Quick question on oiling leather

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:43 pm

Ok, I have some veg tanned leather I want to oil, and I need to know if you oil both the fuzzy side AND the smooth side, or just the smooth side.

Also, how many coats of oil do you recommend for the best protection against water damage?

Spank you very much.

Cat

Andrew Turnbull · Post by **Andrew Turnbull** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:48 pm

Hey Cat,
What type of Oil are you planning on using? Also I would think that which side gets the oil depends on where the water damage is coming from/going to. So that if you're worried about the smooth bit then add more to the smooth bit.
Additionally the leather will become saturated with the Oil eventually and IMO that would be the point to stop and let the leather cure a bit. BTW, what type of project are we talking about? Do you have any pics you could share?

Andy

Uilleag · Post by **Uilleag** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:49 pm

What kind of oil are you using? How thick is the leather? What are you using the leather for?

Details man! Details!

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:08 pm

Wow, what was I thinking??? I forgot the details! For shame!

I really meant to put this in the initial thread, but am suffering from severe sleepiness..........

I am using (errr GONNA be using) neatsfoot oil on 8/10 ounce veggie. The project is a small one, just a plain leather collar to be sewn to the inside of a maille collar on a mantle I am making for a customer. A padded liner will be installed inside the leather collar, and I was also wondering if I did oil the "fuzzy" side, would that ruin the material of the padded liner? The padded liner is made of 100% silk that looks and feels more like linen. I know, I thought it was weird too.

As for pics, well I really don't have any right now. All it is at this point is a really long, 2" wide strip. AND - and this is the good part - I got to use a toy I forgot I had!! Woo! I had bought a strap cutter from the leather store a long time ago and this was the first time I used it. I made 3 belts for my kids a couple of weekends ago and used a stupid pair of scissors. I am so blonde.

Anyhoo, thanks for the help!!
Cat

Uilleag · Post by **Uilleag** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:34 pm

Cat,

That's better, now I can help you!

Since this will be a lining under mail and then the leather will be covered with silk, just oil the outside. The smooth side.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:57 pm

Ahhhh - thank you VERY much.

I appreciate your help!

Cat

Konstantin the Red · Post by **Konstantin the Red** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:02 pm

And do about two or three light applications. Heavy leather can soak up quite a bit of neatsfoot but if you go nuts slathering it on you've pretty much made latigo, which is really great for horse tack and straps, but more than you need here. Lots of oil will darken the leather.

To guarantee no oil will spot the linen lining, seal the flesh -- the fuzzy -- side with either a sealer, gotten from the same place you got the neatsfoot, or at least a coat of neutral shoe polish. Neutral shoe polish is not a bad idea for the grain side too -- the outside.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:23 am

Konstantin,
Thanks for the tips! I put the shoe polish on after the oil right? Just checking. About how long will it take for the leather to cure after I have put on the oil? Once I make the collar, it will be about a week before I will be ready to sew it on. Will that be enough time? Will there be any kind of weird reaction when the oil gets on the galvy steel? Like discoloration and the like? Oh, and how long should I wait in between oil coats? Can I do one right after the other or should I wait a bit in between?

Thanks!
Cat

Uilleag · Post by **Uilleag** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 8:55 am

Cat wrote:Konstantin,
Thanks for the tips! I put the shoe polish on after the oil right? Just checking. About how long will it take for the leather to cure after I have put on the oil? Once I make the collar, it will be about a week before I will be ready to sew it on. Will that be enough time? Will there be any kind of weird reaction when the oil gets on the galvy steel? Like discoloration and the like? Oh, and how long should I wait in between oil coats? Can I do one right after the other or should I wait a bit in between?

Thanks!
Cat

Yes, put the shoe polish on after the oil. Only put the oil on the grain side, (smooth), not on the flesh side, (suede looking). The oil will take about 12 - 24 hours to completely soak into the leather.

The oil won't effect the galvinized steel any, but the zinc may wear off onto the oiled leather after a while. It will get a white milky look to it. A stiff brush should keep that clean though.

I would allow the oil to soak in in between coats, at least 2 - 4 hours, that way you get a good deep penettration of the oil into the leather helping condition it better. The oil will darken the leather though, so don't be alarmed by that.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:49 am

Uilleag,
Thank you very much for the info!! You guys are great!

Thank you thank you thank you!

Cat

Willing Pell · Post by **Willing Pell** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:26 pm

When you talk about neutral shoe polish are you refering to the stuff in a tin that I used to use to polish my shoes in the service? I should think that Applying this to the inside of a piece would be kind of messy, am I wrong?

schreiber · Post by **schreiber** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:02 pm

Hold up.

Forget oil.

If you're going to polish it, go with regular clear coat shoe polish first.

That, or use regular johnson's paste wax. That would be fairly safe against the fabric, too.

The function of the oil I think you're looking for is to make it not rot. If you're polishing it, you're already accomplishing that purpose. Oil also softens the leather, which is probably not the object of the exercise.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:42 pm

Hmmm.....I hadn't thought of the oil softening the leather. That's a good point there, as this will be used for neck protection. I had better ask the customer and get his thoughts on this.

Thanks for brining that up!

Cat

Konstantin the Red · Post by **Konstantin the Red** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:56 pm

Willing Pell wrote:When you talk about neutral shoe polish are you refering to the stuff in a tin that I used to use to polish my shoes in the service? I should think that Applying this to the inside of a piece would be kind of messy, am I wrong?

It is, and you'd be wrong. Lay it on thin, working it into the surface. Brush if you want.

This is how I treated my sword baldric for my Scottish baskethilt. It started as vege-tan, got quite a lot of oil which turned the leather the brown-sugar color that a Sno-Seal treatment gives, and then an overall coat, back, edges, and front, of Kiwi Neutral shoe polish. The edges might have gottan a coat of beeswax, too, but I disremember.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:41 am

Ok, the customer decided not to use oil on the collar. So, what would be the best thing to use to seal it well and make it last longer? Should I use the shoe polish, the wax, or something from the leather store? I would like to treat both sides of it just to make sure it's as protected as it can be.

Thanks again! I guess this no longer qualifies as a "quick question".

Cat

Uilleag · Post by **Uilleag** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:32 am

neutral shoe polish will work, paste wax will work, they are essentially the same thing, they can both be applied to the inside of the leather.

Cat · Post by **Cat** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:25 am

Thank you!! That's what I will get then. I really appreciate all of your help!!

Cat

Quick question on oiling leather

Quick question on oiling leather

hrmm