homemade leather treatment

[Wheelc23]

I'm trying to find the best natural oil to use in making a natural oil and beeswax leather treatment for veg-tanned leather. Any suggestions?

[Tugadude]

Olive oil works for that purpose.

[MADMAX22]

I use pure neatsfoot oil. Works pretty darn good. Cant remember the exact mix but it was some bees wax, parafin wax, and enough oil so that at room temperature it was about the consistancy of soft butter. Once you start rubbing it in it clears up and and thins out really well. Takes a while to dry but gives a nice finish that you can buff out some. 

[TinkerTailor]

For long term durability neetsfoot oil is the way to go. Get pure neetsfoot. The neetsfoot compound is not the same. The reason you use neetsfoot is it never oxidizes or goes rancid whereas olive oil will oxidize and go rancid over time. This why most leather treatments with organic oils like olive will include antibacterial agents such as certain essential oils in the recipe as well. There is other chemistry involved but this is as basic as i can get. If you want to use organic oil, almond and flax oil have both been used in the past, and rose oil is the creme of the crop. Not exactly cheap though. Spermaceti wax, made from sperm whale skulls was also known to be very effective in leather treatments......

Edited November 3, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[billybopp]

I use 50/50 neatsfoot and beeswax with a few drops of eucalyptus ... Just because I like the aroma.   I use a mason jar to hold the ingredients in while melting in a water bath in a crock pot.   When melted, pour out into some cupcake papers and there you are.   A very nice finish.  Not too shiny, not too dull, just right.  

 

[Wheelc23]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I appreciate it.