anyone use Neatsfoot oil for boots or other leather?

daven

Well-Known Member
If so, ever had a problem with mildew growing on anything that you have stored away? Nothing to do with moisture I think.... Just noticed today a saddle and couple pair of boots that I haven't had out in a while have a kind of blue/green fuzzy mold/mildew on them. I have only used the neatsfoot oil on them... Everything else gets saddle soap and and a beeswax based polish and is fine (all stored in the same place)... Guessing it's something with the NF oil and wondering if anyone else noticed the problem.

Thanks, Dave
 
I used to use it regularly on leather jackets back in the 70's, an attempt to keep the rain out.
Trouble is that like many oil's it goes off, even smells rank, and in the end rots stitches and goes mouldy.
These day I use bee's wax and linseed oil, or just good old dubbin.

Neil. :)
 
The tin just emptied has been ok from start to finish, got a new tin today, hopefully that will be the same as its predecessor ?

I have only ever used it on my tracking leads, doesn't last too long on those with the use, never had a problem SO FAR :scared:


ATB

Phil
 
I got a bottle of neatsfoot oil off the internet.. have used it on several leather rifle slings and a pair of shoes to soften the leather. Worked really well . No sign of any mould after 9 months.

David.
 
This sounds like damp , I have had this problem with leather boots that I had to leave in a porch this winter. I think that it is wise to examine leather goods regularly for this sort of problem, and for drying out and cracking.

atb Tim
 
Neats foot is made from calves' or young cattle lower leg bones and feet (not hooves).

Neat is an old word for cow.

So, totally organic, high in fat and natural oils, so will go rancid in time if allowed to remain moist.
 
Thanks Folks...... Guess it was a combination of a couple things I did wrong and the NF oil just wasn't as forgiving as the other stuff...

1) used WAY too much and really saturated the leather.
2) Put the stuff right away without letting the sun and air work on them a while.
3) Stored in an uncontrolled (temperature) room with little air and light.

Was given a tip by a saddle maker on another forum...... Said use extra virgin olive oil and let it set in the sun for the day before storing. Said that any organic oil needs the sun time if going to be unused (stored) for a period of time so the oil don't spoil (?).... Makes sense because I guess the best way to describe the mildew/mold I am talking about is what you find on food that has been left in the fridge or opened cans/jars too long...

I'm curious about the olive oil.....
 
Used neatsfoot for donkeys years...never had any problems with mildew or stitches rotting. It's quick & easy to use and once soaked in lasts for ages. ATB
 
Thanks Folks...... Guess it was a combination of a couple things I did wrong and the NF oil just wasn't as forgiving as the other stuff...

1) used WAY too much and really saturated the leather.
2) Put the stuff right away without letting the sun and air work on them a while.
3) Stored in an uncontrolled (temperature) room with little air and light.

Was given a tip by a saddle maker on another forum...... Said use extra virgin olive oil and let it set in the sun for the day before storing. Said that any organic oil needs the sun time if going to be unused (stored) for a period of time so the oil don't spoil (?).... Makes sense because I guess the best way to describe the mildew/mold I am talking about is what you find on food that has been left in the fridge or opened cans/jars too long...

I'm curious about the olive oil.....

Have not used neatsfoot for years but did find mold on things that were left unattended for a while having said that said mold, mildew just rubbed off with no ill effect, neatsfoot supposedly rots the stitching after a time, however I can't say I found it so, my boots maybe just wore out before it happened.

If you know a saddler hard to find these days they often make up their own leather oil, one local to me made a clear one or a black one that both dyed and treated the leather, unfortunately he has now retired and shut up shop.

Don't see why olive oil would not work, I have used vegetable oil on boots not on a regular basis but occasionally when I have had nothing else to hand.
 
The spores were likely in the oil to start with. The same problem affects Dubbin. That said, they would not grow if they were not in a moist environment.
 
I treat my Lundhags with a grease that smells strongly of tar. The Lundhags get a white bloom on them if left for a while. My 2 pairs of Miendl boots that i treat with Miendl's own grease never get this bloom and they are all kept in the same dry room.
 
Sounds like a normal leather "bloom" of waxes that come to the surface after oiling. Without a picture, its hard to say...blooms are normal though (at least all my tack used to get them when it was damp and things were oiled, put up, and not touched in a few weeks).
 
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