Love Your Estwing - Dip it in Neatsfoot Oil

So many folks reccomended that I dip my Estwing hatchet in Neatsfoot Oil that I had to give it a try. It worked great in just a few hours and really did a much better job at nourishing the leather compared to my Boiled Linseed Oil or my Axe Wax.
If you want to check some out and help out the channel, below is an Amazon Affiliate link to the Neatsfoot Oil, from Fiebing's, that I used in this video:
Fiebing's Neatsfoot Pure Oil-Quart - amzn.to/2Por9fz

[@ScoutCrafter]

The leather handle tools always look better then they perform... As a handle material they have lots of flaws but when new look great! A great tip I picked up from Dave at Old Sneelock's Workshop is to have a few lengths of PVC with a cap glued on one end for soaking long parts in the fluid of your choice! He uses that method for soaking files in Vinegar! Work! Thanks!

[@oldshovel]

Great tip. I have a high lift jack for my truck that needs some restoration and soaking and I was thinking of doing something like that to soak it.

[@joenadeau4419]

I gave up on soaking files in vinegar but everything else I soaked came out looking great.

[@littlejackalo5326]

​@@joenadeau4419yeah, me too. I would try to salvage rusty files for a while too. Dozens of them I've collected over the years. It's more work than it's worth. If a file has enough rust that you need to use acid to eat it off, throw it out.

[@timberg7377]

Small tip; Use a Hair dryer and heat the leather first, then soak it for at least 24 hours..

[@Chris.Davies]

Yes. I use my hot-air gun, and dozens of heavy applications of Elephant Leather Preserver. I keep heating and applying until it stays liquid on the surface. This means the leather will not absorb more. Then polishing on a cloth wheel. Awesome!

[@joeschueler4952]

Neat is an Old English word for cattle. Thus, cattle-foot oil is thought to be the appropriate substance to condition cattle-hide products.

[@seth_5394]

“That feels...much more oiled” 🤣

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

The whole time I'm watching this I'm thinking, "He's going to knock that whole water bottle full of oil over!!"

[@roycolglazier1061]

Several years ago, my father , a career Marine Corps officer, passed along to me both of his issue K-Bar knives, one worn during the Korean War, the other from SE Asia (building the B52 bsse in Thailand - not actually in Viet-Nam), in the early '60s! There was also an aircrew survival knife included! After beating hell outta them, a cleanup was in order. All 3 were steel wool scrubbed of rust, then the sheaths & handles were treated to an overnite soak in neatsfoot. Done probably 10-12 years ago, they're good to go for another generation! FYI, I've used the stuff on leather goods of all descriptions, and other than the obvious darkening, which I'll live with, have been extremely happy with results!

[@adrockey]

I've been using neat's-foot oil on my boots for years. Great waterproofing oil.

[@Santokuryu]

i gotta get myself a vintage leather stacked handled hatchet! beautiful axe, great video as usual.

[@mikeboone4425]

You've done great I think in time you will see it 's much more lasting than the wax and for damn sure it has gone in deeper but I think you could have rushed it . I hang mine when oiling never wipe it of just let it drip dry it does not happen over night some times a few days then I hit it with the heat gun I had failed to say that last time . Happy trails looking forward to your next project.

[@Tmrfe0962]

Thank you, I have this exact axe and look forward to freshening it up...

[@oldshovel]

Awesome

[@halidespecialist8562]

Love your videos. Super helpful information. I can't wait to see the copper hatchet.

[@jimronchetto8592]

Here is a link for the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaTFeHiFobuYiJo

[@tfknauss]

Another good one! Its what I use on my leather items.

[@williamclark1633]

nice job, I've restored several Estwing y tools. I replace the leather and two coats of lacquer. what started out as curiosity how to fix my own leather gripped Estwing hammer, I aquired sever more. I'll probably give them away.

[@thejasonbischoff]

You can hit that leather with fine sandpaper first (or now) to freshen it up and then resoak it.

[@Brykk]

I have had really good luck using ballistol.

[@stevend9124]

That stuff looked like it worked well 👍👍👍👍

[@oldshovel]

It did. Great stuff.

[@user-hx9tp9cn2h]

It appearsthat the Neatsfoot Oil produced favorable results. In addition to the N. oil, theere is also a baseball glove cream which can be applied intermittently, which well help maintain the reconditioning of the handle. 'Blessings!

[@13thworker45]

Thank you for sharing.

[@tomnekuda3818]

My feeling is that you've gone the route of "too much" in that the neatsfoot oil will be working itself out of the leather forever and giving your handle a greasy feeling always. Would rather that you used a bit of lacquer thinner to take off the varnish and then just give it a nice rub with the neatsfoot oil when it needs it. I remember using too much neatsfoot on shoes and having this happen. I'm a big believer in neatsfoot, tho.... I'll be curious to see down the road....thanks for all your uploads.

[@caidenrandolph7257]

That's what I was thinking

[@user-qp3xe6vn6d]

Agreed. Let’s just say for me….Lessons have been learned lol. But for leather items such a handle, neetsfoot oil is excellent and preferred over anything else when used properly.

[@perplexingperceptions8888]

I was thinking the same thing. He didn't have to soak it that long, just lathering it several times would suffice.

