Beeswax for Strap Backs and Other Leather Accessories?

[Dale-of-Cedars]

... I mostly use Lexol myself.

Which Lexol product, the leather conditioner or the Neatsfoot?

[Nighthawk]

Well, Ted, let's see... I use a thick coat of bee's wax to waterproof the insides of leather mugs, and like Artificer, I use it to burnish edges, although it sounds like he and I have a slightly different method. I use the wax as a sealer after I've dyed the edges. I also use it as a moisture barrier on the grain side of my more historical pieces, as opposed to super sheen. For that, I melt the wax in a candle maker that I got for Christmas a few years ago. I have a piece of oak dowel that I wrapped in material from an old white t shirt, which attaches to my power drill. I then use the drill on a low speed to buff the wax into the surface. I would imagine that method would work for the flesh side as well (this is actually something suggested to me by Artificer- thanks much for that!)- melt the wax into the leather. I would advise some sort sealer over it, however- some kind of polish maybe. The best option that I have found for the backs of straps is Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene, found here:

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/s..._1&kw=resolene

I've gotten really good results using it. Don't know how it would work over bee's wax, though.

On a slightly different note, I'm really jealous of your honey combs/fresh wax! Enjoy!! If you ever feel like selling a little, I make candles for my tent on a regular basis throughout the summer.

[Bugbear]

Oh gosh, Nighthawk.. The honey is so good. Un filtered, untouched bee urp with pollen and so on. It's a richer, earthier flavor. I feel like a bear.

It's also a little bit expensive if it were just for the wax.

I'll probably just make candles out of it, I can't seem to get all the honey out of the wax.
And I know I'm eating part of the wax, but that's life.

[AKScott]

Which Lexol product, the leather conditioner or the Neatsfoot?

I have not owned any Neatsfoot oil since we had horses on the farm when I as a much younger man. I remember it was great stuff on tack, but it always had a little bit of slime on the surface the way we were applying it. Same in the draught horse barn at the Kentucky Horse Park many decades ago. I think the grooms in the carriage horse barn next door were using Neatsfoot on their tack as well, but they were constantly buffing and rubbing and buffing and rubbing.

If you can get a nice finish with Neatsfoot I would expect to remain stable until the next time a horse sweats horse sweat through the leather. I know some folks see a horse all lathered up are thinking what an exciting ride, I generally try to guess how many pints of Neatsfoot the tack is going to need tonight before I go home.

A working team of two draught horses can easily require a pint of Neatsfoot oil to keep both harnesses (about 80 pounds of leather) in tip top shape after a single working day with just a bit of sweat foam at the edge of the collar.

I can get a much nicer non greasy finish on leather not exposed to sweat with plain old Lexol conditioner.

On new construction vegetable tanned leather I generally saturate the finished piece twice daily until the last droplets on the surface don't soak into the leather overnight. At that point I'll buff it smooth (plain white Tshirt only), let it sit a couple days and then soak it some more.

For nicer leathers, car seats, cowboy boots, Lexol conditioner is about the heaviest conditioner I will use. Feibings has a couple lighter viscosity proucts I have enjoyed; my favorite lighter weight product was a can of leather cream I bought at a Jaguar dealership - that stuff was great.

Vegetable leather, one scrap straight from the store unfinished and the top edge of one of my briefcases. The latter I had made of vegetable leather and has been finished with only time, plain white Tshirt buffing and Lexol conditioner.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

The best option that I have found for the backs of straps is Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene, found here:

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/s..._1&kw=resolene

I can get a much nicer non greasy finish on leather not exposed to sweat with plain old Lexol conditioner.

Great. Thanks very much.

[robbiethepiper]

GOOD quality shoe polish contains a high proportion of wax. it can be polished till there's little chance of transference. Even better are "hide food" products marketed for the preservation of leather covered furniture and leather car upholstery....

[Donnie]

Safest thing I know of for keeping leather you wear nice is neutral shoe polish.

[Spc. Scott]

Well I don't use the wax for much beyond bow stings but boy do I love honey right out of the comb. Luckily there is a gentleman just down the road that keeps bees and sells the honey. I use it mostly in my tea and coffee.

[Nighthawk]

Great. Thanks very much.

The resolene makes a tough, flexible finish. They promote it as a sealer for the grain side- at least they imply it- but I find I don't like the lustre it gives to my work. I use it on the edges and the flesh side of the leather.

[MacBean]

For metling wax - I'd guess the candle or batik crowds have appropriate heating containers. The danger of course is that wax is flammable. Don't burn down your house!