best leather treatment?

"...how smooth it has to be to use wax..." More about leaving tons of lint behind from the cloth.
Neat foot oil is made from cow feet and bones. Made for conditioning, softening and preservative agent for leather. You don't want a soft holster. Causes the firearm to droop.
Olive oil on leather will cause premature deterioration and oily spots that will not come out. Oil in general isn't good for leather.
Net search 'Olive oil on leather'. 2.82 million pages arguing.

Doesn't olive oil rot/go rank eventually?

"...how smooth it has to be to use wax..." More about leaving tons of lint behind from the cloth.
Neat foot oil is made from cow feet and bones. Made for conditioning, softening and preservative agent for leather. You don't want a soft holster. Causes the firearm to droop.
Olive oil on leather will cause premature deterioration and oily spots that will not come out. Oil in general isn't good for leather.
Net search 'Olive oil on leather'. 2.82 million pages arguing.

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Did you skip past the part where I said John Bianchi submerges his rigs in warm neatsfoot oil before finishing them?

Folks have been using extra virgin olive oil on leather for centuries. It is PH balanced and no, it does not go rancid on your leather. At least those who've spent five or six decades using it on their leatherwork don't report it doing so.

Olive oil on leather will cause premature deterioration and oily spots that will not come out.

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Sorry but this is pure nonsense, unfounded. Where'd you read that?

There are lots of myths and old wives tales about leather that get passed around. Once you dig deeper, beyond the regurgitated gun shop tales, you start revealing the truth.

Just be sure to use extra virgin and a good brand. It has to be cold pressed or it can go rancid.

So the pistol fits well?

Nothing. It's new. If you're weak and just can't help yourself a little bit of Kiwi Neutral but you'll hate yourself in the morning.

I have used Crisco Pure Vegtable oil for initial oiling on vegetable tanned leather holsters & knife sheaths I have made for about 25 years.

No, it doesn't rot or get rancid.

An old Wyoming saddle maker told me about it years ago.
His first job was re-bottling 55 gal drums of pure wegtable oil into 'magic' saddle oil that sold for about $5 and ounce.



rc

Buying finished products, you don't know.

The high quality hand boned fitted holsters are exclusively made of Vegetable tanned leather.
Because that is all you can get as unfinished leather that can be wetted, cased, and hand tooled or molded to the gun.

It comes devoid of any oil, and is almost white & dry as it comes.
So it must be oiled to replenish the natural oils once the holster is complete.

http://www.tandyleather.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/9048-309.aspx

Chrome tanned leather is cheaper, and often used in inexpensive leather goods that will not be wet molded, and will often be finished with die & or lacquer.

I would almost bet your 34.95 shoulder holster is Chrome tanned leather though.

rc

Thanks, but I don't take orders.
And seldom if ever make stuff for myself anymore.

Old age has taken a toll in my hands.

They would hurt for a month after hand stitching one of them there jobby-do's again.

Rc

go to the bottom of this page:

http://www.thewhipman.co.nz/Market_Place.html

and order the big size of the "Soft Beeswax Dressing"

it's the best stuff I've ever used on Tack, Holsters, Leather Jackets, anything.

My brother turned me on to this stuff and I love it.

http://www.blackrock-leather.com/pages/about-us

It is. Like Malamute above, I prefer Sno-Seal on all my leather. I've got "Bean Boots" from the early '70s and holsters and sheaths from the '80s that I treat every blue moon with Sno-Seal. Even Bible covers! Still look like new.

Just rub in a light coat with your fingers, then run a hair dryer over it lightly. When cool just rub and buff with an old undershirt/cotton cloth.

The small size will last for many years. See:

http://www.amazon.com/Sno-Seal-3-5-...sim_200_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=089SAS8GQJQFJSXM24A8

lexol

I recommend Lexol leather conditioner.

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This ^^^^^. Lexol. The best.

The hairdryer method gets it down into the stitch holes and all the little crevices.

Folks need to keep in mind that the various oils and conditioners do one thing, waxes, shoe polish and Sno-Seal all do something completely different.

^^^^^ Better listen to this guy, have you ever seen any of his work? Top notch leather !

You folks need to visit some leather maker sites. What CraigC said works for a whole bunch of small business owners (like me) and some big names in the leather business.
A modicum of NFs oil is all that's needed. Just wipe the leather down. Don't pour on the oil and rub it in. Contaminate a rag, then wipe on. Does it make the leather soft? Only if you use way too much oil. Just a light wipe on coat to restore the leather after tanning and, especially, if you have dyed the leather. Dye will make leather very stiff. Apply NFs before or after you dye.
EVOO? Great stuff. Same application applies.
We are talking conditioners here. Not water proofing or a sealer to prevent die getting on the clothes.

You folks need to visit some leather maker sites. What CraigC said works for a whole bunch of small business owners (like me) and some big names in the leather business.

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I think visiting some of the leather maker sites is why there is some disconnect between your's and CraigC's advice and what you can find at the big name makers sites. Most of the leather maker sites I visit recommend not to put any oil or leather conditioner on their holsters. I'm not saying you're wrong, and I wouldn't even have mentioned it, but you brought up the suggestion to visit the leather maker's sites. I'll take your word for it, and if I had a holster from you or CraigC, I'd certainly follow your recommendation. However, I'll also follow the recommendations of the holster maker I buy from, and if they recommend something different, I'll listen to them.

Kramer http://www.kramerleather.com/faq.cfm#q1

What type of care and maintenance does my holster require?
An occasional application of KIWI neutral paste wax is the only routine maintenance we suggest for your holster. DO NOT apply oils or grease in an effort to soften the leather as it was specifically intended to be rigid. Every effort should be made to keep the mold intact. In other words, DO NOT crush and flex an empty holster.

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Milt Sparks http://www.miltsparks.com

What can I do to maintain the appearance of my new leather?
...You can disregard most of the advice put out on the various internet forums suggesting applications for holsters that are better suited for a pair of boots, or on a saddle. On holsters and belts of our manufacture- do not use silicone, oil, or any leather conditioning product that advertises itself as an aid to help soften leather- Period!

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