stillwater belt cleaning

[toadinakilt]

the belt i bought from stillwater still smells really funky. i was wondering about running it through the wash...

the leather straps on my SW HW survive the wash quite nicely, but does anybodfy have any ideas about this belt? will it ruin it to wash it?

[Mike n NC]

Negat, no wash. If anything soak it in some weak vinigar water (very weak) and hang it in the sun to dry. I have a stillwater belt and while I think it would stand up to the wash without seperating, I'm not sure what condition the leather would be in afterward. Don't forget to apply a coat of neatsfoot oil after it drys.

Mike

[jjoseph]

Never had a leather belt smell bad but DO NOT soak leather. Get some saddle soap or even Murphy's oil soap and clean it, then after it's thoroughly dry, neatsfoot or other good leather conditioner.

[bubba]

Stick to saddle soap to clean it then a touch of neatsfoot oil after.

[Mike n NC]

Never had a leather belt smell bad but DO NOT soak leather. Get some saddle soap or even Murphy's oil soap and clean it, then after it's thoroughly dry, neatsfoot or other good leather conditioner.

LOL, you would'da loved being around when I hung a custom double slung gunfighter rig in the shower and blasted it with hot water for about a half hour. I been wearing leather on a motorcycle for about 30 years now and if a long, rainy trip isn't soaking leather, I have no idea what is. BTW, my best jacket...it's my first one, almost 30 and still in good shape after who knows how many rain storms. Just remember to oil the leather once it drys.

Besides, never saw a cow shrink did ya?

Mike

[Bil]

Okay, call me crazy but if he is complaining about stinky leather, why on God's green earth would you want to subject it to the foul odor of Neat's foot oil? Yeah, it's great stuff. But it stinks! If my main concern was to "get the stink out" I doubt I'd be happy with the results I got after applying Neat's. I'd use almost any other leather conditioner than that IF I was trying to avoid a stinky belt. Now, if it just needs a cleaning / conditioning and you can wait a good long while for the odor to fade, Neat's is the best bang for the buck.

By the way, anyone ever seen a Neat anyway? How big are its feet and how did they get the oil out of it? :-P

[Mike n NC]

Okay, call me crazy but if he is complaining about stinky leather, why on God's green earth would you want to subject it to the foul odor of Neat's foot oil? Yeah, it's great stuff. But it stinks!

By the way, anyone ever seen a Neat anyway? How big are its feet and how did they get the oil out of it? :-P

First, if the oil you have stinks it has gone rancid. Toss it. Neatsfoot has very little odour of it's own and what it does have fades as it drys. It that still doesn't trip your trigger, there are as many "leather conditioners" out there as there are people to buy them. You can even get it par-fummeed for those with a delicate nose.

Second, I have a cousin that raises Neats. Very docile, small, four legged creatures. Think ground-hog with longer legs and huge feet. Oil is actrually a misnomer...it is toe jam.

Mike

[Bil]

Second, I have a cousin that raises Neats. Very docile, small, four legged creatures. Think ground-hog with longer legs and huge feet. Oil is actrually a misnomer...it is toe jam.

Mike

Okay, I think I'm going to vomit now.

So anyway, I guess mine is rancid. I have always thought it stank bad and figured it was just the way it is. Every bottle I've bought has stank to high heaven but then again I've never cared because I use it on my boots and, well, who cares if my boots stink? I have always preferred mink oil (paste) for my other leather work. I find the odor pleasant and I think it does a good job.

[An t-Ileach]

Mink Oil's OK. Personally, I don't like neatsfoot oil either. I use an Australian stuff by Oakwood - nice smell of eucalyptus, and is really penetrative. Or there's Hooper's Saddle Food. I'm not sure if Weaver's in Mount Hope Ohio do it, but they do a wide range of mail order leather stuff.

And as people have said, use saddle soap to clean the leather.

The difference between belts and clothing is usually that belts are still made from bridle leather (or some approximation to it), which is vegetable tanned, whereas clothing/upholstery leather is usually chrome/chemical tanned and thus more water resistant.

[auld argonian]

Isn't there some legendary shoe polish/leather preservative that's available only in the UK or Australia...it's a very simple name...help me out here...they have a funny website....

auld argonian