neatsfoot oil thinner

[davek]

This is an answer I have been looking for for some time.

What would be a good "thinner" for neatsfoot oil? Something where you could paint the stuff on and the "thinner" would evaporate and leave a thin coat.

Thin coats of neatsfoot are the best for many or most applications and I have trouble getting it thin and getting it into all the nooks and crannies also.

Perfect example is the pouch sheath for a folding knife I just did. The shiney side of the leather won't absorb well so's I had to try to get it down in the sheath on the rough side and get it top to bottom evenly, hard to do.

It would have been nice to just sort of paint it in there and let the "thinner" dry an leave a thin coat which doesn't soften the leather and is better all around.

I know Lexol has something like this to thin the stuff (and is also neatsfoot COMPOUND). What do they use?

I'm about to start promiscuously cross posting this to different forums in search of an answer.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I don't use a "solvent" to thin neatsfoot oil. If I want it thinner, I just heat it up in a double boiler. The warmer it gets, the thinner it gets. Paint it on warm, wipe off any excess and job done.

Eric

 

[davek]

I don't use a "solvent" to thin neatsfoot oil. If I want it thinner, I just heat it up in a double boiler. The warmer it gets, the thinner it gets. Paint it on warm, wipe off any excess and job done.

Eric

That's a great idea, but do you end up getting too much in the leather sometimes? I've read that just a very small amount is sometimes best, especially if you want the leather to stay stiff.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

As Eric says, heat up the oil & the leather & apply, but from what you say about your worries of the oil soaking in too deeply (it will) I can't help thinking that prehaps the neatsfoot is not what you should be using, maybe a wax (such as bee's wax) would be much better, it protects & enhances the leather without drastically softening it.

 

[morch]

Would i be right in thinking that people use Neatsfoot Oil on their boots? Is this for water proofing and / or some other reason?

Sorry if i'm hijacking the thread

Dave

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Yes some use it on their boots, for waterproofing & keeping the leather supple.....personally, I don't put animal fats on my leather gear.........

 

[davek]

As Eric says, heat up the oil & the leather & apply, but from what you say about your worries of the oil soaking in too deeply (it will) I can't help thinking that prehaps the neatsfoot is not what you should be using, maybe a wax (such as bee's wax) would be much better, it protects & enhances the leather without drastically softening it.

Well, a way to minimize absorption is to dampen the leather, then apply. This works well. It stops a lot from soaking in initially and you can coat the whole piece. As the leather dries what's left soaks in.

My problem is that most pieces aren't just a flat surface and have hard to reach areas.

If I could come up with a safe solvent you could just paint the stuff on and leave it for a while. Lexol leather conditioner supposedly has somthing like this but also neatsfoot oil compound, which contains mineral oil.

Sheaths certainly will hugely benefit from a thin coat of neatsfoot.



People use neatsfoot oil on their boots to soften and preserve the leather. It really works. A thin coat on boots and they won't crack or open at the seams nearly as soon.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Can't agree with you there about the sheaths, to me it over softens the leather & leaves it dull & lifeless.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Can't agree with you there about the sheaths, to me it over softens the leather & leaves it dull & lifeless.

I have to agree. I've found the best way to keep sheaths pristene is to bull them with a decent boot polish and a yellow duster (spit and polish military style). That'll give a nice protective surface, a brilliant shine and keep the surface nice and hard.

 

[davek]

Well, a very thin coat I think would make it last longer. You could follow it with some melted beeswax to stiffen it up. I just today softened a pouch sheath for a folder and that type may be better for it. I dunno, I can be a bit anal.

Anyway, I've heard mineral spirits are poison to leather. What about acetone?

 

[The Ratcatcher]

Any solvent thinners will damage the leather to some extent. Not long after I left school, I did some work for a saddler and harness maker, who made up his own treatment. I may still have the recipe somewhere, so I'll have a look and see if I can find it. If I find it , I'll post it on here.

 

[northumbrian]

is dubbin worth a try ?

 

[tombear]

In a double boiler neetsfoot oil blends very well with beeswax and mutton tallow to make a leather polish. By juggling the amounts you can make it to whatever consistancy you want. Theres a tripe shop in Accrington where you can get raw neetsfoot oil (sold in reused pop bottles as a skin treatment to grannies mainly) so its worth asking if your somewhere where they still have such shops.

Oh I added a lump of pine resin to the stop it going off.

Works well

ATB

Tom

PS if you need a few ounces of mutton tallow drop us a line.