Is conditioning necessary

[DaveP]

I've made a couple knife sheaths and after reading more some put on a conditioner on. I  haven't.  Is it necessary? I cut the leather,  dyed, assemble, and finish with 50/50 Resolene.  Do I need a conditioner before the Resolene? Or another option?

Thanks again 

[fredk]

I highly recommend a 'conditioner'. All that work has drawn out the natural oils from the leather, They need replaced to keep the leather in continued good condition

I use a mix of bees wax and neatsfoot oil. I rub it on with a cloth. Let it sit awhile, then buff it off. I do it as a final finish, after resolene or other sealing, it gets into the leather ok.

[DaveP]

Thanks... didn't realize you could condition after Resolene.  Currently don't have anything to condition with.  So I haven't totally messed it up!

[Dwight]

Fredk's experience has not been the same as mine.

Resolene is an acrylic finish, . . . in a common word, . . . plastic.

If it is applied correctly, . . . it will totally cover and encapsulate the product.  

Think of putting something in a plastic bottle, . . . sealing it up, . . . then try to get it wet or dry, . . . 

See the problem???

If you want to condition and  have it work 99% of the time like it should, . . . when you cut your blanks, . . . or at the latest when the item is getting ready for dye, . . . give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil with a bristle brush, . . . I only coat the hair side if I can reach it, . . . if not, where I cannot, I'll coat the flesh side, . . . but it is done sparingly because the flesh side will soak up the oil really quick and will take a lot of it.

This will also tend to smooth out the color of especially light browns like Feibings Saddle tan.

May God bless,

Dwight

[DaveP]

So far I've put on one very light coat of the 50/50 mix. 

Looking at neatsfoot...there's a lot of options.  Which one do you use? 

I found Feibings has a 32oz jug for $14.99 ... neatsfoot oil conditioner. 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by DaveP

[fredk]

On here many of us recommend PURE neatsfoot oil, not compound as that has petroleum distillates in it which may be detrimental to the leather

Edited May 11, 2020 by fredk

[DaveP]

Okay sounds good. 

 

Thanks again 

 

[chuck123wapati]

for holsters and sheaths that are going to be used out doors I use a coat of neat's-foot oil then a good quality leather waterproofing  like feibings golden mink oil, sno seal, etc. most are beeswax oil combinations and smear it on then heat it up with a bow dryer to melt it in. 

[lostcaggy]

@fredk what ratio neatsfoot to beeswax do you use? Do you heat the oil before adding beeswax? How do you apply?

Sorry for barrage of questions

[fredk]

1 hour ago, lostcaggy said:

@fredk what ratio neatsfoot to beeswax do you use? Do you heat the oil before adding beeswax? How do you apply?

I have no ratios. I melt beeswax, put in some carnauba wax and add nfo until I get a creamy mixture. I have 2 grades; soft and hard. Hard is used as a final finish. Its put on with a cloth, rubbed in, left for a while then buffed off. The Soft is used when I think the leather needs more nfo feeding and also along stitching as its easier to rub into the stitch holes and thread.

I made several pounds of each mix years ago and even when I'm generous in application I don't use much of it