A Homeade Leather Finish (Similar to SnoSeal). Thoughts are welcome.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
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So - I watched a video and did some research on making a bees wax paste that I could use for my sheaths and masks (axe).

I settled on this recipe:

3 parts bees wax
1 Part Boiled Linseed Oil
1 Part Turpentine.

I made about 8 ounces in a double boiler and let it cool for a day. I used it on the following axe mask:

image2_zps23c3b12b.jpeg


image3_zpsb6f34e36.jpeg


It results in a bit stiffer leather than Montana Pitch Blend - but goes on thick and with a little heat (I leave it outside in Houston out of the direct sun) and it soaks in very deeply.

The above mask was dyed Saddle Tan (Oil Based Feibings) and seems to result in a little darkening - but not much.


Any others use this or a similar mix?

I also used to wax a few cribbage boards and have seen it used on canvas. It does a very good job at both.

I wager Chuck will chime in here - but any advice would be great if necessary.

TF
 
You had me till turpentine.

As an old school artist I have seen what long term use of Turps do to a persons hands and system. I wonder what it does to leather.

Not a "dont do it!!!!" but a concern based on past experience.
 
Hopefully we will get some more info, I'm not dead set against it, I'd like to hear more about its long term effects on leather. :)
 
jaymack9100 said:
Maybe some neatsfoot oil and parifin instead of the turpentine.
Click to expand...

That's similar to my finish. I use equal parts beeswax and paraffin with enough neats foot oil to make it into a hard paste....not goopy like mink oil paste, but just soft enough that you can mash some out with your finger. I heat my sheaths in the toaster oven on lowest setting (150 I think) till very warm and rub the finish on heavy. Back into the oven for a few minutes lets it soak in quickly. Any spots that didn't get drawn in I can heat with a hair dryer or just massage into the sheath. My finish will darken quite a bit so I've had to thin my brown dyes back so that they don't go too dark.

I believe the neat's foot oil is the culprit with the darkening.

I would also like to see what others say about the use of turpentine and BLO.
 
Not sure about the turpentine. I think SnowSeal contains some silicon, too. Works well for me. I melt it in with a hair blower (an old one -- my wife gets touchy when hers gets gooped up with wax:o).
 
How did the wood of the cribbage board drink up the mixture?

On a side note, do you make cribbage boards as well?
 
Nice job. When I used Turp. it seemed to shorten the life of the leather if used outdoors or gets in the rain, I love the Neatsfoot. KT
 
Wood loves turpentine, but its made from trees.

Leather loves fats and oils made from animals, but its made from animals.

Logic: yea, I took that in college and its scarred me for life! :p But it makes an argument with a debt collector a hoot!
 
This is why Aristotle thought Rocks fell. They loved the ground - because they were part of it.

Same reason feathers fall slowly. ;)

TF
 
Rocks love my feet too, I must be a distant cousin. :p
 
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