Water proof/Conditioner

[wlg1908]

I am trying to make my own water proof/ conditioner. But its not going to well. I was hoping a few of you would have an willing to share your recipe

[Northmount]

Have you tried searching for any recipes here?  There are lots of threads and posts if you care to search for them.  Lots of experience with recipes as well.

Tom

 

[Bert51]

•  

I use a paste that was given to me made from Neatsfoot Oil, Lanolin and Bees Wax. I do not know what amounts are used, but I know it's good stuff.

I know my boot are water proof and is kept in good condition.

Bert.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Bert51

[Bert51]

I did a search on this site and found that this subject has been raised before, I found this link

 

Bert.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Bert51
Spelling

[toxo]

Looks like good stuff.

 

[wizard of tragacanth]

I watched the video above, then watched linked videos and finally, landed on this one. Really good.

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by wizard of tragacanth

[TargetRockLeather]

I personally wouldn't use either of the recipes in these videos. Cotton and leather are entirely different materials. Solvents such as turpentine, mineral spirits etc should not be applied to leather. It's not necessary and does the opposite of conditioning the leather. Linseed oil or tongue oil I would also not use. These take weeks to "cure". During the curing time they leave a sticky gummy surface and when they do finally cure, they harden. It's great for wood but I can't imagine why anyone would want to do that to leather. My personal preference is a 50/50 mix (by weight) of beeswax and neatsfoot oil. I use a hair dryer to warm the surface of the leather (don't cook it) . I use a brush to rub the mixture into the leather. Let the leather absorb that and when it's cool, buff it with a soft cloth.

[toxo]

I think I've said this before, not a conditioner but normal silicone that you get in a tube can be diluted to whatever thickness you need. Can be painted on holey tarps for example. Can't vouch for food safe either.

[Bert51]

I have been using the Bees Wax , Neatsfoot Oil and Lanolin for as long as I can remember and so far none of my stitching has rotted through mildew or water damage (not counting stupidity either) and the leather I use is still waterproof and not hard and stiff.

When I need more all I do is give him enough Bees Wax Neatsfoot Oil and Lanolin to make two lot and I get one lot back, which I am very happy with.

Bert.

[Bert51]

I spoke to my friend earlier trying to get the quantities from him only to find I did not know he added one other ingredient to the mix, he said to made the paste it was Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits, but being the cunning old sod he is, I am still no wiser on how many parts of each to use.

Bert.

[TargetRockLeather]

1 hour ago, Bert51 said:

I spoke to my friend earlier trying to get the quantities from him only to find I did not know he added one other ingredient to the mix, he said to made the paste it was Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits, but being the cunning old sod he is, I am still no wiser on how many parts of each to use.

Bert.

I'm not picking on Bert here, this is just a general question: I'd like to understand what the purpose of adding turpentine is. I've seen it in several recipes but I don't see what benefit it offers to leather. Is it being used as the "carrier" to allow the beeswax and other ingredients to penetrate the leather? If so, then it's unnecessary because the neatsfoot oil accomplishes that already while moisturizing the leather. Turpentine doesn't make it more water proof and it doesn't condition the leather. So what is the purpose of this ingredient? I can somewhat see a potential benefit from adding lanolin, though I doubt it's any better than just neatsfoot oil. But why turpentine?

[Rockoboy]

On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 9:52 PM, TargetRockLeather said:

Turpentine doesn't make it more water proof and it doesn't condition the leather. So what is the purpose of this ingredient? I can somewhat see a potential benefit from adding lanolin, though I doubt it's any better than just neatsfoot oil. But why turpentine?

Pure gum turpentine has a nice smell (IMHO) to it, plus I think it would help to repel any sort of insect infestation. As for any real need, maybe you're right @TargetRockLeather, it may not be needed.

[Northmount]

15 minutes ago, Rockoboy said:

repel any sort of insect infestation

From Wikipedia " Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, wood turpentine and colloquially turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin from live trees, mainly pines. It is mainly used as a solvent and as a source of materials for organic synthesis. "

Doesn't seem to keep the pine beetle away from pines!  There is a huge infestation in British Columbia and Alberta.  And with how little actually gets absorbed by the leather, all there would be is a slight smell that some people would find attractive.  Maybe insects and rodents would also be attracted!

