softening a new bridle

[Trouper]

Home made leather conditioner
You will need to get hold of some beef fat (I make my own fat and tallow but you can use beef dripping bought from supermarket-Waitrose were selling it last time I looked and the name on it is Britannia).

You'll need beeswax and some lard (pig fat, again I make my own but you can get it from the supermarket), make sure any product you buy isn't adultered with other ingredients. Try to get it as pure as you can.



Do roughly a 50% beef fat, 25 % beeswax and 25% lard mixture, gently melt it down on a low heat and make sure you mix it thoroughly.

Let it set in an old empty and clean margarine tub. Keep it in the fridge out of the reach of pets as they will eat it.

Oz

Magic - thank you for publishing.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Magic - thank you for publishing.

You're welcome, take the plunge and give it a go, message me for instructions on the best way of using it on unicornleather@excite.com and I will bounce them on, Oz

 

[Red-1]

You're welcome, take the plunge and give it a go, message me for instructions on the best way of using it on unicornleather@excite.com and I will bounce them on, Oz

I have another question, if I may? I have a saddle which is made from water buffalo (not even sure what one of those looks like, but that is what the saddle is made from). The finish on the leather is lovely, velvety. Not quite a suede, but not a shiny leather either. Velvety enough that you can see where your bottom has sat when you get off, until you stroke it flat again (good to see if you are sitting straight!). It is very grippy (YAY!).

I really want it to stay like that.

So far I have used my other saddle in the rain as I am unsure how to keep this finish on this saddle if I have to use a product. I can only presume that if I use a standard dressing on it the leather will lose the velvet feel.

Any suggestions?

 

[cremedemonthe]

From what I know of water buffalo hide which, admittedly isn't a lot as I have never used it in my manufacturing process as I have only seen it when I am repairing saddlery that is made from it, I would apply a very small amount of leather conditioner to the hide after cleaning the hide with a dry brush. Same cleaning process as you do with suede and nubuck, if you have a really grubby saddlery you can use a slightly damp cloth to remove the dirt.
Always try a test area regarding the leather conditioner to make sure it can take it and use sparingly, don't swamp the fibres with conditioner.
Oz

 

[Starzaan]

Can vouch for Oz’s leather conditioner. I’ve used his recipe for years now and my tack has never looked more beautiful 😊

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thanks for the recipe! Sounds gross but I’m definitely going to give it a try.
Would it be detrimental to add a drop or two of essential oil to make it smell good?

 

[cremedemonthe]

Thanks for the recipe! Sounds gross but I’m definitely going to give it a try.
Would it be detrimental to add a drop or two of essential oil to make it smell good?

Up to you but personally I wouldn't, why do you need to make it smell nice, you're not going to eat it (I hope) !

 

[Gloi]

Thanks Beeswax ordered

 

[poiuytrewq]

Up to you but personally I wouldn't, why do you need to make it smell nice, you're not going to eat it (I hope) !

Haha! No but I did have one that stank and cleaning tack turned my stomach. OH also moaned like mad (I like to plonk myself on a huge towel in front of the tv in the evening to tack clean!)
Jobs are just nicer with a nice smell 😳

 

[gryff]

Thanks for the recipe! Sounds gross but I’m definitely going to give it a try.
Would it be detrimental to add a drop or two of essential oil to make it smell good?

I was wondering the same thing. I'm sure a few drops of lavender and eucalyptus would make tack cleaning a much more pleasurable experience.

 

[pansymouse]

Can vouch for Oz’s leather conditioner. I’ve used his recipe for years now and my tack has never looked more beautiful 😊

I use it to restore tack for repair and restoration - I can get it from cardboard rigid to supple using Oz's recipe conditioner, time and hard work.

A little mentioned side effect of massaging proper traditional conditioner into leather is that your hands become soft and nicely conditioned too!

 

[cremedemonthe]

Haha! No but I did have one that stank and cleaning tack turned my stomach. OH also moaned like mad (I like to plonk myself on a huge towel in front of the tv in the evening to tack clean!)
Jobs are just nicer with a nice smell 😳

If you get the lard and beef dripping from the supermarket, it is processed/refined at high temperatures so it is more or less deoderized, you may smell the beeswax whch is usually pleasant.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I use it to restore tack for repair and restoration - I can get it from cardboard rigid to supple using Oz's recipe conditioner, time and hard work.

A little mentioned side effect of massaging proper traditional conditioner into leather is that your hands become soft and nicely conditioned too!

I have been told this many times and yes it does make your hands supple, been told I ought to sell it as a hand cream!

 

[Gloi]

Made it. and put it in some of my jam jars. Just need to get it off everything in the kitchen now and label it so nobody puts it on their toast.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Made it. and put it in some of my jam jars. Just need to get it off everything in the kitchen now and label it so nobody puts it on their toast.

PLENTY of fairy liquid will remove it