Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Belt is 50-60+ years old. Any recommendations on what to put on it? Was going to just put some neatsfoot/boot oil on it, but thought I'd open it up for other options first.
Also, should I just treat the finished side of the leather? Or, both rough and smooth sides of the belt?
Thanks, amigos.
Scott
Also, should I just treat the finished side of the leather? Or, both rough and smooth sides of the belt?
Thanks, amigos.
Scott
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
An old friend of mine who was a collector of Civil War leather goods among many other fields showed me that he swore by "Pecard antique leather dressing". He showed me some Civil War belts that were still supply enough to wear (although he still handled them very carefully) and said never ever to use Neatsfoot oil or any other animal based product.
He claimed that if you applied Neatsfoot oil or something similar it would be fine for a while but eventually the animal oils would cause the leather to rot. Also he said never to slather on the Pecard's, and that if you over oiled the leather it would get soft and loose it's shape.
Pecard's is commonly available online and not too expensive. And in looking at their website, their advertising claims are exactly what my friend told me 15 years ago. Perhaps he read their advertising too...
I'd go with a gentle application on both sides of the belt.
Jason
He claimed that if you applied Neatsfoot oil or something similar it would be fine for a while but eventually the animal oils would cause the leather to rot. Also he said never to slather on the Pecard's, and that if you over oiled the leather it would get soft and loose it's shape.
Pecard's is commonly available online and not too expensive. And in looking at their website, their advertising claims are exactly what my friend told me 15 years ago. Perhaps he read their advertising too...
I'd go with a gentle application on both sides of the belt.
Jason
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
A definite no for neatsfoot oil. It's OK for something you expect to use hard and wear out long before the lather and stitching would reach the end of its natural life. I have always used Fiebing's saddle soap for any leather I care about including antique items. Clean with the saddle soap a number of times working up a good lather and allowing to dry for a day or more between applications. Follow that after the item has dried for a few days with one or more applications of Lexol Leather Conditioner allowing time to dry between applications. Nothing against Pecard's but these are the only two things I will use on any leather item I even remotely care about. I have used them on everything from a 200 year old saber scabbard to my repro 30 year old Civil War leather gear which is as good as new today.
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Hubert's Shoe Oil brought a 1888 vintage 'Wilkenson Sword Co' sword-bayonet scabbard that came from the Nepal cache back to life. Have used the Hubert's oil on several pretty dilapidated leather items with success.
I honestly thought the big British bayo scabbard was probably too rotten to salvage...but either the scabbard wasn't as bad as I thought or Hubert's Shoe Oil is some really good stuff!
I honestly thought the big British bayo scabbard was probably too rotten to salvage...but either the scabbard wasn't as bad as I thought or Hubert's Shoe Oil is some really good stuff!
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Recently had to bring back a 50 year old dried out holster that was my fathers, I remembered reading on a Ballistol can about using it for leather.
Well i put a light dose on and I'll be darned it came out like new. Didn't soften the leather at all. Worked better then I would have imagined
Well i put a light dose on and I'll be darned it came out like new. Didn't soften the leather at all. Worked better then I would have imagined
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
I would not hesitate to use Lexol on anything that was valuable. I've had a couple custom leather motorcycle seats that I used it on. Lexol kept it like new and waterproof in all sorts of nasty weather and direct sunlight.
But, check it out and draw your own conclusions.
https://www.google.com/search?q=lexol&r ... e&ie=UTF-8
But, check it out and draw your own conclusions.
https://www.google.com/search?q=lexol&r ... e&ie=UTF-8
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 6972
- Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
- Location: Ridgefield WA. USA
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Skidmoors is the best I have found. It conditions and feeds leather without making it soft or darkening very much.
It is made by a family in Montana and has a big following by leather crafters. Find it on Google.
It is made by a family in Montana and has a big following by leather crafters. Find it on Google.
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 4296
- Joined: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:57 pm
- Location: Vinita, I.T.
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
I like Blackrock Leather N Rich. Happened on this stuff at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in OK City. They even sell it in their gift shop. I have some old saddles, chaps and holsters that I use it on and am very satisfied with it's performance.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 6972
- Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:52 pm
- Location: Ridgefield WA. USA
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
As you can see , there are a bunch of choices out there. Neatsfoot will soften and make leather limp if over used.
Most commercial leather dressings will work quite well.
Most commercial leather dressings will work quite well.
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Here's one from left field. If you don't mind a bit of darkening try Redwing Boot Oil. I've been using it on leathers that are darkly stained and have been happy. I tried it on one lighter shaded leather and it darkened it, but it turned out I liked it.
Jeepnik AKA "Old Eyes"
"Go low, go slow and preferably in the dark" The old Sarge (he was maybe 24.
"Freedom is never more that a generation from extinction" Ronald Reagan
"Every man should have at least one good rifle and know how to use it" Dad
"Go low, go slow and preferably in the dark" The old Sarge (he was maybe 24.
"Freedom is never more that a generation from extinction" Ronald Reagan
"Every man should have at least one good rifle and know how to use it" Dad
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
I have good luck on leather Rifle slings & hunting holsters with Bear grease.
Foggy Mountain Guide service used to sell it. Use a hair drier to get it in the leather.
Foggy Mountain Guide service used to sell it. Use a hair drier to get it in the leather.
- Sixgun
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 18723
- Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
- Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
Common sense....oils for hard use everyday leathers...........Lexol for high quality leathers.....we have saddles here that cost 2-3g's back n the seventies....used Lexol and they still look like the day we bought them.
As for everyday leather goods, like quality boots that don't last 10 years anyway we use Obenaufs.---6
As for everyday leather goods, like quality boots that don't last 10 years anyway we use Obenaufs.---6
Re: Leather conditioner for old cartridge belt???
I found this interesting, its changed some of my ideas about leather, though they had been changing some recently from taking to a gunleather maker.
http://www.jarnaginco.com/leather%20pre ... iginal.htm
http://www.jarnaginco.com/leather%20pre ... iginal.htm
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?