Leather thumb drags

Tony Malatesta · Post by **Tony Malatesta** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:12 pm

Hi guys! Anyone have any experience in cleaning and or salvaging old leather thumb drags? I was thinking that a good soak in warm water should loosen most of the dirt and that most commercial leather cleaners should return some of the elasticity to the leather,but what about salt stains?Any help will be appreciated. canadian

Post by **john elder** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:22 pm

I have had reasonable luck by wiping them down (massaging them) with a wet rag..I wouldn't recommend soaking with water, but I've gotten away with it on occasion when i was too lazy to remove one during initial washing. I then treat them with Neats foot oil, which will bring them back flexible, unless they are totally gone.

fishbugman · Post by **fishbugman** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:56 pm

john elder wrote:Neats foot oil

Who is Neats? Sounds like you have been getting far to friendly with the Natives out there in Picacho, John.

Ron Mc · Post by **Ron Mc** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:05 pm

John mingles.

Post by **john elder** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:05 pm

yes, and it tastes terrible

---unfortunately, it's an aftertaste so that doesn't stop anything

fishbugman · Post by **fishbugman** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:17 pm

I was trying to figure out what the opposite of aftertaste is and then it dawned on me. You should have ate the bass.

Talk about sticking someone else's foot in your mouth...yuk

MrStandfast · Post by **MrStandfast** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:57 am

A neat is an old word for either an ox or one of its friends and relations. I have heard it said that repeated applications of the stuff is bad for leather, although not as bad as most other oils, especially mineral. I can testify to linseed oil being especially vile when used for this purpose. I can recall my grandmother using goose grease on my shoes in the early 50s, but the dog took to following me about.

I don't know if neat's foot oil is easy to get nowadays, but plenty of leather waterproofers are, which may include either that or silicone.

Horse riders clean their leatherwork with saddle soap, which should be available from a saddler, or riding supplies shop if saddlers have succumbed to modernity. I've never seen the stuff, but they require their leather to look shiny, and not be too antisocial to sit upon, so it should be about right.