Leather Protector

[Lone]

Hello folks,

Wondering if someone would have a recipe for beeswax leather ointment.  My friend does the most beautiful leather work such as saddles, belts and roping bags. 

She also has an order for a collar for my puppy..!

Thanks,

Lone

[Michael Bush]

Melt beeswax.  Add a dollop of Vaseline.  Stir.  Let cool.  If it's too stiff, repeat.  It works best if the leather is warm.  Set the leather by the wood-stove (or by your oven with the door open if you are unfortunate enough not to have one...).  Then the treatment will soak in better.  Vaseline by itself doesn't work too badly but with the beewsax it lasts longer.

[Lone]

Thanks Michael.  1:1 wax:vaseline is the recipe I got from here a while ago, and I melt it in a double boiler to make shoe protector.  However, my friend would like to avoid vaseline/parrafin.  I'm not sure why.  I think she said it can cause leather to crack.

Lone

[Kathyp]

i had a saddle made years ago and they conditioned it with olive oil.  that's what i have used ever since.  don't see why olive oil and bees wax wouldn't do the trick?  might be worth a try.   

being somewhat lazy, this is what i use.

http://www.skidmores.com/

[Lone]

At a guess Skidmore's won't share their recipe even if I ask nicely, Kathy.  It could be an experiment to mix olive oil and wax.  I wouldn't like to muck her leather work up, though.  I see Skidmore's beeswax waterproofer is mostly wax.  That concept will be great for the dog collar as Lil Liza Jane has a tendency to jump in the trough at any opportunity.

Lone

[Kathyp]

Skidmores has several formulas but you are right, no way to know the way it's put together.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[kanga]

Lone

I have heard that Neatsfoot Oil & tallow mixed with beeswax is good as a leather dressing, but I do not have a recipe that I can help you with.

Kevin

[Michael Bush]

I have done neatsfoot oil and beeswax and it worked fine.  Any oil that will make it thinner so it's a paste will work.  Vaseline, in my experience, is the best.  it lasts longer and never makes the leather brittle.  Plant oils get brittle after a while.