Leather Oil For Leather Watch Strap Guide
If you are using leather straps, you may consider applying leather oils on them. Leather is the material that requires maintenance and condition to look good and prevent cracking over time.
Leather oil can be a natural and single oil or a mixture of oils, waxes, and fats. This article will show you the best types of leather oil and how to use them correctly.
Why Use Leather Oil For Leather Strap?
Most leather oils help moisture leather fibers and make the leather more durable. Moreover, some leather oils also give the leather water resistance. With leather oils, leather straps will maintain their beauty and be hard to crack or tear. When using leather material, you will need to care for it periodically, but it's all worth it, as you will have a durable leather strap and an elegant look.
The more heavy leather oils will be used for the thicker and harder leather types, such as leather boots or saddles' leather. For a leather watch strap, a milder oil should be applied.
When To Use Leather Oil For Leather Strap?
When to use leather oil? While genuine leather is durable by its nature, after time, it will appear patina, lose color and be less tough by external factors such as the use, natural environment, etc. When leather cracks, it is tough to fix it.
Therefore, prevention is better than cure. Some symptoms showing that your leather needs oiling are losing its color, becoming harder, and cracking. You should apply leather oil to your watch strap once every few months.
Leather Oil Types
There are various high-quality leather oils in the market. These are some popular leather oil types for you to consider.
Mink Oil For Leather Strap
Mink oil has been used a long time ago and is derived from mink animals. It not only replenishes the oil lost due to the use of leather straps, but it also contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, which gives the leather flexibility. It is not too heavy leather oil, and when you apply mink oil to leather, it will slowly absorb into each leathers' fiber and take effect.
Neatsfoot Oil For Leather
Neatsfoot oil is made from the feet and bones of cattle. Neatsfoot oil is also known as the substance that helps soften and preserve the leather. In the 18th century, it was even used as a skin medicine for dry skin issues.
For oiling the leather, neatsfoot oil is usually mixed with substances derived from petroleum and other oils. Neatsfoot oil tends to oxidize. Despite its help conditioning your leather, it can make your leather decompose faster, crack quicker, and easier in the long run. Because of that, we recommend you not to use this leather oil type for the leather goods that will be kept for a long time in the future.
Lexol Oil For Leather
Lexol oil is a substance derived from water and doesn't include any petroleum or silicone substances. It is said to be a benign and non-greasy leather oil type. Because Lexol is an emulsion, applying this leather oil to the leather surface will evenly spread on the surface and penetrate each skin fiber.
It is a comprehensive leather oil for most leather types, excluding suede or nubuck leather. Lexol can be used well for finer leather and favorably used to condition leather straps.
Other Leather Oil Types
Some other leather oil types can be mentioned, which are olive oil, vegetable oil, etc. While these oils provide moisture to your leather, they are all heavy oils and can cause a faster breakdown, so they are not suitable to be used frequently.
Can I Use Coconut Oil On Leather?
Although coconut oil is used for leather in the short term in some cases, using coconut oil on leather is not recommended, as coconut oil is slippery and hard for the leather to absorb. Moreover, coconut oil can darken the leather. So, using specialized leather oils would be the best.
How To Use Leather Oil On Leather Watch Strap?
Clean Your Leather Strap
First of all, you need to make sure that your leather watch strap is clean, so the leather can fully absorb the oil for the best result. You could check how to clean your leather watch strap step by step to know the right way to clean leather straps. After cleaning it, you should let it dry (ideally, leave it overnight) before applying the oil.
Apply The Leather Oil
Use a microfiber or a lint-free cloth and drop a small amount of leather oil on it. Then, gently rub the leather surface in a circle. Remember to apply oil to a small space to test first before rubbing it wider and applying the oil to the whole leather surface.
If you need to use more leather oil, apply it as a thin layer on the leather surface, wait for it to dry, and add another layer of oil. Your leather will absorb effectively and doesn't have pores clogged by doing this. Finally, you need to leave your leather strap a while in a cool and dry place to dry.
Conclusion: Best Oil For Leather
The more natural and milder leather oil would be the better oil for leather goods in general and leather straps in particular, rather than oils with many synthetics. Lexol is a good and benign leather oil to go with.
We hope you now know more about leather oils and how to use them correctly. Care for your watch strap with leather oils/leather conditions and enjoy the effects they bring. With the right care, your leather straps are not only long-lasting, but also remain and enhance their beauty over time.