner, . . . and whether my info is correct as to age or not, . . . I do know it is a wonderful product.

If you fudge just a bit on the oil, . . . a bit too much, . . . it can have a consistency similar to wax shoe polish, . . . and works in really nice. Give it a while to set up a bit, . . . hand polish, . . . works great.

I do mine in a glass jar warmed in a thrift store crock pot.

Try it, . . . you might like it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Andrew Chee]

Google British museum leather dressing. It's basically fats and waxes emulsified in a solvent (I use mineral spirits instead of the nastier hexane). You can vary the recipe with different amounts and types of waxes to get different properties. My current batch has some carnauba wax in addition to beeswax which gives it a shinier finish. It looks and feels very much like bridle leather but with a slightly drier hand. Try it out. At least it will be a good starting point into what should go into a conditioner.

Andrew

[lightningad]

I use a 50/50 by weight: virgin beeswax and neatsfoot oil for some of the rigs I make, . . .

sorry in advance - i just can't resist asking...how do you know your bee is a virgin?

[Chief31794]

sorry in advance - i just can't resist asking...how do you know your bee is a virgin?

You have to ask them!

Chief

[Cyberthrasher]

That's great!!!

Are you set on having a homemade conditioner??

Montana Pitch Blend is GREAT stuff!! They offer cases of sample size jars like you're mentioning - perfect for sending out with your items.

[Alamo]

If you want to go with stuff that's already made, I would also recommend Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP

From their website, they are offered in 8oz jars and gallon buckets, but I have seen them in 4oz jars and sample sizes. Might be able to order some of the sample sized from them direct to package with your items.

Checked eBay, and there is someone who is selling the sample size, but the shipping on them is killer

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Obenaufs-Heavy-Duty-Leather-Preservative-Sample-/160991220875?pt=Apparel_Merchandise&hash=item257bd3148b&vxp=mtr

[shtoink]

sorry in advance - I just can't resist asking... how do you know your bee is a virgin?

According to me sources, the only one getting after it in the hive is the queen?

Did this whole bee thing make anyone else think of

?

You know, since the bee communicate through dancing...

Maybe it's just me with my off-beat sense of humor.