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Neatsfoot Oil Vs Mink Oil
A few of the most important purposes of using oil on leather are to lubricate the fibers of the leather as it is a biological animal product, to waterproof the leather, and to prevent dry rot.
Many products are available to help you prevent these problems with your leather, including beeswax. This product review covers mink oil vs neatsfoot for leather.
Quick Comparison: Neatsfoot Oil Vs. Mink Oil
| Product | Uses | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
#1. Neatsfoot Oil Check Price | Darkens leather color, conditions/preserves/softens | Cattle shin and foot bones |
#2. Mink Oil Check Price | Waterproofing, preserves leather | Oil from mink pelts |
What is Neatsfoot oil made from?
Before comparing neatsfoot oil and mink oil, you might wonder about the name of neatsfoot and what it actually is.
While there are many kinds of neatsfoot, it comes from the shin and foot bones of cattle and sometimes horses. Neatsfoot is an old way to refer to cattle.
Today, it is said that neatsfoot is made from lard and that, even if there is bone material in it, it is kept to a minimum.
Its yellow in color. Its not made from animal fat, so you dont have to worry about the sugar that breaks down the leather.
Prime Neatsfoot (or Neatsfoot compound) oil has additives from petroleum-based products, and it may hurt leather. Pure neatsfoot oil, although labeled as ‘pure’ is still made from lard.
It resembles the original neatsfoot oil made from cattle bones, but it is not ‘pure’ as you might think of it.
Another downside to some neatsfoot oils today is that they may contain vegetable oil, lanolin, glycerine, other kinds of products made from animals, or petroleum-based products, as mentioned previously.
Does neatsfoot oil waterproof leather?
Neatsfoot oil can rot stitching, some say, but it has also been said that modern stitching is synthetic and doesn’t rot. Neatsfoot is used to darken leather, but mink oil is used for waterproofing, not for changing the original color of your piece of leather.
What is mink oil made from?
Mink oil is made from the layer under mink pelts. Mink are small carnivores that live in and out of the water, and they live in North America and Eurasia.
They are widely prized for their brown. Fur trappers first understood that applying mink oil to leather boots made them more flexible and water resistant.
Will mink oil change the color of leather?
>>Best leather boots for hiking and working (Steel-toe boots).
Conclusion – Neatsfoot Oil Vs Mink Oil
In conclusion, neatsfoot oil is best for darkening leather, but it is also good for conditioning, preserving, and softening leather. Mink oil doesnt change the color of leather, but it is great for waterproofing.
beware of using on glued instead of sown footwear. My composite split leather/ synthetic hiking boost separated from the soles in 6 hours of outdoor work on a side sloping ground. Don’t know if the glue was damaged or the leather merely made too slippery to adhere to.