Rejuvenating Leather Handles

[Farmall 1066]

Picked up a nice Woodmans Pal last weekend in a pawnshop in Wichita.
Great overall condition, but I'd like to treat the leather handle to help it last.
This has a handle of stacked leather washers, like an Estwing hammer.
These aren't cracked or loose...I just don't want them getting that way.
Any suggestions?

 

[woody 73]

This is going to sound bat **** crazy but an old timer told me that he used to put Vaseline petroleum jelly (the stuff they use for babies skin care) on his old leather handles and it would work real good.

So I tried it and those old leather handle washers and they soaked up that stuff like no tomorrow and it works real good. Now you might be thinking oh no that stuff will make the hammer go flying off your hands but not really as the leather just soaks up all that oil from the jelly; plus I wipe it down real good.


If you don't like that idea then any good store bought leather oil product will also work real good.

 

[Fedwrench]

mink oil, any leather waterproofing treatment works well.

you just don't want to use anything that will soften the leather too much.

With age sometimes the washers dry out a bit and shrink.

 

[Davefr]

Isn't Neatsfoot oil still the "gold standard" for leather preservation/rejuvination?

https://www.chewy.com/fiebings-100-...MIyru96_Hu2wIVDL7ACh30uwlWEAQYAyABEgKHWfD_BwE

 

[orangeblood]

^what he said x10

 

[6PTsocket]

Everybody has their favorites. I like Lexol, that has been around forever. Neatsfoot oil is good stuff but it definitely softens the leather. We used to use it to break in baseball gloves. What leather is tanned with, really detirmines what works best but that's not always available information. I have a lot of Redwing boot oil laying around, too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Isn't Neatsfoot oil still the "gold standard" for leather preservation/rejuvination?

It is in my house!

 

[Robby321]

Neatsfoot...always did my biker leathers!

 

[rlitman]

Isn't Neatsfoot oil still the "gold standard" for leather preservation/rejuvination?...

Neatsfoot softens leather. It will rapidly break in a baseball glove, only to make it crack and fall apart a few years later. I would definitely suggest staying away from neetsfoot, or any mineral oil products (such as vaseline).

Everybody has their favorites. I like Lexol, that has been around forever. Neatsfoot oil is good stuff but it definitely softens the leather. We used to use it to break in baseball gloves. What leather is tanned with, really detirmines what works best but that's not always available information. I have a lot of Redwing boot oil laying around, too.

Lexol is VERY good. There are other good saddle oils like Fiebing Silicone-Lanolin Saddle Oil that won't harm leather.

I make something from Crisco, coconut oil and jojoba oil.

As for hammer and knife handles, the factory finish is usually a varnish. Linseed oil would probably work too, if you'd be ok with it stinking for a few years.

 

[PugetDude]

Sno-Seal. Slather on a thick coat, work it in well. Leave the excess. Put it in an aluminum-foil covered baking pan; bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes on the lowest setting. Wipe off any excess and allow to dry thoroughly before using it. It will initially darken the leather, but it will lighten a bit when it's dry.

 

[Billythekid1]

If nothing is wrong with it just use it the handle made it this long adding any of those products will make the leather better for now but not in the long run leather does best just kept clean and dry

 

[M6erfan]

Neatsfoot here. If it's good enough for Horween and Wolverine, it should work well on your handle. I've been using it for years on my boots and it has never caused dryness or cracking.

 

[Fretters]

Neatsfoot softens leather. It will rapidly break in a baseball glove, only to make it crack and fall apart a few years later. I would definitely suggest staying away from neetsfoot, or any mineral oil products (such as vaseline).

Neatsfoot isn't a mineral oil, and has been a primary choice for tending leather for a long time.

 

[M6erfan]

Neatsfoot softens leather. It will rapidly break in a baseball glove, only to make it crack and fall apart a few years later. I would definitely suggest staying away from neetsfoot, or any mineral oil products (such as vaseline).



Lexol is VERY good. There are other good saddle oils like Fiebing Silicone-Lanolin Saddle Oil that won't harm leather...

BTW, copied from Lexol's conditioner MSDS...

Mixtures
Chemical Name Common name
and synonyms
CAS Number Percent %
Water or Hydrogen Oxide Purified Water 7732-18-5 70 - 80
Sulfated Neatsfoot Oil 68424-50-0 5 - 10
Oils, vegetable, Me esters,
sulfated
Sulfated Sperm Oil 68648-42-0, 68424-
75-9
5 - 10
Tall Oil Fatty Acid 61790-12-3 5 - 10

 

[orangeblood]

i too have never had an issue with neatsfoot "cracking" leather but agree that lexol is a good product. also agree that the original tanning treatment (when known) is the best guide for care

 

[gungatim]

Neatsfoot isn't a mineral oil, and has been a primary choice for tending leather for a long time.

yep. made from boiling cow (Neet) bones (foot/shin)....it's what I use on anything leather except furniture. shoes, boots, handles, knife sheath's, you name it.

I 've used mink oil before but because it has a much lower boiling point (ie. it's not a liquid like Neetsfoot oil), it doesn't seem to soak in as well and leaves more of a film on top. also doesn't seem to last as long.

for tool handles I would go with the neetsfoot for sure.