Care and feeding of Rough Out leather

[ScottWolf]

FYI/PSA, as I see it mentioned in a lot of discussions in the forum, Lexol leather conditioner IS neatsfoot oil per the MSDS ( 70-80% water and additives, 5-10% neatsfoot oil)

https://www.mws-d.com/images/PDF/2307286.pdf

 

Edited August 12, 2020 by ScottWolf

[johnv474]

I am one of the people that regularly recommends Lexol, so I'd like to add some thoughts.

5-10% neatsfoot oil isn't really the same as saying Lexol IS neatsfoot oil. Lexol contains neatsfoot oil (good), and water (good), and is also the correct pH for leather.  It is superior to any individual oil, including neatsfoot oil, coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, etc.  The water it includes is good because leathers have particular moisture levels to be maintained, and processes like dyeing can dry it out.

I put 5-10% sugar on my Raisin Bran, but that doesn't mean Raisin Bran IS sugar.

For what it's worth, neatsfoot oil is often included in British Museum Leather Dressing, which was based on a 50 year long study of museum conservation of rare leather books.  When you have priceless books you don't eant to deteriorate, you do your research to ensure they are well-protected.

Additionally, if you own a Ferrari (don't we all?), or many, many other premium automobiles, Lexol, specifically, is the conditoner recommended by the factory.

The patent that was awarded to Lexol was based on the property it has of not migrating out of the leather, unlike most of the other individual oils.  My understanding is that Lexol is, effectively,  a replacement for what was considered perhaps the best leather conditoner: whale oil, which is no longer legal.

In the years that I sold leather conditioners and related products, I never once had a complaint about Lexol.  It can be safely used on nearly every leather without discoloring or damaging it.  It is among my favorite products (though, in fairness, there are many many good products out there, and most of them contain one or more of a dozen or so common ingredients).  Frankly, I'm just glad it's not petroleum-based.

It is not a waterproofer, however, just a conditioner.

Thank you for looking up the MSDS.  I found many, many useful MSDS reports from Weaver Leather's website, for lots of the common conditoners and products.  That has helped guide my recommendations.

Edited August 13, 2020 by johnv474

[ScottWolf]

2 hours ago, johnv474 said:

I am one of the people that regularly recommends Lexol, so I'd like to add some thoughts.

5-10% neatsfoot oil isn't really the same as saying Lexol IS neatsfoot oil. Lexol contains neatsfoot oil (good), and water (good), and is also the correct pH for leather.  It is superior to any individual oil, including neatsfoot oil, coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, etc.  The water it includes is good because leathers have particular moisture levels to be maintained, and processes like dyeing can dry it out.

I put 5-10% sugar on my Raisin Bran, but that doesn't mean Raisin Bran IS sugar.

For what it's worth, neatsfoot oil is often included in British Museum Leather Dressing, which was based on a 50 year long study of museum conservation of rare leather books.  When you have priceless books you don't eant to deteriorate, you do your research to ensure they are well-protected.

Additionally, if you own a Ferrari (don't we all?), or many, many other premium automobiles, Lexol, specifically, is the conditoner recommended by the factory.

The patent that was awarded to Lexol was based on the property it has of not migrating out of the leather, unlike most of the other individual oils.  My understanding is that Lexol is, effectively,  a replacement for what was considered perhaps the best leather conditoner: whale oil, which is no longer legal.

In the years that I sold leather conditioners and related products, I never once had a complaint about Lexol.  It can be safely used on nearly every leather without discoloring or damaging it.  It is among my favorite products (though, in fairness, there are many many good products out there, and most of them contain one or more of a dozen or so common ingredients).  Frankly, I'm just glad it's not petroleum-based.

It is not a waterproofer, however, just a conditioner.

Thank you for looking up the MSDS.  I found many, many useful MSDS reports from Weaver Leather's website, for lots of the common conditoners and products.  That has helped guide my recommendations.

