Gun Dog Forum

Ok a few years ago I bought a custom western saddle- the maker gave me a couple of pieces of sheep skin and 2 bars of saddle soap- I have followed directions and cleaned my saddles with it --he also told me to use,after saddle dried, some pure 100% Neatsfort oil on iy. I do but it seemsl ike every time the saddle gets real dull and only gets any shine after riding it for a while.I rub it after the oil gets soaked in and still am not happy with the results-Ant suggestions appreciated.

Try Leather new for shine also might try Lexol leather conditioner in place of the neats foot oil its hard on the stiching over time

tn red is exactly right about neatsfoot oil being bad for the stitching. I'll use it on reins, but not my saddles. Lexol rocks. Condition your leather, don't oil it.
Not real sure why you want a "shiny" saddle. I like seeing those wear spots on the seat, but, to me, shiny=squeaky. If your saddle does squeak after oiling/cleaning, turn it over and put a good bit of baby powder in the rigging and under the skirts. Works like a charm.

Shiney was a poor choice of wording-what i want is a burnished clean look- kind of like the rubbed finish on my rifle wood stocks --what they have today is a dull ugly look. Our saddles have been through a lot of riding in the 17 yrs since we bought them. thanks for replies and info.

Senior Coot -

An Amish Tackmaker suggested that I take my brand new Tucker trooper and sit it out in the sun to warm it up. It was July. When nice and warm I should apply all the pure neatsfoot oil the leather would hold and let it bake in, applying more oil as it sank in.

After 2 days of this, I let the saddle sit in the barn for a few days and then put it back out in the sun and when warm, worked in Lederbalsam and let it dry to a dull finish. I then buffed it out.

That saddle is over ten years old...seen lot of miles, lots of mud and weather. More often than not, I will just hose the saddle off and let it dry. A couple times a year I will clean it up with Lexol. That is about it. Lexol does a great job of cleaning and cleans off easily.

If I have a piece of leather that is getting stiff, but not yet dry rotted, I can often bring it back with Lederbalsam. A thorough working in will usually soften up and revive the suppleness in a piece of leather that would otherwise have to be discarded.

Now, as to the neoprene girth... I do clean it every single time, and clean it thoroughly usually with a scrub brush to get rid of any hidden sand, dirt or grit. Knock wood, I have never yet had a girth sore on either of my horses and I don't want one. I hit the neopprene with Armor All when it is brand new and several times during the year...after a thorough scrubbing and cleaning. The Armor All keeps the neoprene from cracking up in addition to making it more able to release dirt and grit and stay clean.

RayG

Thanks Ray- I'm going to be gone for a while and will work on my saddles a bit more upon my return- They have both given good service- my wufes aussie saddle is 17 yrs old and my western about the same or one year older- we have gone through about 12 saddles in the same time period looking for the perfect blend of safety- comfort- and weight but these two have been the best.

I'm a long-time equestrian- been into horses longer than gun dogs...I would honestly reccomend ditching the neatsfoot and even the Lexol (as a conditioner; for cleaning it's great) and go to good old OLIVE OIL. Neatsfoot is not as kind to the leather as olive oil is- ever notice those fine cracks? Also, beware of over-conditioning strap goods like reins; saturating the leather with oil will only lead to stretching and a diminshed life of the leather. Keep it nice and supple and of course don't let it get dry, but don't drown it! Hope you find this helpful.

Also, I too am a fan of lederbalsam

Like horsemans One Step...

ralange wrote:I'm a long-time equestrian- been into horses longer than gun dogs...I would honestly reccomend ditching the neatsfoot and even the Lexol (as a conditioner; for cleaning it's great) and go to good old OLIVE OIL. Neatsfoot is not as kind to the leather as olive oil is- ever notice those fine cracks? Also, beware of over-conditioning strap goods like reins; saturating the leather with oil will only lead to stretching and a diminshed life of the leather. Keep it nice and supple and of course don't let it get dry, but don't drown it! Hope you find this helpful.

Also, I too am a fan of lederbalsam

Why is it not good to use Lexol ?What is the advantage of using olive oil ? Just asking

Seems olive oil is is so good because of its purity- a good clean, natural oil that is easily and totally absorbed into the leather. If you start looking around, olive oil is also a very common ingredient in many "beauty" products like moisturizing facial soaps, creams, and lotions...good for living skin too. Never have problems with absorption, finish, residues, or anything else. I don't think lexol is a bad product at all, but I personally go with the olive oil because it does really well for the leather and is easy to come by, in addition to the things I said above. I do like Lexol's cleaner, and still use it on all my tack.