BLO for leather or which kind

F

Frank01

Joined
Sep 9, 2015
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Hi Guys

Should I use BLO for the leather cover for the axe? Kitchen oil? motor oil? or which kind do you recomend?

Thanks in advance
 
I'd recommend sticking to leather-specific products. My favorite is Chamberlain's Leather Milk.

If you want a nice waterproof sheath, I hear a lot of people like Sno-Seal, and I really like the Kiwi mink oil product. And some folks will use a BLO-beeswax mixture as well. But I thought I read somewhere that BLO could hurt the leather. I have no idea if there's any truth to that though.
 
Years ago I had a custom holster made by a fella out west, who did good work and obviously knew his way around leather. I asked him what was the best thing I could use on my new holster to keep it preserved, and without hesitation he told me to use Lexol. So that's what I've been using on all my leather ever since, and I have no complaints. It is a preservative, rather than a water proofing treatment, though.

Back then I had to seek out a saddle shop to find it, but now they sell it at Walmart in a handy spray bottle for yuppies with leather seats in their SUVs. :D
 
Having worked leather for the past 8 years or so, I've used a fair amount of different products.

Best I've found thus far is Neatsfoot oil followed by (after the Neatsfoot oil has absorbed) Sno-Seal for a waterproof finish. The Neatsfoot oil restores moisture to dry leather, and prevents it from cracking, and the Sno-Sea (bees wax based) weather proofs it.
 
The maker of the best sheath I've ever had also uses neatsfoot oil. Very good for getting quality moisture/oils into the leather.

Make sure it is pure.
 
Pure neatsfoot oil if you don't mind it getting darkened. They have leather conditioners like lexol and meltonan makes a good one as well as bickmore number 4. Those do not change the leather color other then when first applied. These are not the best for waterproofing. Wax based treatments are best for waterproofness but often change the color.
 
SC T100 said:
I'd recommend sticking to leather-specific products. My favorite is Chamberlain's Leather Milk.

If you want a nice waterproof sheath, I hear a lot of people like Sno-Seal, and I really like the Kiwi mink oil product. And some folks will use a BLO-beeswax mixture as well. But I thought I read somewhere that BLO could hurt the leather. I have no idea if there's any truth to that though.
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Mink or other animal based fats are OK on leather but be aware that the fatty acids in them will damage the stitching. Should be fine on riveted goods.
 
Square_peg said:
Mink or other animal based fats are OK on leather but be aware that the fatty acids in them will damage the stitching. Should be fine on riveted goods.
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Neatsfoot oil and mink oil do not damage threads or sticthing! It it the moisture that is contained by putting to much oil on there and it being unable to transmit condensation and sweat especially in boots and shoes that rots out the stitching not the oil itself. Don't use to much leather oil whether be mink oil or neatsfoot oil on it you will be fine especially since this item doesn't have to "breath" like leather shoes and boots do, but if it gets wet just let it dry naturally away from heat or else you will dry the leather too fast or the outside first, causing cracking either way.
 
I lost a good pair of boots to mink oil as a young man. Lost another pair to beef fat one year when I was short on boot grease. I stick to Huberds or Obenaufs now.
 
Neatsfoot oil and the next best thing is Olive Oil and to help weather proof the leather use Anhydrous Lanolin Fixed Oil. What I do right off the bat with brand new leather is to mix Olive Oil and Anhydrous Lanolin together till I get it thin enough to work into the leather and seems as well as the threads. The Olive Oil will thin the Anhydrous Lanolin Fixed Oil. Then it is just the feel of the leather as I may use straight Olive Oil to make it a bit more pliable or just simply add straight Anhydrous Lanolin to weather proof the leather. And yes it will darken the leather.
 
nothing
or beeswax
leather is tanned for a good reason
Koyote Girl uses BLO, she makes some of the best sheaths
google Koyote Girl and ask her what she uses on the leather goods she makes.
 
Obenaufs works great. I have some original sheaths that came with some plumb boys scout hatchets. They were brittle and cracked and all but unusable. I massaged a few coats of obenaufs onto them and it totally transformed them into good, serviceable sheaths. I was amazed, I thought that they had been lost to age and neglect. I recommend it highly
 
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