Waterproofing test: This time a bit more scientific

[Echo4V]

I'm new to this leather working stuff so I could be off the mark here but I thought tan kote was what everyone prefered. I wonder how it would stand up to this test? I was just about to order my first bottle of it but now I'm thinking I may want the Aussie Conditioner instead.

[Rawhide]

Thank you. I use Aussie Wax on almost everything. I've been applying it on mystery braids I've been selling, and my coworkers, who've worn them around the coffee shop, have experienced some dye/stain bleeding. Of course, some of them were dunking their hands in the dishwater...

Holly, do you buff the dyestuffs off before you put the wax on? In talking with Peter Main, he says you have to buff the dyed leather after dying. For stains I use sheeps wool so I can get into the crevices. But just use a t-shirt rag and buff til your arms get tired, then buff some more until the dye stops rubbing off. Then you shouldn't have any bleed off, unless they get them soaking wet.

Marlon

[MADMAX22]

Good reveiw.

Ive been using obenaufs LP for a while now on my boots and jacket (motorcycle stuff) and it works great even when riding in the rain. Ofcourse it doesnt last to terribly long under those conditions but oh well. Im pretty happy with it.

[Gibbsleatherworks]

Great info.

I have a question though, Pecards has been recommended to me for motorcycle leathers due to its chemistry having no long term effects on the break down of leather. Are the other three similar in makeup? And how would the other three compare with longevity in mind?

[Happycrow]

Eagerly awaiting these results, as my old trick (hot-stuffing with lard) isn't usable now that I'm using dyes and such.

[MADMAX22]

Great info.

I have a question though, Pecards has been recommended to me for motorcycle leathers due to its chemistry having no long term effects on the break down of leather. Are the other three similar in makeup? And how would the other three compare with longevity in mind?

I dont know where the thread is but there was one that included a discussion on what was in alot of these products. As far as I know its the petroleum additives that some companies use that is bad for the leather and causes the breakdown. I cant for the life of me remember which companies had additives and which didnt and such. All I know is that pure neatsfoot oil didnt have anything in it.

Sorry not to useful but maybe try some searching around or someone else will remember what Im talking about and know where to find it.

[esantoro]

The Nine-Day Update

Nothing additional was added to the leather samples.

The following pictures marked with the Letter corresponding to the respective conditioner show how the water droplet beads immediately on the leather. One thing you notice is that the leather conditioned with Pecard and Obenhauf's begins immediately to absorb the water.

Edited October 28, 2008 by esantoro

[esantoro]

The Nine-Day UpdateNothing additional was added to the leather samples.The following pictures marked with the Letter corresponding to the respective conditioner show how the water droplet beads immediately on the leather. One thing you notice is that the leather conditioned with Pecard and Obenhauf's begins immediately to absorb the water.

This next set of pictures shows a time-elapse of 5 minutes. I forgot to amend the labels for clarification.

The next set of pictures shows a time-elapse of 5 minutes. I forgot to amend the labels for clarification.

This next stage of pictures shows a time elapse of 20 minutes:

Edited October 28, 2008 by esantoro

[esantoro]

The next set of pictures, amended with "1W," shows the water stain left behind after 20 minutes of exposure and the water bead wiped away:

This last set of pictures, amended with the "1W" underscored, shows a time elapse of approximately 40 minutes after the water bead had been wiped away.And....Our Survey Says?????????????????????????????????

Edited October 28, 2008 by esantoro

[esantoro]

This simple test doesn't do and can't do anything to test how well each conditioner affects the composition of the leather. It tests only the ability of the conditioner to repel water.

My review of the results, after nine days, suggests that the two least expensive conditioners -- Sno-Seal (first place) and Aussie Wax (second place) -- performed the best. Sno-Seal, which smells as if it has petroleum products that might not be very good for leather, apparently has none, according to its website, which states that the ingredients are all natural and completely healthy for leather. It even takes a stab at the higher priced conditioners as being just a bunch of hot air.

Ed