# household leather treatments



## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

options aside from leather conditioners?

linseed oil and vinegar?

I just found my leash I spent 80 bucks on about 10 years ago, and would like to treat it..


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Give it a good cleaning with saddle soap and then rub on something for leather. Most of the good stuff I believe has lanolin in it.


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

This is not a household treatment and I don't know what's in it, but we've always used it on our leather, horse tack or dog gear. Give it a try. It's not runny like neatsfoot oil, which is another thing to use.

Ko-Cho-Line Leather Dressing

http://www.amazon.com/pet-supplies/dp/B003VV500K


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

never heard of any household mixes, but why bother trying anything other than pure neatsfoot oil (meaning NO petroleum additives) ?

i dove MkV air and mixed gas rigs in the mid 70's that had leather weight belts, boots and chest harnesses that had beem made in the late 40-50's and were still strong supple and safe to dive with ... all we used was neatsfoot for leather goods ... takes time to get it rubbed thru but if it will keep leather that gets VERY compressed and saturated with salt water and won't rot or stiffen up after a few decades of use ... and works for jungle boots if you swim in em, so it will def work for dog gear 

saddle soap will help clean and soften dried out leather of course, but so will pure soap and water, and i have used Black Rock and been happy with it too...might work well as a REconditioner but a little pricey i think

heard pros and cons on lanolin additives

vinegar is acidic; so don't know what effect that would have on leather

don't wipe off mold or mildew with alcohol 

overall, if you start with good leather it'll last a long time
ymmv


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

rick smith said:


> never heard of any household mixes, but why bother trying anything other than pure neatsfoot oil (meaning NO petroleum additives) ?
> 
> i dove MkV air and mixed gas rigs in the mid 70's that had leather weight belts, boots and chest harnesses that had beem made in the late 40-50's and were still strong supple and safe to dive with ... all we used was neatsfoot for leather goods ... takes time to get it rubbed thru but if it will keep leather that gets VERY compressed and saturated with salt water and won't rot or stiffen up after a few decades of use ... and works for jungle boots if you swim in em, so it will def work for dog gear
> 
> ...


ok ok...I'll wait..get the right stuff...

just was sitting here looking at a big jug of linseed oil here at the house


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## Hunter Allred (Jan 28, 2010)

Moisturizing hand lotion if you don't have leather products on hand


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> options aside from leather conditioners?
> 
> linseed oil and vinegar?
> 
> I just found my leash I spent 80 bucks on about 10 years ago, and would like to treat it..


The #1 treatment is pure Glycerin. About $30.00 a pint...
#2 would be PURE Neatsfoot oil.
In a pinch and one that actually seems to work well is regular old Armour All used on car interiors. Surprisingly good results and longevity.

DO NOT use Mink Oil. Linseed Oil is for wood... DO NOT use Vinegar, it's an ACID! Mineral oil is too thin and will also make the lead slippery.

Your 10 year old, $80.00 lead deserves good treatment Joby. This is not the lead to scrimp or be in a hurry on.

Clean it with Saddle Soap. (has Glycerin in it I believe.) Let it dry.
Apply several light coats of Neatsfoot oil with your hands giving it a few hours in between coats to thoroughly penetrate. This process may take a couple of days until it gets to the suppleness you like. The key is to not oversaturate the lead! It should be firm, not "punky." If the lead gets wet, let it dry out and repeat this process. If it gets dirty, repeat this process. 

Handlers on 3 continents who use their leads and collars every day, have been following this process on the stuff I made them over 20 years ago and the leather is as good (some say better) than the day they got it from me.

I'm sure their are other regimens that other people use with good results too. This one has worked for me.


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

You can buy glycerin for 30 dollars a gallon at the drugstore


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## Karen Havins (Apr 22, 2012)

Neatsfoot is what we used for years on our expensive horse leathers


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

Christopher Smith said:


> You can buy glycerin for 30 dollars a gallon at the drugstore


I got mine at the drugstore... I must be shopping at the WRONG drugstore!!


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

If your drugstore is charing that much you should buy online.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk....A0.XGlycer&_nkw=glycerine&_sacat=0&_from=R40


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

Holy S**T Thomas! Nice prices. I bought the small quantity at the drugstore to test how it worked. It worked so good I was bummed it was so expensive. I guess the board has come through again.

Thanks people!!


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## Karen M Wood (Jun 23, 2012)

I also am a fan of neatsfoot oil and saddle soap. I was give a saddle that had not been used in about 10 years and i cleaned it up wit the soap, rubbed it down several times with neatsfoot and sent it to my mom for when kids come by to ride her horses. (It's a youth saddle) 
I also clean all my leather on a regular basis and in florida i get out my leather biker jacket about 1 time a year. (When it's actually cold enough to wear such a thing) So when i put it back in the closet it gets oiled for storage. 
My First leather leash is still in use from nearly 20 years ago. Nice and soft and still strong. Even with some teeth marks in it.
Use the good stuff you won't regret it.
P.S.
You can soak the bottom half of your leash in neatsfoot oil for a day to get it soaked in really good. But don't use it on the handle part too heavy or it will get slippers.


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## Skip Morgart (Dec 19, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> options aside from leather conditioners?
> 
> linseed oil and vinegar?
> 
> I just found my leash I spent 80 bucks on about 10 years ago, and would like to treat it..



On a side note...you pay too much for your leashes!


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Saddle soap and neatsfoot oil. Wipe off with a damp cloth when wet or mucky, ALWAYS hang up when not in use. My two thousand year old leash :smile: is used every single day in all Scottish weather, it's seen nothing but a damp cloth in more than four years....feels as soft as silk in your hand..:smile::smile:


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Skip Morgart said:


> On a side note...you pay too much for your leashes!


LOL...

only leash I ever paid much for. It's nice heavy harness leather. 6 footer. I can honestly say I have not seen a basic 6 foot leash that I could say is better. I rarely use it, but when I do I love it. 

also spent a little more on a collar one time...

been disappointed in leashes and collars before for various reasons
I am happy with both of those higher dollar ones, so I guess they were worth it to me...

once I get it to shape I will take a picture


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## Skip Morgart (Dec 19, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> LOL...
> 
> only leash I ever paid much for. It's nice heavy harness leather. 6 footer. I can honestly say I have not seen a basic 6 foot leash that I could say is better. I rarely use it, but when I do I love it.
> 
> ...


I have all mine made at an Amish harness leather shop. Excellent quality, reasonably priced, and I can have anything custom made.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Skip Morgart said:


> I have all mine made at an Amish harness leather shop. Excellent quality, reasonably priced, and I can have anything custom made.


live near the Amish? or ordering?

I used to live about 1/2 hour from Shipshewana, big Amish Town in IN,,did get a few things from there when I lived there...


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## Alex Scott (Jun 16, 2013)

Buy something like this

http://www.rmwilliams.com.au/e-Sale...09-SGOZ-00W7-RH80-Z0H0&@[email protected]=CC149


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## Skip Morgart (Dec 19, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> live near the Amish? or ordering?
> 
> I used to live about 1/2 hour from Shipshewana, big Amish Town in IN,,did get a few things from there when I lived there...


Mt. Eaton harness shop...it's about an hour away...but only about 15 minutes away from my training club.


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

If you can't it in Shipshewana, you don't need it! The biggest "flea" market in the lower 48.


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