Best Oil for Leather: Olive vs. Coconut vs. Mineral

What oil should you use for conditioning leather? I explain why some oils should NEVER be used on leather. I give a comparison of olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, mineral oils, and castor oil.

[@wcstarwoodcolonel5472]

Ive used a good coat of olive oil on my saddles and bridles 1 time a year. I have saddles and tack that are 30yrs old and only look 3yrs old

[@koogle612]

After trying them all Ive arrived at this mix & got beautiful results. If you do the research you will see why. Equal parts pure lanolin (wool wax), jojoba oil, shea butter. Melt together & add a little D-limonene - my test batch was 1 tbsp ea lanolin/jojoba/shea & 1 tsp D-limonene. Cost came to just over $1.00/oz. Saphire makes a similar product for $25.00 for 1 third of an oz. This gets a thin coat applied to soak in for 1 day after a proper cleaning then buffed. It makes even my 30 yr old boots very supple & look fantastic.

[@buckleyapologetics]

Lanolin is good for leather, it's similar to castor oil but thicker. It blends well with some other oils.

[@koogle612]

@@buckleyapologetics well the resulting consistency I got I would describe as something between grease & like a really creamy pudding. It goes on very thin & it really works well especially in softening stiff leather - tried it on a pricey pair of thick! Stiff white sneakers I hadnt worn because they were so stiff. Softened them right up. Really nice shine on my dress shoes & boots too AND it smells nice. Fun little project. Made some shoe polish too but coloring agents Im still working on - the neutral polish itself works great but it does contain turpentine (gum spirits) & I want to find a different solvent thats better for leather. If I hadnt already shared with you check out this patent (thesis?) by Oliver Rothenberger in 2012 just google shoe polish patent Oliver Rothenberger 2012. I learned so much reading this I was fascinated by all of it. Probably the most in depth paper by far on the subject. Made my own saddle soap from homemade lard bar soap its like skin conditioner & really cleans. Happy to share if interested. Chesrs.

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

Too much work. I just buy Mink oil and get’er done. Easy.

[@koogle612]

Good description I agree. Im glad you tried it out. I did notice a formation of crystals on the surface after a time but simply remelting & stirring it up seemed to remedy that.

[@koogle612]

@@colt10mmsecurity68 all I ever used for my winter boots but not so much for dress shoes.

[@sabio2009]

Extra virgin olive oil has been used to condition leather in Europe, North Africa & the Middle East for thousands of years. Olive oil only goes rancid in a liquid state, but not when it’s used to condition leather.

[@tybotmano]

Red Palm seed oil. Best hands down.

[@dorcasowens8521]

Linseed oil is the best for leather goods.

[@lwmaynard5180]

You could look at formulas for tin pants ? Micro crystalline was Superior to all the different waxes tested .

[@busymountain]

Castor doesn't go rancid ... Neither does lanolin

[@user-pb2vo4pt3t]

I'm old school. Leather gets mink oil.

[@kayBTR]

What is the difference between Mineral Oil and Petroleum Jelly? Thanks so much for your video. Good information!

[@buckleyapologetics]

Good question. They are very similar. They are all alkane hydrocarbons (if you want to do more research). The main difference is the size and shape of the molecules. Something like light mineral oil has smaller molecules so its thinner and a liquid. Alkanes come in a huge variety.

[@bigoldgrizzly]

pet. jelly is a specific mix of paraffin wax and mineraloil

[@Psy6o]

I can't believe there is not a flammable warning on petroleum jelly put it on cotton balls and than when you need a fire started in a tight it is hard to beat burn wet or any other harsh condition

[@vladvld3433]

coconut is a medium chain Triglyceride wich doesnt" cook" the leather. that why is good for skin too..most seed oils are LCT long chain triglycerides . back when i was a kid in Eastern Europe we were told never use oils for shoes. only animal fat. try beef tallow. thank me later

[@buckleyapologetics]

Its the saturation that's important to how fast the oil breaks down. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3K1eoFuqdxrjKcfeature=shared

[@robertdavis9246]

I use any body lotion on leather. Works great.

[@buckleyapologetics]

It would probably soften old leather, but lotions have humectants and emulsifiers in them that I wouldn't want for leather.

