#162962 - 07/25/17 12:29 PM
Leather handle care……
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 05/27/08
Posts: 238
Loc: Colorado
|
I live up in the mountains of New Mexico where the climate is very dry and the humidity is very low. I had a Model 5 with a stacked leather handle that I recently gave to my daughter. After six years being up in the mountains it could use a little TLC.
I also just picked up a Model 15 CDT with a stacked leather handle and I am wanting to make sure I keep the handle in good shape. So what do you guys use to keep your handles from drying out?
_________________________
Mick Olson
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162964 - 07/25/17 01:01 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 07/31/14
Posts: 849
Loc: South West
|
Mick,
I live in Portales NM now, however we are from Mayhill NM. I have used lexol on all my leather for many years. Knives, saddles, etc. work great. does darken just a little.
max
_________________________
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
RKCC #502
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162969 - 07/25/17 04:49 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: maxpastor]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 05/27/08
Posts: 238
Loc: Colorado
|
Mick,
I live in Portales NM now, however we are from Mayhill NM. I have used lexol on all my leather for many years. Knives, saddles, etc. work great. does darken just a little.
max Hi Max, We are in Alto, which is right down the road from Mayhill. Thanks for the tip about Lexol, I will try it out…… Mick
_________________________
Mick Olson
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162989 - 07/26/17 09:42 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 03/26/15
Posts: 207
Loc: Odessa , FL
|
Whatever you use , use it sparingly, a little goes a long way. Stikman
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162995 - 07/26/17 10:56 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: Stikman]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 05/27/08
Posts: 238
Loc: Colorado
|
Whatever you use , use it sparingly, a little goes a long way. Stikman Will do! My lovely bride advised me that she had a couple of different leather conditioners for her boots, shoes and purses. So I now have on hand a spray can of Wilson's Leather TLC, a tin of Kiwi conditioning oil and a small bottle of Bick's Leather conditioner. Anyone have any experience with these three products? Is the Lexol that maxpastor recommended better than these? From reading the instructions, it appears that the the Wilson's TLC is more of a water proofing spray. The Kiwi oil states that it may darken some lighter leathers. The Bick's states that it will not darken leather. At this point I am leaning towards the Bick's……
Edited by mic214 (07/26/17 10:58 AM)
_________________________
Mick Olson
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162996 - 07/26/17 11:34 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 03/26/15
Posts: 207
Loc: Odessa , FL
|
I would go with the Bickmore , don't have any experience with it but based on your description , that's what I would use. Stikman
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#162999 - 07/26/17 01:51 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 10/26/05
Posts: 2382
Loc: USA
|
I use Bick 4 on my saddle, boots, belts, sheaths, and stacked leather handles. It will not darken the handle. Great stuff!
_________________________
Tom RKS #4233
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163001 - 07/26/17 02:44 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: TAH]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 06/08/16
Posts: 451
Loc: New York
|
Mick,
I've never used any of the products you've listed, but I've had good results with Hedgehog Leatherworks Sheath Condition which is primarily a bees wax base. I've used it on sheaths and leather handles and it works very well. The Hedgehog folks recommend using a cloth or paper to apply it, but I prefer to use my fingers to work/knead the wax into the leather.
I use it sparingly, and Danny is correct...a little of whatever you use goes a long way.
I have found it to be of great benefit for leather which has dried or otherwise is in need of some TLC (it rejuvenated the leather handle of a SOG Scuba/Demo knife which had been VERY dry). I have not experienced any appreciable (perhaps slight) darkening of the leather.
Hope this helps.
Bob
_________________________
Bob Carlin rfcarlin@hotmail.com RKCC #622
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163004 - 07/26/17 05:41 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: rfcarlin]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 10/31/07
Posts: 7371
Loc: Garden Valley, Idaho
|
I like a bee's wax base.
Pap
_________________________
Mike Allen RKCC-CM-086 True West Magazine Maniac Randall Collector Behring Made Collector Ruana Collector Glock Fan NRA- Life Member since 1975 mikenlu99@aol.com
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163014 - 07/27/17 01:05 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: pappy19]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 02/09/16
Posts: 5791
Loc: Central New York
|
Me 2, heat helps soak it in. Keep it up many times and you're done.
