May I ask how many years is the shelf life of horse tack care products generally

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jkcf12315

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Hello everyone, I have a question that has been on my mind for a while. Do the horse care products sold on the market, such as Neatfoots Oil or other oil-based care products grease ,creams, have a definite shelf life? For instance, do they lose their effectiveness or even become harmful to leather after years?
The reason for this question is that I bought two cans of brand new KO CHO LINE that have been stored for over 10 years. They were produced in 2012. I wonder if any of you have used such care products that are 10 years old and if they are still effective?
 
My instinct is that a grease will probably be fine. Oil oxidises over time and will become tacky so may not be ideal to use when really old. Whether Kocholine is a good product to use on leather, for general use, is another matter. I might use it when storing leather but wouldn't personally use it as a regular conditioner.

@cremedemonthe may be able to advise better.
 
sbloom said:
My instinct is that a grease will probably be fine. Oil oxidises over time and will become tacky so may not be ideal to use when really old. Whether Kocholine is a good product to use on leather, for general use, is another matter. I might use it when storing leather but wouldn't personally use it as a regular conditioner.

@cremedemonthe may be able to advise better.
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Thank you for your reply. I have been using Huberds Shoe Grease to care for my riding boots and leather items. They claim that these products won't deteriorate even after decades. However, the Huberds Shoe Grease I could purchase was more expensive than the Ko Cho Line. Seeing that many people on this forum have commented that the Ko Cho Line works well, I decided to buy it this time. It was obtained from an old cobbler, although it never been used ， it has been stored for a long time. This is why I asked about it. Now, it seems there should be no problem.
 
rabatsa said:
All my Kocholine is over 10 years old and I still use it on my stored tack.
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Thank you. I usually use products like shoe grease on my boots. The Ko Cho line is quite similar in this regard. For me, even with this year's new product, it's hard for me to use it all within five years. So, I'm really worried about issues like spoilage. The last time I bought something similar was in 2016. 😌
 
meleeka said:
I recently used some Neatsfoot that is well over 10 years old, more like 20 (I bought it when I got my cob in 2005). It's still fine.
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Thank you. I just sealed a bottle of neatfoots oil in a metal container. I rarely use this type of oil, and it will take me many years to finish one bottle. I hope using a more sealed container will allow it to be preserved for a longer time.IMG_3320.jpeg
 
Oh, forever. So long as you screw the lid on properly and store appropriately (back of a spider infested shelf in a dark dusty tackroom) stuff like that lasts for at least three decades. When you want to use it again prise the lid off with a hoofpick and stir it with an old spoon. If it won't stir you've obviously left it more than three decades.

I'm joking, but genuinely I've used some absolutely ancient products that I've been given after their unearthing from tackrooms. If the consistency, smell, and colour seem normal, they're probably okay to use.
 
Widgeon said:
Oh, forever. So long as you screw the lid on properly and store appropriately (back of a spider infested shelf in a dark dusty tackroom) stuff like that lasts for at least three decades. When you want to use it again prise the lid off with a hoofpick and stir it with an old spoon. If it won't stir you've obviously left it more than three decades.

I'm joking, but genuinely I've used some absolutely ancient products that I've been given after their unearthing from tackrooms. If the consistency, smell, and colour seem normal, they're probably okay to use.
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thank you. The current problem is that I have never used ko cho line before, so I'm not quite sure what they should smell or look like. They haven't dried out, that's true. Now I have carefully moved them into a thicker and more sealed container. They now smell a bit like... kerosene? I'm not sure if my description is accurate. I suspect that ko cho line contains mineral oil components, but I'm not sure if that's what they smell like.
IMG_3321.jpeg
 
sbloom said:
My instinct is that a grease will probably be fine. Oil oxidises over time and will become tacky so may not be ideal to use when really old. Whether Kocholine is a good product to use on leather, for general use, is another matter. I might use it when storing leather but wouldn't personally use it as a regular conditioner.

@cremedemonthe may be able to advise better.
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Grease that age should be fine, KO CHO LINE is a mineral grease and dyed with a Red dye. What it does to your leather, your hands or your horse remains to be seen. Used to be used in the car industry.
Oil oxidises leather no matter how old the oil is.
 
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