[@Psy6o]

Same here

[@Lord_Ivoundy_Creood]

I looked at your channel, so you basically randomly made A shoe care video lol

[@AntiOrumcek]

Thanks for the information. What kind of bad effects would olive oil cause on the leather exactly? (Discoloration, stains, ripping the leather apart...)

[@buckleyapologetics]

Probably it would age faster and become dry and brittle vs using castor oil.

[@sabio2009]

None because it has a high PH, which is good for leather. Neats Foot oil is also good, but can break down leather faster because it has a lower PH than olive & castor oils.

[@alamomonkey]

It blows my mind how many people put olive oil on leather goods 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@buckleyapologetics]

Most food oils break down and aren't the best choice for things that we want to last a long time.

[@אסףבןעלי-ת7ו]

And what to do if you were already put olive oil on your leather, Can it be saved?

[@MM-yy9us]

thanks for the video, will castor oil soften up tough leather? One of my sandals is way harder then the other and i want to try to even them out a bit.

[@buckleyapologetics]

I think it would help

[@Terry-n1i]

Olive oil works great. Does not, turn rancid on leather. Works lot better than high dollar , name brand oils.

[@tizi2003]

What about jojoba which is actually a natural wax that does not go rancid?

[@buckleyapologetics]

I haven't tried it but jojoba makes sense for the reasons you give. I would melt some wax into it to thicken it up.

[@christopherbright1048]

How about mink oil or linseed oil. Those I have often used with great results

[@buckleyapologetics]

No on linseed. Mink oil is a formulation for leather so it probably works fine.

[@Psy6o]

If you use the boiled version be careful with your left over rags it will self ignite hours later and possibly burn the house down watch the videos all over KZbin it has a warning on the label but should be much more serious it's a good product but very dangerous but if someone does you wrong get some on a rag throw it away in their garbage can and look back 4 hours later please don't try it it's terrible for me to even say that just wash all rags and squeeze and let dry out side away from everything

[@davidcallan7844]

Mink

[@stefanocappella9612]

Mineral oil is baby oil

[@artcook1976]

I use WD 40 to treat my leather for over 40 yrs

[@Girl-Next-Door]

So caster oil mixed with bees wax good? What would the rough ratio be you figure?

[@buckleyapologetics]

They won't blend well. Castor oil isn't soluble with most oils. Mineral oil or petroleum jelly will blend with any of the waxes. Maybe 5 to 1 wax is a good place to start. Depends on how thick you want it.

[@Girl-Next-Door]

@@buckleyapologetics Good to know! Thanks for taking the time to answer

[@DarkWarrior_1]

​@@buckleyapologetics do i need to just use castor oil for leather. Would that be enough?

[@-kamile9367]

What about jojoba oil?

[@buckleyapologetics]

I've never tried it but it doesn't go rancid easily so it's probably fine.

[@sabio2009]

It’s good, but really darkens leather.

[@jennb7321]

baby oil?

[@buckleyapologetics]

Baby oil is light mineral oil, and its fine but maybe a bit greasy.

[@Psy6o]

Hydraulic fluid

[@Condor1970]

Avocado oil and Beeswax.

[@Yelladog78]

Here's my mix - 1lb natural beeswax, 1 toilet ring wax, 1 container of Vaseline. 16oz coconut oil. Melt everything together, let cool & apply. Been using this on everything from guns to boots to my own skin for 20 years. It waterproofs, preserves and heals

[@pbsamanthamarie]

If we use this on our skin, will it make Us smell like toilets and look like leather?

[@Yelladog78]

@@pbsamanthamarie yes rich full grain leather, very manly lol But no toilet smell 😁

[@stephen1137]

The toilet ring gasket is made from beeswax and petroleum wax. I bet you could skip it and still have the mix you want.

[@Yelladog78]

@@stephen1137 I bet you're right I can't say that it really improved anything it was more of an experiment I was using the wax ring for my bow string wax and had a bunch left over so I just threw it in but I bet you're right

[@Pays2Win]

Does it stop shit from seeping out? 😂

[@bigoldgrizzly]

petroleum jelly is made by mixing mineral oil and paraffin wax Mineral oil [mixed with waxes] is just fine for this job. Cheap source for small quantities of top quality mineral oil is is Johnson's baby oil.

