Making Your Own Conditioner

[iknowshaun]

Hi all,

It's been a few months since I've really dived back into leatherwork and started making belts again. Ususally I used to use dubbin to condition the leather but after trying a few different things and reading up alot on these boards and other sources I decided to make a mixture of beeswax, neatsfoot oil, dubbin and a small bit of parrafin, which once melted together forms a vaseline like textured conditioner. So I've been rubbing this onto the front and back of my belts, it goes in great and the leather absorbs it and seems to like it. The thing I'm worried about is how do I know this mixture isn't weakening the leather in the long term or isn't good for it in the long term? I've had a belt for 5 months with it and it rocks but obviously if I was to sell a belt I'd want to know it's done no harm to the leather.

An example of this would be, firstly I was trying olive oil in the conditioner and while it works great on the belts I then read it can cause the leather to rot in the future! So I substituted with neatsfoot oil.

So does anyone have any knowledge on whether or not anything I'm putting into the mixture can have an adverse affect on the leather in time?

Any additions to the mixture or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Shaun

[Hi Im Joe]

You will hear some conflicting information. There are people who have used olive oil for years and have had no problems.

[marine mp]

Shaun, all the products that you use in you own concoction have been used for millenium and then some. Neatsfoot is used extensively today as is olive oil. Belts have a lifespan that is prolly in the time frame of maybe 5 years????? I doubt that anything other than acetone or anything corrosive will damage the belt in that time. Just remember, the cow wore this garment for a lot of years, and he was out in the rain, snow, sleet, hail etc. He probably rubbed up against barbed wire, got mud and everything else on the hide that we can't mention and he couldn't ruin it. I doubt that we can ruin it outside of drying it out to much with applied heat. Overthinking this is something that we all do and we loose copious amounts of sleep over it. Make yer belts and sech and protect it as you best know how. The customer will be the benefactor of a great product!!!! Semper-fi Mike

[Red Cent]

http://workingperson.com/leather-cleaner-bear-grease-conditioner-and-waterproofing.html#details

[Toolingaround]

Hi Shaun

When I started out I made all sorts of concoctions, various combinations of bees wax, olive oil, pine pitch, turpentine, lanolin you name it. It was fun but nothing beats Lexol products in my book. I use Lexol non darkening neats foot oil and Lexol conditioner in the brown bottle. They absolutely do what they say they will. They are amazingly versatile and most important, they don't migrate out of the leather they bond with it. I have all sorts of my DIY stuff and other commercial products that I have tried that sit on the shelf most of the time now. Just my two cents from some one who has done the do it yourself route.

That said leather finishing is a very personal choice and I think it is cool there are so many ways to do things :-)

Cheers, Toolingaround

[iknowshaun]

Thanks for all your replies. 'Hi im Joe' , I've heard the same thing and yeah there's loads of conflicting info out there, I'd love to think it doesn't as I really like the way it works on leather, I've got a belt hanging that's had it for ages so I'm keeping an eye on it.

Marine mp, that story on the cow had me laughing man, yeah you're right, the cow has probably put it through alot more than a waist will and I'm probably overthinking it, I'll let you all know if it turns out to be the wonder conditioner, ha ha or as Toolingaround mentioned, I fall back on neatsfoot oil, which I'm really fond of too. Yeah there's so many different products and ways to do it, I think being spoilt for choice is the the problem here and I'm trying to use everything!

Thanks for all your comments and wisdom

Cheers

Shaun

[iknowshaun]

Oh and Red Cent, thanks for the link, never tried it and I'll keep my eye open for some of it in the UK, recently bought some fiebings mink oil for oiling wallets and card holders, it's pretty cool too and smells kinda good.