I would guess that it was used because it acts as a solvent and makes it easier to combine with beeswax and NFO.  It might be considered by some to be a little more natural than using varsol, or other petroleum based solvents.  But I wouldn't use it on leather.  Of course I know absolutely everything about leather!

Tom

[Bert51]

On 11/28/2019 at 12:52 AM, TargetRockLeather said:

I'm not picking on Bert here, this is just a general question: I'd like to understand what the purpose of adding turpentine is. I've seen it in several recipes but I don't see what benefit it offers to leather. Is it being used as the "carrier" to allow the beeswax and other ingredients to penetrate the leather? If so, then it's unnecessary because the neatsfoot oil accomplishes that already while moisturizing the leather. Turpentine doesn't make it more water proof and it doesn't condition the leather. So what is the purpose of this ingredient? I can somewhat see a potential benefit from adding lanolin, though I doubt it's any better than just neatsfoot oil. But why turpentine?

I have broad shoulder and water runs off me, as if I may be water proof.

All good TargetRock, I have been blindly using this conditioner for more then 20 years with out question my friend.

I asked him for the recipe and he laughed at me, again. So I asked what was in it and why.

1. Beeswax, conditioning, waterproofing and thickening

2. Lanolin, conditioning, waterproofing and moisturizing.

3.Neatsfoot Oil, conditioning, waterproofing and moisturizing.

4. Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits, used to thin the above ingredients to a usable paste.

This Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits is a special Turps, in Australia it is made from Gum trees and used mainly by artists using oil paints.

Bert.

 

 

[chrisash]

Would the gum be called "Gum Arabic" as used by painters etc and also in the food industry I think to thicken liquid up

 

[Bert51]

Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits is what Northmount said earlier.

10 hours ago, Northmount said:

From Wikipedia " Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, wood turpentine and colloquially turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin from live trees, mainly pines. It is mainly used as a solvent and as a source of materials for organic synthesis. "

Doesn't seem to keep the pine beetle away from pines!  There is a huge infestation in British Columbia and Alberta.  And with how little actually gets absorbed by the leather, all there would be is a slight smell that some people would find attractive.  Maybe insects and rodents would also be attracted!

I would guess that it was used because it acts as a solvent and makes it easier to combine with beeswax and NFO.  It might be considered by some to be a little more natural than using varsol, or other petroleum based solvents.  But I wouldn't use it on leather.  Of course I know absolutely everything about leather!

Tom

  The last time I used Gum Arabic, I was making the sauce for Heine Spaghetti.

Bert

Edited December 1, 2019 by Bert51

[paloma]

for people allergic to the smell of terebentine, it can be advantageously replaced by citrus terebentine.

for example:

https://www.toutallantvert.com/essence-decorces-dorange-solvant-vegetal-1l-kreidezeit-p-3172.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA5o3vBRBUEiwA9PVzapBCN0lPa0GyzgVesUQVZvvuHkgtP26gCsIeIeu4__xBmYp9IdEf3RoCNdoQAvD_BwE

Edited December 1, 2019 by paloma

[Bert51]

Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits is not like Turps you buy from the paint department from Paint your local Hardware Shop.

Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits, in Australia is made from Eucalyptus trees and from what I have read Pine trees in other parts of the world.

It's a specialised turps used by artists that paint pictures with oil paint, not enamel paint you use at home or to wash your brushes with, the Turpentine I use does not even smell like the other Turps.

As I said before please read NorthMounts post about it.

Bert.

[TargetRockLeather]

16 hours ago, Bert51 said:

I have broad shoulder and water runs off me, as if I may be water proof.

All good TargetRock, I have been blindly using this conditioner for more then 20 years with out question my friend.

I asked him for the recipe and he laughed at me, again. So I asked what was in it and why.

1. Beeswax, conditioning, waterproofing and thickening

2. Lanolin, conditioning, waterproofing and moisturizing.

3.Neatsfoot Oil, conditioning, waterproofing and moisturizing.

4. Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits, used to thin the above ingredients to a usable paste.

This Turpentine Pure Gum Spirits is a special Turps, in Australia it is made from Gum trees and used mainly by artists using oil paints.

Bert.

 

 

Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like the purpose of adding turpentine is to give the mixture a creamy texture which makes it easier to apply. You've been using it for 20 years and I have never tried it, so I should probably make a batch with turpentine in it before I voice my opinion I will try to find "Pure Gum Spirits of Turpentine" as other comments here have said it's not the same as the stuff I would buy in the local hardware store.