[@cajunpipesmoker1519]

My mama made me take caster oil when I would try to claim being sick to miss school! Needless to say, I didn’t miss school very often!

[@truthbtold6118]

i will use this tip for my children wow so clever !

[@mycharmedunicorn8715]

My Dad used to use mink oil

[@alamomonkey]

Neatsfoot oil

[@tropical8669]

I tried coconut oil on a leather jacket a couple of years ago, was nice until it got cold then there were big white marks all over it, looked like mold... I guess it works if you live in a warm climate where the temperature never goes under +15 C or so, but otherwise don't do it. I had to warm up all the oil on the jacket with a hairdyer and remove it with paper towels.

[@koogle612]

Yeah coconut oil will oxidize but way less than olive oil try my recipe for very supple beautiful leather conditioner. Check comments.

[@pfcparts7728]

Yeah that’s fat bloom, basically the oil oxidizes and forms a crystalline dust. Harmless, your jacket will be fine.

[@aurelijaj4308]

@@koogle612 this is not called oxidation, because white color is not due to a reaction to oxygen, simply some oils become hard (and not translucent anymore) at lower temperatures. this phenomenon is completely reversed as soon as the temperature goes up. no chemical reaction, just the result of cold.

[@-kamile9367]

@@koogle612what about jojoba oil?

[@thedrunkengardenernb]

​@aurelijaj4308 no it happens in soap making too

[@sandynataf562]

Olive oil on my thorogood, daily used to steel Mill welding job. Still lasting good for the leather condition after 3 years

[@adcaptandumvulgus4252]

I bet you that clove or cinnamon oil would not go rancid either, maybe that?

[@stephen1137]

I have NEVER had a vegetable oil turn rancid.

[@adcaptandumvulgus4252]

I heard a mixture of tung oil and paraffin is good

[@daviddavid9837]

I've used petroleum jelly on leather my whole life. It's always worked well, and I've had good results. Never tried castor oil, but then again, I never really have it in the house. So, back to petroleum jelly!

[@bigoldgrizzly]

I remember getting spoon fed castor oil as a kid - trust me, it is way better putting it on leather than having to drink it !

[@buckleyapologetics]

For something like winter boots that get wet a lot its probably the best choice,. It will hold up longer with wax melted in.

[@SandyWaters-rp2bo]

No fool (rancid) or peteolem (drying) oils . Mink oil is best!

[@pepleatherlab3872]

I've been using a conditioning mix on my leather items since the 90's. It's a combination of Almond oil, Neatsfoot oil and beeswax. I melt it all together, pour it into small craft tins then let it cool. It's cheap and lasts a longtime on everything leather.

[@dianedale4265]

Very informative. I had no idea about this and often want to condition my leather.

[@buckleyapologetics]

Conditioning nice leather with the right oil is a good idea. It will also help it repel water which is good for things like shoes.

[@Psy6o]

Cod liver oil lol

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

Just use mink oil and call it a day. There’s too much thinking going on here. It’s not that serious, because we haven’t got all day.

[@buckleyapologetics]

I think mink oil is just a name they use. Its probably petroleum based.

[@ChandraKSC]

@@buckleyapologetics Actually it has as a component of it , the real oil from the skins of minks. Not vegan or cruelty free. I was shocked to learn that because I always thought the same thing as you!

[@esthersmith3341]

@@ChandraKSC they harvest minks. At least they aren't wasting the fat. Much like leather which is the hide and not wasted. Neatsfoot oil is made from the shin bones and hooves. No waste. Vegans dont realize that raising large amounts of vegetables kills more animals and life that eating an animal that lives among other animals and doesn't kill other animals. Ever seen a combine run over rabbits or baby deer? And dead worms after poisoning for vegetables.

