Waxing leather

[htredneck]

I have managed to acquire some vegetable tanned leather that ought to make a really good bag or two. I have seen some really nice bags that have been waxed and thought maybe I might give that a try on one.

The questions I have though, is what kind of wax and what is the best application method? The leather is vegetable tanned cow hide and it is 5 - 6 ounce leather. It will also be died a medium to dark brown if that matters...

 

[nwtradegun]

ONLY BEES WAX, NO OTHER.

 

[nwtradegun]

warm oven to 110 no higher. melt bees wax, use a double boiler. brush on bees wax onto warmed up leather. place in oven till wax is absorbed.

 

[htredneck]

Making a wild guess but this done before assembling the bad, correct? And do you buff it/hand rub it after the oven treatment?

 

[htredneck]

110...
Hmmm.... I think the lowest our oven goes is 170 (electric).

 

[nhmoose]

110...
Hmmm.... I think the lowest our oven goes is 170 (electric).

My oven shows the temp when heating shut it off at 110 degrees. That's how I get bread to raise in the cold weather.

 

[htredneck]

I didn't think of that. Good idea!

 

[Curt]

htredneck
mix 1 part beeswax to 3 parts mineral oil and just rub it on your leather after you get the bag made not before .this is one of the best formulas i have tried so far and ive tried my share.No need to heat it either as you apply it. Curt

 

[PaulN/KS]

I just use Sno Seal and a heat gun. Sno Seal is a bees wax based boot and leather treatment.

 

[Black Hand]

I have managed to acquire some vegetable tanned leather that ought to make a really good bag or two. I have seen some really nice bags that have been waxed and thought maybe I might give that a try on one.

The questions I have though, is what kind of wax and what is the best application method? The leather is vegetable tanned cow hide and it is 5 - 6 ounce leather. It will also be died a medium to dark brown if that matters...

Heavy waxing (with beeswax) will turn your leather hard, heavy and stiff.

If you are just looking to oil/weatherproof the leather, then you can use Snoseal, lard, oil or any number of other products.

 

[htredneck]

Since I have a can already, what about saddle soap?

 

[longcruise]

Your 5-6 oz leather might be a bit heavy for bags.

 

[Black Hand]

Since I have a can already, what about saddle soap?

Saddle soap is for cleaning leather.

 

[htredneck]

It will also soften, and seal, leather when rubbed in.
Waterproofing in this case is secondary. Every bag I have ever seen that was waxed, the leather seems to have a more supple, warm and 'richer' appearance. That is my primary goal...

 

[htredneck]

That is a concern yes.
For the bag I want to make, 3 - 4 ounce proved too thin, and the 5 - 6 ounce that I have is oil tanned and already dyed the wrong color. The best feature of this leather is the cost. It is free! I won't know if it will work for certain yet because it won't physically be in my hands for another day or two.

 

[htredneck]

Buddy dropped the leather off today.
Using what little knowledge I have, I would put the leather at 5 - 6 ounce. It feels to be about perfect for the bag I have in mind. Got just enough to make one bag with maybe a hair left over. Time to double and triple check my template for the cuts and bone up on dye methods!

 

[Artificer]

htredneck
mix 1 part beeswax to 3 parts mineral oil and just rub it on your leather after you get the bag made not before .this is one of the best formulas i have tried so far and ive tried my share.No need to heat it either as you apply it. Curt

With respect, Mineral Oil is a petroleum distillate and not good at all on wood or leather for long term care. It breaks down into a solvent with time.

I realize highly refined mineral oil is used a great deal in cosmetics, but even that is now being severely questioned and regarded as something to stay away from.

The good news is that Lexol Leather Conditioner is made for leather, contains no silicone or mineral oil, and you can find it at most Walmart Stores in the Automobile Section.

Gus

 

[Stophel]

I use beeswax and neatsfoot oil, melted and fused together. Kind of an alloy! :haha: No, I don't know the proportions I use, I just add one or the other until I get the consistency I want. :grin:

 

[LRB]

htredneck
mix 1 part beeswax to 3 parts mineral oil and just rub it on your leather after you get the bag made not before .this is one of the best formulas i have tried so far and ive tried my share.No need to heat it either as you apply it. Curt

With respect, Mineral Oil is a petroleum distillate and not good at all on wood or leather for long term care. It breaks down into a solvent with time.

I realize highly refined mineral oil is used a great deal in cosmetics, but even that is now being severely questioned and regarded as something to stay away from.

The good news is that Lexol Leather Conditioner is made for leather, contains no silicone or mineral oil, and you can find it at most Walmart Stores in the Automobile Section.

Gus

With due respect, I beg to differ. Pure mineral oil will do no harm to leather. Even over many years of use. Neither will Vaseline. There are better oils for leather, but neither of those two will harm it. I can state for a fact, that an old dried out six gun holster I rejuvenated in 1982 with non-detergent motor oil and Vaseline is to this day still supple and usable. I retired it about 4/5 years ago because I made a new one with a toe plug for better gun protection, but it is still in good condition. I will not recommend motor oil, but even it has done no harm in all these years. At the time I used it, I figured I had nothing to lose, and no other oil on hand. No one had told me to not use petroleum oil on leather. I did not rub the oil in, but saturated the holster with it, then used Vaseline on it from then on when I thought it might need a touch up. That holster got a lot of use and carry time over the years. I have yet another holster I bought in the mid sixties and vaselined, and it too is still in very good condition, and very usable when needed. This may be a long stretch, due to chemical changes, but has anyone considered that petroleum oil began as animal oil?

 

[BillinOregon]

Wick, actually, isn't petroleum mostly ancient plant material?