about mink oil & other leather thoughts (was Re: [Ponte Alto] Softening Leather Question, was: Re: New Boots)

[l e storey]

Greetings! 

Here's my two shillings on mink oil, leather, etc.  (And I so enjoy an
outlet for such hard-learned, esoteric info! Yay)

First, a warning: 

Mink oil is a wonderful product, but I would warn against using it on
any leather that is colored -- more precisely, warn you that using mink
oil will likely change the color of your leather.  Also, you need to
make sure that you are using it on smooth, "shiny" or hard leather (I
think the term is split?) rather than anything that has a suede (fuzzy)
finish on it.  

Color change example: if you have light tan leather that you're working
with, mink oil will very likely make it a deeper brown/caramel color. 
Think about how a piece of colored paper changes color when you get
oil/butter on it: deeps the color, makes it seem a bit "translucent."

This isn't as much of a problem if your leather is black, for example,
or overdyed as some white leathers can be, where they are essentially
painted.  But do make sure that you wouldn't mind a color change.

Also: if your leather has a distressed finish to it (as the bomber
jacket may) the distressing may fade/disappear, and the surface will
look more regular.

And do NOT use it on suede -- it'll be pretty impossible to regularly
apply, and will "de-suede" the suede, take away it's soft fuzz, etc. 
For suede, use a stiff brush to get the dirt off & then one of the
suede cleaners from local leather jacket shop (e.g., Wilsons)

Now on to the softening questions & specific garments:

Boots -- I've had great luck over the years with mink oil on boots, and
I prefer it over the spray-on stuff.  (And I grew up in WI & Chicago,
so I know from stomping through snow etc.)  The mink oil seems to
condition the leather, doesn't wear off as much or in as spotty a way,
and is much more pleasant to work with than the spray-on stuff.  I
would recommend reapplying the mink oil after each significant use
(e.g., Pennsic).  
--> Also, I have heard that getting new leather boots (I'm assuming
they're customs?) wet and then wearing them around for a few hours or
so to heat them up & mold them to your feet is the way to go, assuming
that you are looking to break them in more that soften the leather. 
I've broken in pairs of custom persian boots & slippers this way.

Bike Jacket -- Sounds like you have "real" bike jacket, not some of the
softer leather "fashion" leathers.  Basically, a real bike leather is
really thick, really stiff leather that is designed to take the beating
when you dump your bike (rather than your skin), so YMMV as to weather
it'll ever be "soft."  The suggestion to wear it around a lot & sleep
in it will largely "mobilize" the leather, to get it to crease in the
places that your body bends.  Think of how a new pair of smooth leather
shoes looks like after you've worn them for a bit -- there will be
creases where your foot bends, etc.  The jacket will do the same thing,
if you wear it enough.  And (again, Chicago grrl speaking) part of the
point of a bike leather =is= to be (look) tough vs the soft calfskin
etc jackets that are in that style.

Where to find & how to use: 
* I've always found Kiwi brand (I think) mink oil tins near the shoe
polish at grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.  The tin is red & black,
last I saw, and about 5' in diameter.  FYI: it's a paste, not a liquid!
* To apply, I usually use a 3" square of an old terry cloth towel --
make sure it's old, and doesn't lint much/at all.  Smear the towel
scrap over the mink oil -- the terry loops will pick up the paste --
and then rub into the leather.  The terry loops are your friends:
they'll hold on to the paste and pick up the excess as you work it into
the leather.  
* Work it in until it doesn't feel "slick" on the surface -- think of
applying lotion to your hands or similar -- rub in the mink oil paste
until its been absorbed by the leather.  Gentle small circular motion
works best, like polishing silver.  
* For boots, after I've cleaned off mud etc and let them dry, I'll
sometimes smear a bunch of the paste on & let it sit for a while,
absorbing into the leather.  
* The excess (if any) can be wiped off & put back into the tin.  Oh,
and I usually store the rag in the tin; makes it easier, as you don't
want to was out the rag or have it collect lint etc when you're storing
it.

FWIW, I think there are leather cleaners and conditioners available at
places like Wilsons that may not change the color etc of leather as
much as mink oil ... but I'm guessing most of them will have the "try
on small area you can't see when wearing" caveat, as if they are a
liquid/paste they may also affect the color of the leather.

One of the reasons I prefer for mink oil vs other is simply the smell
and texture: mink oil doesn't have a chemical smell like some other
products, and I don't mind working with it for a while (I had a leather
couch & chair that I treated a couple of times a year with mink oil).

YMMV :-) and YIS,

-Siobhán

--- Scott Cozad <trancecognental at yahoo.com> wrote:

> 
> --- Sharon Henderson
> <revsharonhenderson at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Geoffrey,
> > 
> > Would mink oil be safe to use on, say, a jacket?  I
> > have an OOP lovely black leather motorcycle jacket
> > that I have seldom worn because it is so stiff, it
> > makes me look like an overburdened toddler in
> > several layers of snowsuit.  ;-)  I've been told to
> > wear it often and sleep in it to make it more
> > supple, but I don't see that working... would the
> > mink oil do the trick?  And where does one acquire
> > this wondrous thing?
> 
> Geoffrey:
> You should be able to use it on your jacket.  Mink oil
> is natural and should not cause any problems.  At
> least I have never seen any.  My Dad used to use mink
> oil on his leather shoes.  That is where I got the
> idea to use it.
> 
> I have found it at Safeway of all places though you
> may be able to find larger quantities online.  
> 
> Cheers,
> Geoffrey
> 
> =====
> "In wildness is the preservation of the world"  Emerson
> Scott Cozad
> Geoffrey Wynburn in the SCA
> Mercenary of the Ages
> 
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