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

[@Roaddog223]

Mink oil dries leather out

[@NoName-cj8ln]

Funny because Tandy leather told me olive oil

[@stefanocappella9612]

Mink oil is fantastic . 🇨🇦

[@teresagibson4946]

You sound like Woody Harrelson

[@edmundhusserl9071]

Thank you sir

[@braddobson2060]

Why not just buy leather oils and finishes

[@mysadlife1771]

Thanks, this helps

[@danielandrew2793]

can i use petroleum jelly to wipe my leather belt? my belt is currently very dry and almost "crunchy"

[@buckleyapologetics]

won't hurt

[@ingemarnilsson5498]

Never use petroleum products on leather.

[@milan4omilanov251]

​@@ingemarnilsson5498can you explain why?

[@jeffraygomezhuaman3567]

​@@ingemarnilsson5498why why

[@PrettyGoodLookin]

Use what then ?@@ingemarnilsson5498

[@kite9039]

So would that be what they call dubbing for waterproofing

[@chiya2006]

Dubbing oil Normally contain Lard/Tallow/or goose fat . Which can be mixed with beeswax & cod liver oil. 6-3-1 ratio. Fat/beeswax/oil You can mix brown oxide/black oxide for colouring.

[@buckleyapologetics]

Never heard of dubbing oil but I'm glad someone knows about it.

[@oldschoolman1444]

Taking Caster oil is a old wife's tale to help Indus labor during childbirth.

[@jvjdrn]

My mom took castor oil to induce labor when she was having my sister. It worked!

[@thedrunkengardenernb]

Coincidence :)

[@bigoldgrizzly]

It is a very effective laxative, but tastes foul - trust me i remember it well !

[@truthbtold6118]

castor oil will help you get contractions to birth your child... ask me how i know :)

[@CRIS.V1891]

Does linseed oil provides good protection for leather sheets, in a medium to high humidity place ?

[@buckleyapologetics]

linseed oil breaks down fast so I would not recommend it. Its for wood.

[@CRIS.V1891]

@@buckleyapologetics Thank you for the answer ! I was asking because som people are saying that non boiled linseed oil, does wonders for leather in protecting it against the elements. And others say that on the long run linseed oil, can do more harm to leather products. What I did not manage to find out is if the people that say, that it can do more harm on the long run used boiled Linseed oil. Because it is a difference at a christaline chimical level in boiling it, and the only thing that I know for certain is that old timers used the oil to protect leather and canvas products against weather. So if you are saying it isn't good because it doesn't last, that means back in the day it was considered good because there wasn't a ton of options. People must have applied It periodically, or used the mixture with bee's wax or animal fat. I'm right in arriving to this assumption ?

[@buckleyapologetics]

If I remember correctly linseed oil oxidizes very fast and this is it breaking apart chemically. It gives wood a patina on the surface. If you want something that will repel water and hold up well for leather then I would stay away from it. Castor is good and petroleum oils are good.

[@CRIS.V1891]

@@buckleyapologetics Thank's for clarifying this for me I much appreciated, and I wish you a wonderful day ! 🙂👍

[@archery411]

Will conditioning leather before dying a project mess up the dying process? I ask bc I'm worried that some new leather I bought will crack if I don't condition it before I start bending it into shape and sewing it (I'm making a holster, so I basically have to fold it up like a taco) and I do intend to dye the leather dark brown after I've sewn it.

[@jameswarner7435]

Unfortunately yes, these oil based leather conditioners will interfere with the dying process. While they aren't going to totally prevent it from taking the dye, they are going to prevent it from penetrating deep enough to get a nice uniform result. Your best bet is storing it at a controlled temperature and humidity, your next best option is probably to put your new leather in some sort of air tight package to prevent if from drying any further before you use it. And then store it someplace indoors where the temperature stays reasonably stable. Just check it after a few weeks or so to make sure it doesn't start smelling musty, which can happen if the moisture was fairly high to begin with.

[@buckleyapologetics]

I'm not a leather crafter but if the dye is water based it won't penetrate well if its been oiled.

[@kombuchababy6542]

Coconut is a drying oil.

[@colinsmith5218]

Coconut oil is composed of mostly saturated fatty acids (hence its relatively high melting point) and is not a drying oil. Drying oils are those with multiple double bonds, such as linseed oil, and they react to form cross-links, thus solidifying.

[@kombuchababy6542]

@@colinsmith5218 try using it regularly on your face for a moisturizer and get back to me.