Cheers

Shaun

[WyomingSlick]

Shaun, all the products that you use in you own concoction have been used for millenium and then some. Neatsfoot is used extensively today as is olive oil. Belts have a lifespan that is prolly in the time frame of maybe 5 years????? I doubt that anything other than acetone or anything corrosive will damage the belt in that time. Just remember, the cow wore this garment for a lot of years, and he was out in the rain, snow, sleet, hail etc. He probably rubbed up against barbed wire, got mud and everything else on the hide that we can't mention and he couldn't ruin it. I doubt that we can ruin it outside of drying it out to much with applied heat. Overthinking this is something that we all do and we loose copious amounts of sleep over it. Make yer belts and sech and protect it as you best know how. The customer will be the benefactor of a great product!!!! Semper-fi Mike

Frankly, your bull story is just that,.........a bunch of bull! The hide on a cow, or any animal is a self renewing, self-repairing, living part of that animal, AND the cells in in are in a process of continually being replaced till that animal dies. That is the reason that you are not the same person that you once were. Nearly every cell in your body is replaced many times over your lifespan.

Leather, on the other hand is DEAD ! From the moment, an animal dies, there is no renewal or healing happening, thus it begins a process of decomposition. Leave the dead animal out in the weather, and the hide will decompose in a matter of months in some climates. It will be attacked not only by insects. but also by microrganisms that will hasten the process. The best we can do is slow down the process.

All methods of preserving leather are a trade off. You wish to preserve the leather, but at the same time you need the leather to be suitable for it's intended purpose. A carved leather picture that hangs on a wall will call for a differant method of preservation than a leather jacket that you are going to wear often. A pulling harness for an elephant will call for a differant dressing than a purse that some lady carries on her arm. Think ........ BEAR GREASE....good for some items, not so good for others !

Some dressings that are applied to leather do actually damage the leather in the long run, but meanwhile they keep the leather supple, or tough, or shiny, or perform whatever desired function....for an acceptable life of the item. A leather worker needs to fit the finishing process to fit the demands of the intended use. A fancy carved belt worn for "dress up" may well call for a different finish than a utility work belt that will be exposed to harsher conditions and stresses. It is a fact that museums who are most concerned with preserving old leather items for historical purposes use much differant methods from leatherworkers to keep the items from decomposition.

[marine mp]

My futile attempt at humor may have been lost on MontanaSlick, the jist of the post remains. What was old is now new. Preserving leather is as old as creation and most of the products that "iknowshaun" spoke of are the tried and true products that have withstood the test of time.

While the lesson on epidermal regeneration by MontanaSlick was most appreciated, I believe we knew how it works. Stay tuned next for the lesson on "which-came-first, the chicken or the egg". Semper-fi Mike

[WyomingSlick]

LOL Next lesson:

Really now! I guess the knowledge hasn't filtered down to the Barheads yet, or perhaps you are also a creationist, since you also seem to have the silly idea of "Creation" in your noggin.

Obviously the egg came first......... since dinosaurs laid eggs........and chickens evolved from dinosaurs after many millions of years of egg laying. That is called "science".......... just as geography is the knowledge of locations whereby a person may know the differance between Montana and Wyoming.

Edited April 24, 2014 by WyomingSlick

[marine mp]

Just as I figured!!!!! You are a funny man indeed. And I thot I had some weird ideas, chickens from dinosaurs, science, indeed!! Oh, and the "barhead" thing, ???????? Aparently you were looking to give me a compliment.....us "jarheads" gotta stick together, you know. Out here. Semper-fi Mike

[Hi Im Joe]

LOL Next lesson:

Really now! I guess the knowledge hasn't filtered down to the Barheads yet, or perhaps you are also a creationist, since you also seem to have the silly idea of "Creation" in your noggin.

Obviously the egg came first......... since dinosaurs laid eggs........and chickens evolved from dinosaurs after many millions of years of egg laying. That is called "science".......... just as geography is the knowledge of locations whereby a person may know the differance between Montana and Wyoming.

STOP CONFUSING THE ISSUE WITH LOGIC!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't take it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Cent]

I'm lost. I thought this was a leather worker site. Sorry.

[iknowshaun]

Thanks for the comments all, sux it kinda kicked off on the thread but that's what opinions are about I guess. learnt something from everyone.

Take it easy.

Thanks

Shaun

[Hennessy]

war did th dino sawers come from ?