How do you preserve leather?? Any good conditioners available? This is maddening!

[typepatrick]

So it seems everyone has there favorite leather conditioners..... Here's my frustrations......  Firstly: I'm looking for a more natural product to put on footwear. I don't want petroleum based. Secondly: It seems hardly anyone is willing to list ingredients. (Secret family recipes........) Thirdly: there is endless debate of what substances one should put on leather. I've read don't use waxes, since they inhibit breathability and can dry out leather. Others, say don't use vegetable oil bases since they will oxidize and decay the leather. I'm so frustrated feeling left with no choices!!! Any one know of good science that addresses appropriate preservation ingredients? Any help is appreciated!

[Alaisiagae]

What kinds of leather goods are you wanting to treat? 

[SaddleBags]

I use Skidmore's leather conditioner for most leathers, and Ray Holes Saddle Butter for latigo - type leathers.  I buy it by the case and use it like it was free. Stay away from "conditioners"  that have alcohol and anything "gimicky".

[fredk]

1 hour ago, typepatrick said:

So it seems everyone has there favorite leather conditioners..... Here's my frustrations......  Firstly: I'm looking for a more natural product to put on footwear. I don't want petroleum based. 

neetsfoot oil, aka nfo, = oil made from the feet and lower legs of cattle. Neet is an old English word for cattle. Use pure  nfo, not compound. NFO keeps the leather fed with necessary oils

beeswax = bee processed honey. A bee is fed honey which it turns into wax. Its water soluble at high temperatures but at normal temperatures its a solid. Beeswax helps waterproof (slightly) and keeps the nfo in the leather

carnauba wax = from the palm tree, helps add hardness to the soft beeswax

 

1 hour ago, typepatrick said:

So it seems everyone has there favorite leather conditioners.....

It seems hardly anyone is willing to list ingredients. (Secret family recipes........) 

Mix the three together. Beeswax & nfo in almost equal amounts and about a teaspoon full  (about 5 ml) of carnauba wax to 4 oz of beeswax

 

1 hour ago, typepatrick said:

. . . . Thirdly: there is endless debate of what substances one should put on leather. I've read don't use waxes, since they inhibit breathability and can dry out leather. Others, say don't use vegetable oil bases since they will oxidize and decay the leather.

yup, there is a lot of that. Tales told but these are all tales told over and over again with no proof of their truth or not . . . . 'oh, I was told by my wife that her cousin was told that the friend of one of her workfriend's brother's bowling team said that putting olive oil on his leather gloves rotted them away in a week'

Vegetable oils may be detrimental to linen thread but today almost everything is sewn using nylon or polyester which are not affected by these oils. I have experienced leather that someone was treating with olive oil and after a period the oil was going rancid.

Edited August 20, 2020 by fredk

[ScottWolf]

On 8/20/2020 at 8:17 AM, typepatrick said:

So it seems everyone has there favorite leather conditioners..... Here's my frustrations......  Firstly: I'm looking for a more natural product to put on footwear. I don't want petroleum based. Secondly: It seems hardly anyone is willing to list ingredients. (Secret family recipes........) Thirdly: there is endless debate of what substances one should put on leather. I've read don't use waxes, since they inhibit breathability and can dry out leather. Others, say don't use vegetable oil bases since they will oxidize and decay the leather. I'm so frustrated feeling left with no choices!!! Any one know of good science that addresses appropriate preservation ingredients? Any help is appreciated!

I just posted an actual recipe on how to make an all natural conditioner in the forum here that addresses conditioners. Here is the link to it:

 

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by ScottWolf

[jcuk]

Whats wrong with the old standard 

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Metropolitan-Leather-Feedhttps://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Metropolitan-Leather-Feed

Hope this helps

JCUK

[fredk]

1 hour ago, jcuk said:

Whats wrong with the old standard 

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Metropolitan-Leather-Feedhttps://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Metropolitan-Leather-Feed

Hope this helps

JCUK

I'm getting a 'THE PAGE YOU REQUESTED CANNOT BE FOUND!' with that link

Edited September 1, 2020 by fredk

[stelmackr]

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare

 

[jcuk]

2 hours ago, stelmackr said:

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare

 

Thanks for that

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Metropolitan-Leather-Feed

https://www.metropolitanleather.com/buy-finishes/Buy-leathercare/Modern-Hide-care

sorry had to try again

JCUK

[Sheilajeanne]

Lanolin comes from sheep's wool. Surprised it isn't used more often in leather care products. When I was a kid, it was in the shampoo my mom used on everyone in the family!

The ads said: "Have you ever seen a bald sheep?"   

 

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by Sheilajeanne