Protecting leather from rain

[Aequitas1916]

Hey Everyone!

I wasn't sure where this question fit best, so, I wound up here.

Does anyone have a product recommendation for protecting leather from the elements?

I have a leather sheath for my axe that I ordinarily leave on my roof rack when I'm on the road. I've previously used Ballistol (because I had it handy and it says it works on leather), and that seems to do OK, but I'm wondering if there's something better. Ballistol fell short on the handle (it says it works on wood too :/), and while I can fix that pretty easily, I don't think I will be able to repair the leather if it turns out to not work so great in the future.

Any thoughts/experiences?

Thanks!

 

[JohnRichard]

Leather is pretty tough, and depending on the type and finish, could probably withstand being left out. The secret, of course, is allowing it to dry, and keeping it maintained.

I just found a new product which I was amazed by: Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP Leather Conditioner Natural Oil Beeswax Formula

Link to Amazon, but you can purchase where you please. Made in the USA.

This stuff its awesome, but needs real hand application. Because of the wax content, it needs to be gently warmed by the fingers or palm, and worked into the leather over time. Once I found this product, I was able to restore my very badly abused bomber jacket, and deer skin light leather jacket, both which see their fair share of wet weather.
Yes, I wear my leather out in the rain, snow, sleet, mud, hail. I've slept on them in airports, and stuffed them in a backpack during oppressive heat. I ran out into a passing rain storm to test it out on my light jacket - water beaded and ran off, and I was able to wipe dry afterwards.

Over the past 25 years I've tried many products to try and help that old bomber jacket, but nothing seemed to work.

This stuff, Obenauf's HD, changed my mind on leather care products. Its given my almost retired bomber another 25 years of abuse of which to look forward!

They also make another "Leather Oil" which I have not used, so I cannot comment on that.

 

[MattLew]

honestly, I would take the sheath and give it a serious cleaning (saddle soap, lexol cleaner, then I would give it a good rubbing with neetsfoot oil). I have made a number of sheathes and holsters over the years and this combination has served me well. that said, you may also wish to consider rubbing warmed (not hot) bees wax into the leather as a sealant, especially around the stitching.

 

[Cort]

Warmed beeswax is the winner here. Be careful with a lot of the traditional leather protectants as they can contain organics that will promote rot.

UV is going to be the big killer if you keep it on your vehicle.

I build axes and have a side business restoreing vintage axes. I can help with the handle.

Sand the handle down. First with 80 grit to get whatever you put on it out. Work your way down from 120, 220, 400, 800 to 2000. Trust me on this. It’s worth it. Once that is complete apply a generous coat of boiled linseed oil and work it into the wood. You don’t want an excess of oil as it will get gummy. Repeat this process every day for a week, then once a week for a month, once a month for a year then once a year for the rest of your life.

Boiled linseed oil actually penetrates the wood instead of sitting on the surface and it will plasticize for lack of a better term below the surface helping with water proofing. UV light is a killer though and you will have to reapply more often if left outside. If you use this method you will be less prone to blisters as well.

If you want to add a little color to your axe you can use Watco oil, it’s my go to.

 

[Grumpy's Travels]

Use what the experts use... This guy knows leather, been making and reconditioning saddles for decades.

 

[M Rose]

Warmed beeswax is the winner here. Be careful with a lot of the traditional leather protectants as they can contain organics that will promote rot.

UV is going to be the big killer if you keep it on your vehicle.

I build axes and have a side business restoreing vintage axes. I can help with the handle.

Sand the handle down. First with 80 grit to get whatever you put on it out. Work your way down from 120, 220, 400, 800 to 2000. Trust me on this. It’s worth it. Once that is complete apply a generous coat of boiled linseed oil and work it into the wood. You don’t want an excess of oil as it will get gummy. Repeat this process every day for a week, then once a week for a month, once a month for a year then once a year for the rest of your life.

Boiled linseed oil actually penetrates the wood instead of sitting on the surface and it will plasticize for lack of a better term below the surface helping with water proofing. UV light is a killer though and you will have to reapply more often if left outside. If you use this method you will be less prone to blisters as well.

