Olivia16
Well-Known Member
Can I put leather oil on a saddle or would it make it slippy??
Leather Oil
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cremedemonthe
Well-Known Member
It is unadvisable to oil tack, especially with that awful neatsfoots oil, I only add a VERY slight oiling on old tack to give it the "leather smell" back AND THEN IT'S COD LIVER OIL, NEVER NEATSFOOT!
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather. If oil is used it tends to make the fibres of the leather go soggy, it can rot out certain types of thread used in stitching too. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.
I dress my own hides using my own leather conditioner that I make but there are some good products with the ingredients I mentioned earlier on the market, Oz
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather. If oil is used it tends to make the fibres of the leather go soggy, it can rot out certain types of thread used in stitching too. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.
I dress my own hides using my own leather conditioner that I make but there are some good products with the ingredients I mentioned earlier on the market, Oz
Olivia16
Well-Known Member
Is turfmasters oil good???
cremedemonthe
Well-Known Member
If it's oil then avoid, especially on the saddle seat or panel.
fuggly
Well-Known Member
It is unadvisable to oil tack, especially with that awful neatsfoots oil, I only add a VERY slight oiling on old tack to give it the "leather smell" back AND THEN IT'S COD LIVER OIL, NEVER NEATSFOOT!
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather. If oil is used it tends to make the fibres of the leather go soggy, it can rot out certain types of thread used in stitching too. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.
I dress my own hides using my own leather conditioner that I make but there are some good products with the ingredients I mentioned earlier on the market, Oz
what off the shelf product do you recommend ?
cremedemonthe
Well-Known Member
Aussies by fiebings if you can find a stockist, I have a few tins that I use myself now and again. The other one I like and used to use before I made my own is Elico Gold Label Hide Food, excellent stuff!
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Totally agree with cremedemonths, I ask my saddle fitting clients not to use oil on their saddles! I don't know the brands he mentions, but I like Effax Lederbalsam, Stubben Hamanol, Oakwood COnditioner and the Leather Therapy products. Clean with an old fashioned dishcloth, warm water and elbow grease only, glycerine/soap isn't all that good for leather either!
cremedemonthe
Well-Known Member
The aussies is sold by our trade raw materials supplier sbloom which you use as well.
I agree about the saddle soap too!
There are people who swear by oil but to try to give an example I say to people imagine 2 sponges which I use as a model of the fibres of the leather and pour oil over one and stuff fat in the other one, which drips out and loses it's contents first?
The fat stuffed sponge with have substance and body the oil soaked one will by limp and empty!
Oz
I agree about the saddle soap too!
There are people who swear by oil but to try to give an example I say to people imagine 2 sponges which I use as a model of the fibres of the leather and pour oil over one and stuff fat in the other one, which drips out and loses it's contents first?
The fat stuffed sponge with have substance and body the oil soaked one will by limp and empty!
Oz
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Sealine
Well-Known Member
As recommended by a reputable saddler I use Kieffer Beeswax Oil. I only use it sparingly on the rough side of the leather.
It was recommended for a new saddle I purchased from Martin Wilkinson's Saddlers.
It was recommended for a new saddle I purchased from Martin Wilkinson's Saddlers.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
The beeswax bit sounds good....lots of fitters and even makers recommend various oils but once you've heard the scientific arguments (posts by "c4" on Ulitmate Dressage forum in the Tack Trunk, worth seraching for) you find better ways to make your tack supple - conditioner, and use of the tack! Leather needs to be used ideally to stay supple and for new tack is definitely the case.