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Old leather slings.

nmkid

Gold $$ Contributor
Seems I am always rearranging things in the loading room. Last night I happened on 5 old leather rifle slings. What would you use to rejuvenate the old leather? All I have is mink oil but, I use that to waterproof my boots.
 
Animal-based oils will deteriorate leather. I learned that from an exec at Danner. Neatsfoot oil is the recommended stuff and will really make a difference in longevity.

If you've got Ballistol, it works great too, and works on guns in ways you may not have considered.
 
Seems I am always rearranging things in the loading room. Last night I happened on 5 old leather rifle slings. What would you use to rejuvenate the old leather? All I have is mink oil but, I use that to waterproof my boots.
Tandy Leather has what you are looking for. Tommy Mc
 
Animal-based oils will deteriorate leather. I learned that from an exec at Danner. Neatsfoot oil is the recommended stuff and will really make a difference in longevity.

If you've got Ballistol, it works great too, and works on guns in ways you may not have considered.
My experience with mink oil on Mukluks, Redwing boots, Whites boots, favorite work gloves, and several slings contradict that. Even my ten year old Danner Quarrys get mink oil every year. The only thing I don't care for about it is I cannot polish them, and for a short while after oiling them, they are like magnets for dirt & dust. So I keep them wiped.
Edit to add, by the time my heels wear thin, the topside of the boots are scarred and abused. My beater pair of Redwings is going on 16 years, and even though their soles are shot and the toes are worn through to the steel, they are my most comfortable.
 
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My experience with mink oil on Mukluks, Redwing boots, Whites boots, favorite work gloves, and several slings contradict that.

Respectfully noted.
I used Mink oil and Hubbard's Snow Seal for decades on all my Danners for hunting and field here in the PNW. Then after some years I started to notice cracking where the leather bends for walking on some of my boots. When I questioned this with Danner, I was admonished about the use of animal-based lotions for leather. Once I started using Neatsfoot oil, problem has not arisen in any of my newer boots.

I can tell this discussion dealing with us geezers who've used their favorite remedy for decades will devolve into the classic 'Ford vs Chevy' thing. We've all got our favorites.
 
Animal-based oils will deteriorate leather. Neatsfoot oil is the recommended

Neatsfoot oil
Animal-based oil used as a treatment for leather.
Neatsfoot oil is a yellow oil rendered and purified from the shin bones and feet (but not the hooves) of cattle
It doesn’t take much of it and will get clothes messy. Make sure it’s 100% neatsfoot, nests foot compound has petro added.
 
Bick 4 if you don't want to discolor it. Use this on my motorcycle leather goods

Obenaufs HD LP for the best conditioning IMHO
 
Obenaufs HD LP for the best conditioning IMHO

Agreed. I use a hair dryer to heat up the leather and open the pores. I can just watch the stuff soak in.
 
Respectfully noted.
I used Mink oil and Hubbard's Snow Seal for decades on all my Danners for hunting and field here in the PNW. Then after some years I started to notice cracking where the leather bends for walking on some of my boots. When I questioned this with Danner, I was admonished about the use of animal-based lotions for leather. Once I started using Neatsfoot oil, problem has not arisen in any of my newer boots.

I can tell this discussion dealing with us geezers who've used their favorite remedy for decades will devolve into the classic 'Ford vs Chevy' thing. We've all got our favorites.
Interesting. I too have noticed that cracking, or what I think of as aging of the leather.
My loose metric was whether it leaked or not. The Whites stopped holding a seal, that's why they went down the road.
I think I bought a can of Huberd's at Bi-Mart some time ago, but have yet to open it. Think I'll give it a try since the rains appear to be here with a vengeance.
 
I agree with Mr. Kracken McGraw, Skidmore's Leather Cream would be my choice. Neatsfoot, Huberds or mink oil is for boot leather. Gloves, rifle slings and lighter leathers will do better with Skidmore's. I've used the Skidmore's on saddles and tack it will soften and 'renew leather. On heavy leathers like Whites boots I've always used Whites Boot Oil, but it's hard to keep them "water proof" with our NW rains. When the rains come grab the Helly Hansen and BF Goodrich 'Extratuffs'.
 
I agree with Mr. Kracken McGraw, Skidmore's Leather Cream would be my choice. Neatsfoot, Huberds or mink oil is for boot leather. Gloves, rifle slings and lighter leathers will do better with Skidmore's. I've used the Skidmore's on saddles and tack it will soften and 'renew leather. On heavy leathers like Whites boots I've always used Whites Boot Oil, but it's hard to keep them "water proof" with our NW rains. When the rains come grab the Helly Hansen and BF Goodrich 'Extratuffs'.
When I went to King’s saddle museum in Sheridan, they were putting Skidmore’s on the leather museum pieces.
 

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