[@davesempire8287]

Looks good. I dont mind the darkened handle. Looking forward to the copper hachet..

[@oldshovel]

I quite like the darker color also.

[@jimronchetto8592]

Here is a link for the copper hammer video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaTFeHiFobuYiJo

[@bennelson3724]

The BEST thing you can do for stacked leather handles is beeswax… melt it down to a liquid, then dip the handle(exactly how you did in this vid) and leave the heated beeswax to soak in for about half an hour to a hour… remove handle, wipe off excess, let it cool, then FINE sandpaper or steel wool to “brush” the leather. DONE

[@stevej.6674]

YES! Good to see another guy who knows his stuff. Neatsfoot oil oxidises and becomes brittle & hard on a microscopic level over time and literally saws the leather fibres from within. Beeswax is a far superior for leather products. Actually a mixture of beeswax, boiled linseed and lanolin is a great leather conditioner but in this case could make the handle slippery.

[@philsmith214]

Need to rewasher my axe and hammer struggle to get the leather washers here in the uk

[@Krispy1011]

Good video - does anyone know what Estwing uses on their leather hamdles? - please reply

[@salmonchripczuk3121]

Dou you know if olive oil would work well?

[@aktoolco-austinkelley1803]

I spy, with my little eye, something familiar on the back of your bench. 😉

[@oldshovel]

I figured you’d notice that... it’s so close now.

[@robsarchery9679]

thanks

[@skunkcabbages5040]

Try mink oil it's great for leather

[@hbjtf]

It’s only been a short while, but can you please tell me if the oil continues to do the trick a couples week later? Thanks.

[@oldshovel]

So far it’s been good and I have been using it occasionally. There are several of my subscribers who swear by it and therefore I gave it a try.

[@joolwing]

Would wiping down vs soaking be just as effective and retain the original color? Not a big fan of the darkened leather and oily skin with each use...

[@oldshovel]

The leather was old and dry, soaking it in the oil restores the leather and nourishes it. As the outside dries it will harden slightly and will no longer leave your skin oily.

[@joolwing]

Thanks for responding, very good to know, makes sense to deep restore the leather. Always learning something new here. I like the idea of copper plating the axe to match the hammer!

[@tariel66]

Have you tried paper towels?

[@mikeharrill9512]

Did you sharpen this one. If so how?

[@oldshovel]

Yes. I’ve done it on my 1” belt sander using several fine grit sanding belts making sure it never gets too hot.

[@hideawayoutdoors611]

Little an OFTEN is much better

[@llsh0ckwav3ll93]

Man I’m late again sorry I was at CVTECH a school I just got excepted into I was doing the signing thing I’m going to school for welding that’s great early birthday news for me my birthday is on the 19th.

[@joolwing]

Congrats and good luck 👍

[@llsh0ckwav3ll93]

Ralph Thank you very much.

[@joolwing]

@@llsh0ckwav3ll93 Your welcome! Great reason for being late! Best of luck and take full advantage of the education!

[@Fucknuts4u]

Nobody cares

[@bryanreeves8786]

I'll be the 'fun' guy to speak to the pronunciation: If it's a Germanic pronunciation (the strongest root of English, btw) a combo of e and i is said using the second letter pronounced long.. ie is said like ee as in 'weeds', while ei is said like 'eye'. If true for this name, you'd say it like Feebings. Who knows but the family it comes from, how it's actually said... I enjoyed watching this, keep it up!

[@oldshovel]

Lol

[@johno7808]

👍

[@oldshovel]

🙏👏

[@jsrocker1776]

This is probably going to clog the pores of the leather and not be good for it in the long run. Personally I would of just rubbed some on it. Probably would have looked just as good. Nice job either way. Thanks.

[@johnviera3884]

I tried this on my knife the other day and guess what? It’s oil!

[@stevej.6674]

Neatsfoot oil oxidises over time and will destroy the leather fibres from within over time! As another guy mentioned, BEESWAX would be a much better product to use.

[@uhhhhh262]

That feels much more... oiled 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@oldshovel]

Lol

[@tootall5559]

I just use WD40 spray on, wipe in and off. On really bad ones, I'll spray it down with wd, then wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit a while, then retreat after a day or so. Yes, it too darkens the leather, for a while.

[@horacegentleman3296]

Terrible advice. WD-40 is not a cure all...in fact it is good for very little.

[@tootall5559]

@@horacegentleman3296 If I want your opinion, I'll tell you what it is. Whatever works is good.

[@horacegentleman3296]

@@tootall5559 oh an internet tough guy. Lol

[@tootall5559]

@@horacegentleman3296 you're an idiot. Go pound your papers elsewhere.

[@horacegentleman3296]

@@tootall5559 ok keyboard warrior😘

[@daleearnhardt817]

Bee's wax is way better

[@saintbulmers665]

what kinda funky fuckin orange juice have you been drinkin?

[@anselb2000]

Now wipe it down with lacquer or spray lacquer.

[@hammer9390]

Why? (I am not a fan of lacquer, so what am I missing?)

[@anselb2000]

@@hammer9390 That is how they come from the factory.

[@hammer9390]

@@anselb2000 Yes, and the first thing that I do when I get the tool home is to remove it. As I said, not a fan. Thanks for the reply.

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

To late, it’s covered in oil so lacquer won’t stick.