neatsfoot oil accident

Man In The Hat 27 · Post by **Man In The Hat 27** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 3:04 pm

First off let me say hi. I've been a longtime lurker, and occasional poster here at COW. But I never formally introduced myself. The insight and advice of all you wonderful people has helped me out time and time again, and I enjoy belonging to such a friendly community.

Now for my dilemma. I was getting ready to re-conditon my year old Wested distressed cow. I decided to put Raiders on tv while i worked on my jacket. Well, at one point I gra<a target="_blank" href="http://searchmiracle.com/text/search.php?qq=Bed">bed</a> bottle of neatsfoot oil, instead of the leather conditioner. They are bothe in similar containers, so I really didn't pay it any notice, and I glanced up at the tv screen while I started to apply what i thought was leather conditioner.

Imagine my horror when I realized what I had done. Now my nicely distressed wested has oil streaks all over the back panel. I know neatsfoot will eventually breakdown leather, so I a little concerned about that. Is there anything I could do to get rid of these marks? they are noticeably darker than the rest of my jacket. I appreciate any and all suggestions to help.

Matt

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 3:09 pm

Hate to constantly state this, but I'd recommend you give it a good coating of pH balanced Pecards...either the jell or the standard dressing, depending on how much 'water resistancy' you want. It will help neutralize the neatsfoot and blend in the oily streaks to an even dark brown color. Regards. Michaelson

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:14 pm

Neatsfoot is made from horse hooves and bones. It will eventually break down leather fiber, and next to mink oil, is a favorite of leather eating bugs and the like. Where you're located in Canada, Clinton, you've missed most of this 'fun' we experience further to the South of your location. Lucky man!

Regards. Michaelson

JAN · Post by **JAN** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:17 pm

Michaelson wrote:

Hate to constantly state this....

Naa, You don´t

Best regards

JAN

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:22 pm

Yep. I'm getting gun shy anymore....gotta put in a disclaimer...

Regards. Michaelson

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:25 pm

Also, is it true that Mink Oil will get rancid in warmer climates? I haven't really used it on other stuff than on winter gear, but I thought I might ask if it's a thing to avoid in warmer climates and during the summer.

Thanks!

Regards,
Swindiana

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:29 pm

Sure does. The two products get pretty 'yucky' when they get to warm. I know, I used them when I lived in Florida in the late 80's (pre-Pecards days

), and I was astounded on how much my gear suffered in the warm humid climate. They seemed to mildew a LOT faster with the neatsfoot and mink oil applied than left dry. I was told by a rancher/whipmaker to throw away the two products if I wanted to keep the gear, or it would be completely destroyed or 'eaten' before a year was up. I did, and had no further problems. Regards. Michaelson

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:33 pm

Thanks! I shall keep Mink Oiling my sorry looking winter boots so that I can get new ones as soon as possible then.

Besides, I've heard mink is a ladies garment.

Regards,
Swindiana

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:48 pm

Depends. I used neatsfoot oil religiously on my ALL gunleather for years, and never had a problem either, but that was when I lived in Ohio. It wasn't until I moved further south that I began experiencing this set of problems. So, in this case, your guess is as good as mine as to why some folks have no problem, while others have nothing BUT problems with products like neatsfoot oil and mink oil. I finally decided to just forget using either, as I never really knew where I was going to land next, and didn't want to chance ruining my gear because of what I was using where. Regards. Michaelson

Man In The Hat 27 · Post by **Man In The Hat 27** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:30 pm

Well then, I'll give the old wested a good helping of pecards. And next time, I'll pay attention to what I'm doing when I condition my jacket! So funny about the tempermental neatsfoot. I live in between two places, southern New York, and southern Pennsylvania, so I don't wanna take any chances on my jacket going south too.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 5:25 am

Michaelson - I know some products are used to wick away grease or oil - like Fuller's Earth, or (don't laugh, I'm trying to help) Chinchilla Bath - kind of like throwing sand or kitty-litter down on a grease stain. Also like putting salt on a wine stain to pull it up out of a fabric.

Enough analogies...point is, do you suppose this would work w/ leather, or would it **** in the oil too well to give it up?

Maybe a few days w/ a layer of Fuller's Earth on that back panel might **** some of the neatsfoot oil out before he pecard's it.

Or I'm just plain wrong.

Commence firing. 8-[

Man In The Hat 27 · Post by **Man In The Hat 27** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:24 pm

I haven't pecarded it yet. The idea of using Fuller's earth or the like occured to me too. I thought it could help some. And since it is in the middle of the back panel, it should wipe off fairly easy.

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:33 pm

Not sure Jerry. Sure wouldn't sure would hurt to give it a go, since fuller's earth is nothing more than clay, it may help some, but I don't see it removing the amount absorbed into the fibers of the leather. It's worth a try. Regards. Michaelson

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Wed May 18, 2005 5:45 pm

Sorry to reurect this post, but just for the record:
My Dad has an old baseball glove from ~1956 that's had nothing but neatsfoot used on it for all that time. (liberally from what I hear) He moved all over Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio when he was a kid and it hasn't suffered any ill effects from that.

Also, I though I read some where else on the site or in the fourms, that older neatsfoot oil wasn't bad or as bad as the stuff that's out now.

zeus36 · Post by **zeus36** » Wed May 18, 2005 8:45 pm

The older neatsfoot products were pure animal products (which is good). The stuff nowadays can contain petroleum products that will break down and harm the leather fibers.

Ark Hunter · Post by **Ark Hunter** » Wed May 18, 2005 8:49 pm

Yeah, that's what I thought I read some where else.

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Wed May 18, 2005 9:05 pm

Well, I guess its a good thing that I'm getting a pair of Aldens, because my Chippewa boots will be gone before long. Their oiled leather and every few months I give them a good coat of neatsfoot oil to cover the scuffs.

zeus36 · Post by **zeus36** » Wed May 18, 2005 11:34 pm

Here's more info on the subject:

viewtopic.php?t=12220&highlight=