Leather conditioner question

[kZook]

I am thinking about making up some of my own leather conditioner. I currently use Obenaufs oil and LP on stuff and I really like it. But I am not a big fan of the sweet honey sent it has. I was thinking of making a balm mixture of my own with using some of the Obenaufs oil and beeswax and adding some essential oils for a less honey smell. I was thinking to maybe make a more flowery smell for the ladies and a more masculine smell for the guys products. Has anyone tried this and what oils did you use? 

[TargetRockLeather]

I use my own mixture of beeswax and neatsfoot oil. I personally wouldn't want to add anything to give it a different smell. Many people, myself included, like the smell of leather. Just watch someone pick up a new leather item for the first time. One of the first things they will do is sniff it! I would be careful covering up that smell.

[fredk]

8 hours ago, kZook said:

I am thinking about making up some of my own leather conditioner. I currently use Obenaufs oil and LP on stuff and I really like it. But I am not a big fan of the sweet honey sent it has. I was thinking of making a balm mixture of my own with using some of the Obenaufs oil and beeswax and adding some essential oils for a less honey smell. I was thinking to maybe make a more flowery smell for the ladies and a more masculine smell for the guys products. Has anyone tried this and what oils did you use? 

 

7 hours ago, TargetRockLeather said:

I use my own mixture of beeswax and neatsfoot oil. I personally wouldn't want to add anything to give it a different smell. Many people, myself included, like the smell of leather. Just watch someone pick up a new leather item for the first time. One of the first things they will do is sniff it! I would be careful covering up that smell.

I too use a beeswax neetsfootoil mix, but I add some carnauba wax. Initially the cream when applied has a mild beeswax smell but that disappears and the true smell of leather comes through.

I agree too that people lift up goods and sniff it to get the leather smell.

An old trick which was used in the second hand car trade years ago is to give the old leather a wipe over with Imperial Leather soap. No one does those tricks in the 2nd hand car dealerships here anymore

[JRodz]

Like Target and Fred, I use 100% raw filtered beeswax, 100% pure neatsfoot oil, and 100% pure carnauba wax but I add tea tree and lemon essential oils and a little glycerine into the mix for penetration, cleaning, anti-fungal/mold purposes. I use pharmaceutical grade products, some people even use my stuff on their skin with great result, but I just use it on leather. The recipe above does not darken leather much if at all but it gives it depth, moisture, and a good feel (not sticky or tacky) when polished.

Experiment, you’ll come up with your own recipe.

[johnv474]

Tea tree oil and cedar oil are both known to have some antiseptic or antibacterial properties.  I like the smell of cedar, less so the tea tree.

For purely sensory reasons, I would look for scents that are commonly preferred, such as lavender, cinnamon, citrus, or mint.  That said, plain veg tan often has a woodsy scent so I might also consider a wood oil, if such a thing exists per se.