Leather Sheath Maintenance

M

Mateos

Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Messages
316
I am working my way through the full range of kukri maintenance questions...

Hooflex for horn handles
Mineral oil for wood handles
3n1 oil for blades (mineral oil if for food prep)

So now I get to sheaths...
Most of my HI sheaths are pretty supple, but I have a couple that seem a little hard or dried out. I have a non HI kukri with a sheath that is rock hard. I would like to keep these supple, functional and lasting for years.

What are the recommended products/methods by those in the know?

Thanks to all you folks who respond so quickly to all things kukri! [emoji3]
 
I am using Ballistol both on the wood handle, blade & scabbard. And it seems to work. The description also states that it can be used on metal,wood & leather. So i thought it would be handy to just use one thing.
 
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You can oil your leather if you want. I do some leather. Most of my leather gets Sno Seal or Mink Oil.
 
We all have our favorites. I use 100% Neatsfoot oil on leather, horn and wood. I use 3 in 1 on the blades for storage. For show, I use bowling alley wax on handles, Renaissance Wax on metal and Lincoln black shoe polish on the leather. Refinishing wood I'll use either Flecto Varathane #66 or Daly's SeaFin sanding in the finish with gradually increasing grit sandpaper, usually 400-1500, then buff.
 
I am a WWII knife collector and have read a lot about leather preservation and one thing every body I have read says absolutely no oil of any kind, oil causes the right conditions in the leather to advance deterioration. Yes oil does a wonderful job of keeping leather supple. For a user that is fine but I would advise against using any petroleu product on leather. what I use when I use something I use sno seal, it silicone and bees wax.
 
I use mink oil even though I know it's not good for it in the long run.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
I use mink oil even though I know it's not good for it in the long run.
Click to expand...

Same here and why I continue to use neatsfoot oil. I've been using it for near 40 years with no ill affects. If it takes another 40 years to cause damage I imagine it will be the next owners problem.
 
Neatsfoot and mink oil are alright, but you can overdo it. All my leather gets Obenaufs heavy duty LP. Its made of bees wax, made for woodland fire fighting gear. Keep the leather supple, water resistant, and wont break it down.
 
leather deteriorate by itself oil speeds up that deterioration so if it something you want passed on as a family collectable oil is not good but for our life time it the best thing. If you don't want to last many generations no problem
 
Well I'll give some a try. This old dog is still willing to learn new tricks. Keep an open mind, so they say.
 
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