happyflowerlady
Survivalist
We always used Neatsfoot oil on our boots to help make them waterproof, and also to make the leather last longer, and be more soft and supple to wear. Mink oil is also really great for waterproofing boots, or other footwear.as well. I always put it on my cowboy boots, even though they seldom got wet, but just because it kept them comfortable to wear. When you have real leather boots out in the woods, keeping them soft, dry, and supple is important.
In the wintertime, when I was not out riding horseback as often, I would drag out all of my tack, take the bridles apart, and wipe everything down and then put the Neatsfoot oil on everything.
We bought the Neatsfoot oil from the local shoe store, and they sold it in a whiskey bottle. It must have come in a larger container (maybe in gallons?), and we just kept refilling the same old bottle. Then, I would set it on top of the old oil stove in a small pan so it would heat up a little bit. Once it was heated up, it would soak right into the leather, and I used a large artists paintbrush to put it on my bridles and saddles. The tack spent the night strewed all over the floor in front of the fire, and by morning, the Neatsfoot oil would be soaked into the leather, and I could re-assemble all of the bridles and put everything away. Even though it was out in the barn all winter, nothing ever got moldy after it had been well oiled. As long as you keep leather well-oiled, it will last practically forever, and be as good as new.
In the wintertime, when I was not out riding horseback as often, I would drag out all of my tack, take the bridles apart, and wipe everything down and then put the Neatsfoot oil on everything.
We bought the Neatsfoot oil from the local shoe store, and they sold it in a whiskey bottle. It must have come in a larger container (maybe in gallons?), and we just kept refilling the same old bottle. Then, I would set it on top of the old oil stove in a small pan so it would heat up a little bit. Once it was heated up, it would soak right into the leather, and I used a large artists paintbrush to put it on my bridles and saddles. The tack spent the night strewed all over the floor in front of the fire, and by morning, the Neatsfoot oil would be soaked into the leather, and I could re-assemble all of the bridles and put everything away. Even though it was out in the barn all winter, nothing ever got moldy after it had been well oiled. As long as you keep leather well-oiled, it will last practically forever, and be as good as new.