Sounds like it was soaked in Neatsfoot Oil, too much of that stuff in a sheath can make it a real mess.
Personally I wouldnt use any kind of powder or sand to soak up the oil residue, too much of a chance of leaving behind a lot of abrasive. Any powder has a chance of lumping and not coming back out of the sheath without a lot of work.
Dont use soap, that will strip all the oils out of the leather and leave it a dried and brittle husk. If you have a small basin, big enough to hold the sheath, fill it with hot tap water and soak the sheath for a few minutes. Always watch the sheath! Never leave it. You should start noticing an oil slick appearing at the top of the water. Now, if you can stand the water direct on your hands the best way is to hold the sheath under hot running water thereby flushing the excess oil out. Carefully transport the sheath to an area where it can sit undisturbed for a day or two to fully dry very slowly. If the sheath is still too oily repeat till its where you want it.
Warning! Neatsfoot oil comes in two grades, one is Pure, the other is Compound. If the maker used compound the sheath will eventually break down. Compound has a petroleum base. Does the sheath smell like petroleum? If so send it back to Bark River and he will send you a new sheath, dont even bother trying to get rid of the oil as the damage has been done. A note to all, if you plan to get Neatsfoot only get Pure Neatsfoot Oil, not the Wal Mart special oil. The good stuff will always say "Pure Neatsfoot Oil"
ehhh, feel free to write me if you have questions about the process.
And I would be happy to look at the sheath if you want to send it in, I'll try to fix it. Dont worry about charges, its on me.
