Vintage Schott flight jacket care.

[petah]

My dad just gave me his vintage flight jacket from the 40's it's in excellent condition. However, how do I care for it? What type of conditioner do I use? Mink oil? I want to pass this to my kids one day!

Thanks for the help!

 

[HoosierQ]

Maybe somebody will contracdict me but here goes. DO NOT USE MINK OIL!!! Mink oil will soften the leather way way too much and if there are any week spots, it will come apart like wet tissue paper.

What you want to use, IMHO and YMMV, is some stuff called Obenhauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative. You can get it at Cabela's, Knivesshipfree, and other places. It is kinda expensive but it works great. Does not clog the pores, does not soften the leather, does not attack stitches etc, etc.

I am fixing to put it on my Flying Tiger's jacket after having tried in on everything I could think of first...including wood...and being either fully satisfied or just eccstatic as to how they turned out.

Take a pair of beat up old boots and see what happens before tryiing it on your prized garment.

This stuff is non-toxic and the secret (of which they make no secret) is propolis which honey bees make as an anti microbial and anti fungal as well as an adhesive for the hive. Mixed with beeswax and other natural stuff it even feels nice on your hands.

That is my .02 worth.

 

[petah]

I have lexol and pecard but I haven't used them yet... I know Lexol invites bugs and that pecard contains Vaseline.

So many darn opinions out there....

 

[HoosierQ]

That's what nice about Obenhauf's...it will kill mold and bacteria...not sure about insects but I doubt it attracts them...haven't heard that about Lexol. I use it too but so far have not been particularly thrilled with Lexol. I wouldn't want to use petrolatum (vaseline) on a leather jacket.

 

[Wild Rose]

I know Lexol invites bugs

Would like to know where you got this info from. I've been using Lexol for a VERY long time and have never heard of or seen this about bugs and I've looked at/repaired a plethora of leather gear. Unfortunately there is a lot of BS that has sprung up about leather care products over the years that is simply not true but becomes part of the "myth" - like neatsfoot oil rotting thread, etc. or the one put out by Sno_seal (who should know better) that tanneries get rid of the oil in the rawhides, true, but what they don't say is the tanneries then put back oils during the finishing stages - some has a grain of truth but most is myth......

Mink Oil like any dressing can be over done -even wax based conditioners since they can plug the pores, but used lightly won't over soften any more than anything else.

If you've got Lexol I'd use it, but like any conditioner use it sparingly - wipe on in a LIGHT coat, let dry, and rub off any haze.. I know some very experienced Leather folks who use Pecard's and swear by it, but I prefer my conditioners to not have any petroleum by products, but then again Ballistol is used for leather as well so............

 

[petah]

It was on a British leather conservations website... something scholastic. They said it invites bacteria and (bigger stuff).... I think I'm going to stick with my Lanolin...


EDIT: also the oils dry out the leather quickly or something like that... SO many different opinions.... It's horrible to choose.