If you want to add a little color to your axe you can use Watco oil, it’s my go to.

Here is a Rossi (Winchester Clone) that i referbished a few years back... as you can tell the stock was hammered... I used the technique above to achieve the results in the second picture.

Onto leather... the Beezwax is probably your best bet for long exposures to UV. Neetsfoot oil is great if you apply generously several times a year.

 

[MattLew]

truth be told, your best bet is kydex (ABS plastic) but that requires some specialized gear that you may or may not wish to do the DIY work to make (it is not hard, it just depends on what you have available for workshop and tools.) leather will not appreciate long term exposure to the elements. the various suggestions you have been given by the group will help, but they are not a long term exposure solution unless you practice religious maintenance.

Edit for additional ramblings... erm I mean information that might prove useful to someone:
My own personal plans: Once I get a cargo rack for my truck I am going to get a new relatively cheap axe and D-Handle shovel, and I will make a small metal cage for the blade of each. I do not intent to put my good camp axe on the rack though I THINK out in the shed is the axe that is the last remaining part from the tool kit my parents had in the camper when I was a kid, so it IS an option) They will be stored bare blade, but the cage I plan on making as a blade guard is inspired by some I have seen for land rovers, but will largely look like the Front Runner roof rack axe holder. the design I have sketched up (still awaits me getting my tool set so I can work out final dimensions) but like the front runner axe carrier slides the axe handle through 2 bolts then bolts the handle in place, likewise the shovel (I am wanting to get one of those d-handle root cutter shovels for my kit, but will settle for a common d-handle spade) will slide the blade into a metal cage and a bolt will go through a drilled hole in the handle to secure it in place. I have not yet figured out how I intend to padlock them in place, so at the moment I do not intend to leave the tool rack on my cargo rack when I am not on an off road trip.

The old land rover shovel mount is similar to the front runner axe mount. it is basically a T shaped plate made out of 1/16" (1.5ish mm?) sheet metal that has been bent with 3 wings folded to make the cage alternately if one does not have access to a metal brake, or hydraulic press, you can make the guards for both the axe and shovel by making flat panels and bolting them together with spacers instead of bending metal wings then welding or riveting the parts together.

I have long used the same tools hiking as I do overlanding/off roading, but I decided I wanted to change that when i got my toyota and have a tool set I can leave with the truck, or be able to mount to the rack in just a couple minutes time. I DO have options for the axe, but I am presently using an old imitation army surplus entrenching tool, and intend to change that out for one of the root cutter garden shovel (the type that has the spiky cutting teeth on the tip of the blade.) since it is going to be a dedicated tool set for overlanding and off roading, I can carry heavier full size tools instead of compromising for portability.

Until I get my cargo rack, I am just going to rig a board that allows me to strap them to a piece of ply wood with a few webbing or velcro straps that is in turn bolted to the factory cargo rails in the bed of the truck (protected by my bed cap). If I keep my trail tools mounted in the bed of the truck, I can make and use my traditional tooled leather sheaths (not to mention things like a nice tooled leather handle guard for the ace, but my plans for cargo management in the bed of the truck (plus being able to sleep in my truck bed until I can build a rack mount tent) do not give me much for mounting options after I am a bit more decked out.

Regardless of what I get, IF I get a wood handle axe and shovel, I will be treating the handles with linseed oil and I will give the metal parts a quick cleaning after use, then wipe them down with an oily rag to protect them from rust. The metal will get some power sanding with a scotchbrite wheel a spray with rustolium if they need some refurbishing. If the handles are fiberglass, I will look into getting some Epoxy compatible UV inhibiting paint and giving them a good coating of that.