_________________________
Warren
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163024 - 07/27/17 08:28 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: W Polidori]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/20/05
Posts: 1676
Loc: FL Panhandle
|
Ren Wax works well.
_________________________
Pat Remele RKS#4413 SHAG# 8 RKCC# CM096 NRA Member
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163026 - 07/27/17 09:27 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: W Polidori]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 10/31/07
Posts: 7371
Loc: Garden Valley, Idaho
|
Yep, I use a hair dryer with the bee's wax and it usually takes 2 or 3 times to find the leather won't soak up any more. Then you are done for a long time worrying about the leather shrinking or drying out.
Pap
Edited by pappy19 (07/27/17 09:28 AM)
_________________________
Mike Allen RKCC-CM-086 True West Magazine Maniac Randall Collector Behring Made Collector Ruana Collector Glock Fan NRA- Life Member since 1975 mikenlu99@aol.com
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163027 - 07/27/17 10:12 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: pappy19]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 03/26/15
Posts: 207
Loc: Odessa , FL
|
Try putting it in your car trunk on a hot sunny day, really makes it soak in. Stikman
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163038 - 07/27/17 01:23 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 09/14/05
Posts: 1742
Loc: The Desert Southwest
|
what do you guys use to keep your handles from drying out? I use Ren wax, and have for years.
_________________________
-Steve RKCC CM-066 RKS #258
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163044 - 07/27/17 07:38 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: Holzinger258]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 05/27/08
Posts: 238
Loc: Colorado
|
It looks like Ren Wax is very popular with you guys. I am assuming "Ren" is short for "Renaissance"....correct?
Will it darken the leather of the handle?
_________________________
Mick Olson
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163049 - 07/27/17 08:44 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: tunefink]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 11/18/15
Posts: 1668
Loc: Michigan
|
I use Ren wax on my WWII blades. Nice protectant for blued blades. I use Pecards on leather but have never used it on an RMK handle. All my RMK users are either micarta or stag.
_________________________
Eric
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163050 - 07/27/17 08:57 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: Eric]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 08/25/11
Posts: 2132
Loc: Mississippi
|
Mick, I can't help out much since I only own 1 Randall with a leather handle.I use the Ren wax on my blades however.
_________________________
Billy Poyner RKCC CM 021 RKS 5030 NRA Endowment
Proud to have served my country 67-69
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163054 - 07/27/17 10:42 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: Billy Poyner]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 02/13/11
Posts: 2255
Loc: NW Mississippi
|
What Mitchell said.....
_________________________
Ronnie RKS#2166
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163055 - 07/27/17 11:04 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: pappy19]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 02/09/16
Posts: 5791
Loc: Central New York
|
Yep, I use a hair dryer with the bee's wax and it usually takes 2 or 3 times to find the leather won't soak up any more. Then you are done for a long time worrying about the leather shrinking or drying out.
Pap Listen to Pappy, he's got it down right. I've been doing it this way for 30 years and it works.
Edited by W Polidori (07/27/17 11:34 PM)
_________________________
Warren
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163061 - 07/28/17 09:15 AM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: mic214]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 02/24/10
Posts: 301
|
I have a hieser sheath from the late 40's.It is coated with bee"s wax and hard and not flexable at all. What do I use to strip the leather so I can hopefully recondition the leather. Thanks Walt. Found the list of steps that Grady sent me for restoring sheaths. thanks
Edited by Ironworker (07/28/17 03:53 PM)
_________________________
Walter Horn RKCC#CM-012 RKS#5924
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163066 - 07/28/17 09:36 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: Ironworker]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 02/09/16
Posts: 5791
Loc: Central New York
|
Grady was a great man. Be careful, just saying.
_________________________
Warren
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#163071 - 07/28/17 10:52 PM
Re: Leather handle care……
[Re: W Polidori]
|
Knife Enthusiast
Registered: 10/31/07
Posts: 7371
Loc: Garden Valley, Idaho
|
Big difference in the care of a leather sheath and the care of handle made of stacked leather washers, IMHO.
Pap
_________________________
Mike Allen RKCC-CM-086 True West Magazine Maniac Randall Collector Behring Made Collector Ruana Collector Glock Fan NRA- Life Member since 1975 mikenlu99@aol.com
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|