Any new ideas on oiling and treating a new saddle.

[Doug Mclean]

When I finish a saddle or any new piece made out of regular skirting leather I use exaltic acid to wash the leather. After that is dry (overnight). One generous coat of pure neatsfoot and then rub in some Ray Holes saddle butter as a finish. Maybe there is some new ideas out there that I haven't heard.

D McLean

[steveh]

What is exaltic acid? What does it do to leather and why do you do this?

[tonyc1]

What is exaltic acid? What does it do to leather and why do you do this?

He means OXALIC acid.

[Bob]

Oxalic acid is great stuff, mixed with water, I don't know how much exactly. I use about 2 tablespoons full in a large coke bottle, 2 liters/or half gallon. It works great for bleaching leather. Most stains you may have during and after construction, will disappear. Water stains, pencil marks and such. I doesn't take out ink marks or dye. It deals with minor stains caused by water and dirty fingers. Dirt stains and oxidized nail marks. Only use this on Veg tan leather.

We get it from the leather dealer in Calgary, it's cheap like water. Only don't drink it.

As for finishing a new saddle, thats all I do too. Except I don't use saddle butter. Although it sounds like a good idea. Perhaps that would get rid of all the squeaks in a new saddle...

regards

Bob

[raftert]

How yall doing,

My Grandfather used ( as do I ) 1 cup pure neatsfoot oil, 1 cup pure lanolin, 1 oz ceader oil, 4oz melted beeswax. Melt the lanolin and add to neatfoot oil in a blender on high add ceader oil then melted beeswax.Blend a few minutes and pour in jar or can.let harden. When you apply the neatsfoot oil and lanolin soaks in and this leaves a beeswax coating that does not leave heavy residue but will seal the leather.The ceader oil will help stop any mold or mildew.

Tim

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hey Steve,

if you use Oxalic acid be careful of a couple of things... first, it's extremely toxic and the warning label reads something like "if you use this, you will die". Don't put it in a spray bottle and be careful with rags that have dried after being in the solution as the residue seems to become airborn as soon as you do anything with the rag and will give you a severe choking reaction.

As was mentioned before, it's very useful for taking out small stains, especially the kind you get from having iron in your water (small black spots). Trying to make a strong solution of it serves no use as you really don't need much of the crystals mixed with water... I think Bob mentioned two teaspoons mixed in a two litre bottle of water which sounds about right. If that mixture doesn't take out the stain, a stronger one won't have any effect on the leather either. I've noticed that the solution has some sort of effect on leather that makes it harder to carve with a swivel knife. I've even noticed the leather being harder when stamping with a basket stamp or geometric stamp. I've used the stuff quite a bit and now I only use it after I'm done any carving that needs to be done. It can leave water spots like plain water so make sure if you are using it on a fender or skirt or any part of a saddle that you wash the whole piece with it (that's when I learned you don't want to put the stuff in a spray bottle... just about sent everyone and the dog to the hospital because I tried spraying it).

Darc