Edit <09/13/22>: After much consideration, I am opting to move my trail tool kit into the bed of my truck (I have a fiberglass camper shell that will protect them from the elements and from sticky fingers. I have an axe, a shovel, and a sledge, plus a hatchet and an engineers hammer in my kit so far and what I am looking at doing is getting a piece of plywood (perhaps scrap when I rebuild a shed that was lost in a small wildfire earlier this year) and some bolts/t-track nuts as well as a few quickfist brand rubber clamp-straps. I had mentioned it as a short term solution, but I am now looking at it as a semi-permanent solution. I have an ARE overland bed cap that has "windoors" on the sides allowing me to put storage behind the bed side windows. I intend to build some storage cabinets that I can mount behind the "windoors" and will have a set of straps on the backside of one of those boxes (this concept can work with any window accessible storage unit regardless of vehicle) it will keep my tools safe out of sight, and out of the elements... further it is expandable for when I get a pick mattock and possible pry bar (even a highlift jack) or other tools I may need on occasion. I will still make a piece of plywood into a panel to hold my trail tools for when I do not use the windoor cargo storage I am considering.

 

[lhoffm4]

I second the neetsfoot oil and would advise caution on pure beeswax, if you want to leave the sheath out in the elements, particularly the sun and heat. Beeswax could cook and crack the leather with temps in the 90s or above. The neetsfoot oil should be better, but a synthetic material like pvc or kydex may be best. If I were intent on mounting hand tools like axes and/or shovels on the roof rack, I'd recommend plastic handles as well. Less prone to crack and warp in the sun. IMHO.

 

[kunstmilch]

Leather is pretty tough, and depending on the type and finish, could probably withstand being left out. The secret, of course, is allowing it to dry, and keeping it maintained.

I just found a new product which I was amazed by: Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP Leather Conditioner Natural Oil Beeswax Formula

Link to Amazon, but you can purchase where you please. Made in the USA.

This stuff its awesome, but needs real hand application. Because of the wax content, it needs to be gently warmed by the fingers or palm, and worked into the leather over time. Once I found this product, I was able to restore my very badly abused bomber jacket, and deer skin light leather jacket, both which see their fair share of wet weather.
Yes, I wear my leather out in the rain, snow, sleet, mud, hail. I've slept on them in airports, and stuffed them in a backpack during oppressive heat. I ran out into a passing rain storm to test it out on my light jacket - water beaded and ran off, and I was able to wipe dry afterwards.

Over the past 25 years I've tried many products to try and help that old bomber jacket, but nothing seemed to work.

This stuff, Obenauf's HD, changed my mind on leather care products. Its given my almost retired bomber another 25 years of abuse of which to look forward!

They also make another "Leather Oil" which I have not used, so I cannot comment on that.

Been using obenhaufs for years, absolutely excellent, I use Both their oil and paste on my work boots when lumberjacking...(now disabled, but I dont use anything else) If the sheath is real leather and not car leather, then this stuff will work wonders...the warmth of the sun will liquify the oils and it will soak in further. firefighters in our area of Oregon used to put their boots in plastic bags after thickly applying the paste and leave the boots in the bag out on the deck to swelter in the heat...kept their boots in good condition when the going got tough.

 

[Ragman]

Been using obenhaufs for years, absolutely excellent, I use Both their oil and paste on my work boots when lumberjacking...(now disabled, but I dont use anything else) If the sheath is real leather and not car leather, then this stuff will work wonders...the warmth of the sun will liquify the oils and it will soak in further. firefighters in our area of Oregon used to put their boots in plastic bags after thickly applying the paste and leave the boots in the bag out on the deck to swelter in the heat...kept their boots in good condition when the going got tough.

I used a similar product called Sno Seal on my Sorels for years to keep the leather in shape when exposed to wet conditions. I agree with others though if it is left out in the sun all the time you might want just an edge guard. I would not want something that traps water as you may have a rusty axe head when you go to use it.

 

[Glory Shine]

For leather protection from the elements, products like Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP or Fiebing's Snow-Proof are great options. They offer reliable protection against moisture and weathering for leather items like your axe sheath. Bomber Leather Jacket

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Here is a Rossi (Winchester Clone) that i referbished a few years back... as you can tell the stock was hammered... I used the technique above to achieve the results in the second picture.
View attachment 161710View attachment 161711
Onto leather... the Beezwax is probably your best bet for long exposures to UV. Neetsfoot oil is great if you apply generously several times a year.

Nice work...looks like there's hope for my old Mossberg 500 that rubbed against the diamond deck tool box. Looks kind of like the top picture