I think you're being pedantic here. Lexol IS neatsfoot oil. That is the principal leather treatment in the product, per the MSDS. At the end of the day, that is what is useful to the leather. The whole point of mentioning this is that if used in moderation, if one has a bottle of neatsfoot oil vice Lexol, that its accomplishing the same thing. Not to mention that an entire bottle of neatsfoot oil is comparatively less cost wise than a bottle of Lexol, as one is getting more actual neatsfoot oil at the end of the day. People will recommend to "use NFO or Lexol" often when commenting, as if they were two distinctly different products, when in fact, they are actually the same product(NFO); it is a redundant statement.

[LatigoAmigo]

Chocolate syrup--100%; chocolate milk--5-10%.

Edited August 13, 2020 by LatigoAmigo

[RockyAussie]

31 minutes ago, LatigoAmigo said:

Chocolate syrup--100%; chocolate milk--5-10%.

Ya forgot the egg white

 

[Frodo]

1 hour ago, ScottWolf said:

I think you're being pedantic here. Lexol IS neatsfoot oil. That is the principal leather treatment in the product, per the MSDS. At the end of the day, that is what is useful to the leather. The whole point of mentioning this is that if used in moderation, if one has a bottle of neatsfoot oil vice Lexol, that its accomplishing the same thing. Not to mention that an entire bottle of neatsfoot oil is comparatively less cost wise than a bottle of Lexol, as one is getting more actual neatsfoot oil at the end of the day. People will recommend to "use NFO or Lexol" often when commenting, as if they were two distinctly different products, when in fact, they are actually the same product(NFO); it is a redundant statement.

Lexol is made from rendered cow brains and neats foot is made for rendered cow shin bones and feet

they are not the same thing but are the same thing  like a steak can be a porter house or a t bone they are both steaks but are different parts of the cow

[johnv474]

3 hours ago, ScottWolf said:

I think you're being pedantic here. Lexol IS neatsfoot oil. That is the principal leather treatment in the product, per the MSDS. At the end of the day, that is what is useful to the leather. The whole point of mentioning this is that if used in moderation, if one has a bottle of neatsfoot oil vice Lexol, that its accomplishing the same thing. Not to mention that an entire bottle of neatsfoot oil is comparatively less cost wise than a bottle of Lexol, as one is getting more actual neatsfoot oil at the end of the day. People will recommend to "use NFO or Lexol" often when commenting, as if they were two distinctly different products, when in fact, they are actually the same product(NFO); it is a redundant statement.

Definitely not interested in arguing over semantics.  I am offering my experience and research, as well as others' expertise that has been shared with me, to help those who would welcome my suggestions.  That said, I am not an expert.  You are welcome to ignore my comments and advice.

Lexol is not interchangeable with neatsfoot oil.  Their applications, pros and cons are different.  I know this from both research and firsthand experience using them both on hundreds or thousands of my own projects, several years selling both products and getting feedback from customers, as well as comparisons with the hundreds of other products I sold for the years I worked as a wholesaler and retailer in this industry.  In that role, my job was to help people (newbies to professionals) to get better results in their projects and to repair damage caused by others.

Somewhere I still have the article written by, IIRC, one of Lexol's engineers, explaining the differences between Lexol and other plant, animal, and petroleum-based oils, and the reason they were granted a patent.  At the moment I am not particularly inclined to find or share it, however. Those who care can do their own research.

I am not an expert or a leather chemist, just a guy giving free advice so you get what you pay for, bro.

[ScottWolf]

If the neatsfoot oil is taken out of the Lexol conditioner, it is no longer a leather conditioner( per the MSDS of ingredients). If you take the raisins out of the raisin bran, it is no longer raisin bran. Again, the point is that both Lexol and NFO accomplish the same thing, much like making copies or Xeroxing a document, or like Kleenex and facial tissue. Call it what you want, but its the principal ingredient and the end state(results) is the same. 

[LatigoAmigo]

4 minutes ago, ScottWolf said:

its the principal ingredient and the end state(results) is the same.

...and the earth looks really flat from here.

[Sheilajeanne]

9 hours ago, Frodo said:

Lexol is made from rendered cow brains and neats foot is made for rendered cow shin bones and feet

they are not the same thing but are the same thing  like a steak can be a porter house or a t bone they are both steaks but are different parts of the cow

Where did you get that from, Frodo? That is NOT what the MSD sheet says! 

And I really wouldn't want someone substituting cow brains for my T-bone steak!