Help Concoct a Leather Conditioner Recipe

[cjartist]

Very cool.  Mine is cooling now.  I used a little more neatsfoot than 50%.  I stirred it when it was molten and then cooled a drop on the counter to check consistency.  My fear also is that it will not absorb.  I guess there are a couple of options with that.  One is to oil with neatsfoot first and then use this as a sealer.  The other would be to heat the item to melt the wax in.  I never wanted to go that route though as I feel heat might stiffen the leather.

[fredk]

How soft is your mix? and what is the [roughly] temperature at which you work?

Bees' wax melts at a very low temperature.

My mix is like very soft margarine. My working area is quite cold, about 18 degrees C [64* F ?] As you rub the mix in both wax and NFO will be absorbed by the leather. The NFO will go deeper tho leaving the wax nearer the surface, to be burnished. I have never yet heated either the mix nor item to get the mix into the leather, just rubbing it in is enough.

Rub some mix on a bit of thick scrap, then cut thru it and you'll see how deep it can go.

[NVLeatherWorx]

4 hours ago, cjartist said:

Very cool.  Mine is cooling now.  I used a little more neatsfoot than 50%.  I stirred it when it was molten and then cooled a drop on the counter to check consistency.  My fear also is that it will not absorb.  I guess there are a couple of options with that.  One is to oil with neatsfoot first and then use this as a sealer.  The other would be to heat the item to melt the wax in.  I never wanted to go that route though as I feel heat might stiffen the leather.

I have said it at least twice within this thread alone, if you apply heat do it with a hair dryer and just long enough to allow the wax and oil to settle into the leather.  This will not dry out the leather or stiffen it up.  If you apply your sealer to the leather and let it sit (while still "filmy") the oils from the NFO and the beeswax will penetrate into the leather.  This is not an instant/quick fix, it is a conditioner just like any other and requires TIME to be properly used for effectiveness.  I use a hair dryer all of the time when I am applying to dog collars so that it soaks deep into the pores of the leather and then I apply another coating (first one is heavy, second is normal) and allow it to sit for about 10 to 12 hours before buffing it.  I have never had any leather stiffen from the heat and allowing it to soak into the leather gives even 9-10 oz. strap a soft, supple feel just like a Chamois leather.

[fredk]

To re-enforce the above; if you need to apply heat you are only warming the leather and the mix - you are not taking it up to cooking temperatures

[cjartist]

9 hours ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

I have said it at least twice within this thread alone, if you apply heat do it with a hair dryer and just long enough to allow the wax and oil to settle into the leather.  This will not dry out the leather or stiffen it up.

Didn't mean to offend.  There are many different opinions on a lot of things.  Just look at the recipes in this thread.  But I will take your word for it.

Early on I was interested in masks.  Mask makers often wet mold and then dry it on low heat in the oven to stiffen it.  So that is where my belief comes from.  The entire purpose of this thread was to gather varied opinions and hash out the best solution.

Now the stuff that I made is still much firmer than margarine.  I did use it today and had to use a hair dryer to melt it in. I am used to using Belvoir leather balsam where you let it set for about ten minutes and then buff it.  So I will work on my consistency with the beeswax and NF mix until I get it right.

[JD62]

I would guess its the carnauba, we used to use it as a wood finish and once applied, with the heat from buffing it in got quite hard ( they use it under the oil on bowling allies ).

[johnv474]

One of the ingredients I use on some products is beef tallow, which is also a product made from the same animal.

[Grumpymann]

Any one know about adding lanolin to the mixture? I just whipped up a small batch of 50% bees wax and NFO and it works a bit better than NF compound. The way I see it leather is tanned skin and if its good for skin it may be good for leather. Going forward I would like to stay away from anything that can turn in a short amount of time (say 6 months to a year). And I really want to stay organic. 

Any ideas on Lanolin?

 

[cjartist]

Yes on lanolin.  I did not use it only because it is kind of pricey.  My favorite leather conditioner is pretty heavy in lanolin and after making this concoction, I think I may buy some and add it to the mix.

[garypl]

I use a mixture of beeswax, carnuba, neatsfoot oil, and lanolin - approximate ratios are 40% each beeswax and neatsfoot, 15% lanolin and 5% carnuba.  Melt together and pour in a jar to harden.  It's soft enough to scoop with your finger to rub it into the leather.

[Grumpymann]

55 minutes ago, garypl said:

I use a mixture of beeswax, carnuba, neatsfoot oil, and lanolin - approximate ratios are 40% each beeswax and neatsfoot, 15% lanolin and 5% carnuba.  Melt together and pour in a jar to harden.  It's soft enough to scoop with your finger to rub it into the leather.

Thanks.

[cjartist]

21 hours ago, garypl said:

I use a mixture of beeswax, carnuba, neatsfoot oil, and lanolin - approximate ratios are 40% each beeswax and neatsfoot, 15% lanolin and 5% carnuba.  Melt together and pour in a jar to harden.  It's soft enough to scoop with your finger to rub it into the leather.

Thanks here too.  That is pretty much what I have minus the lanolin.  Now I'm going to get that and add it too.

[Grumpymann]

I tried 40% NFO, 20% lanolin and 40% bees wax and I LOVE IT!