Neatsfoot oil should be slightly warmed and applied in a thin layer with a High Density Foam for maximum leather absorption. The surface should be undisturbed for 8 – 48 to allow any unevenness to disburse naturally. However unabsorbed oil after 30 minutes should be removed to prevent weakening of the leather.
Upon purchasing a large container of Neatsfoot Oil, you will find that it comes with a built in brush. It is very tempting to feel like you need to use this brush for adding the oil to your leather projects, but I would like to offer you a little caution.
A decent amount of experience is needed to properly add Neatsfoot Oil to your leather projects.
Improper use of the built-in brush could lead to some areas receiving too much oil while other areas receive too little oil. The oil needs to be applied in thin layers evenly across the surface of the leather for the best results.
Table of Contents
How to apply Neatsfoot Oil to leather
Clean residual oils off the leather surface.
Residual oils clog pores and they need to be cleaned off the surface of the leather. Clogged pores lead to inconsistencies in the application of dyes.
Not only that, clogged pores lead to oil accumulation on the surface, even if only a thin layer of oil is applied. It’s better to err on the side of caution and clean your leather.
There is an entire article entitled “How to Clean Your Leather” where instructions are given on how to use common household products to clean your leather prior to dyeing.
Use high-density foam no wider than the leather
One of the most efficient ways of applying Neatsfoot oil is with high-density foam.
You really only need a small piece of foam. It’s more efficient to purchase one large on from a hardware store and cut it into small blocks.
I have the most success with purchasing the high-density foam from and art store.
If that’s not available, use the thick car wash sponges that have the yellow net on them.
I cut off the yellow net and there is a dense sponge in there that can be cut in multiple blocks for this purpose.
Heat Neatsfoot oil for better leather penetration
A better penetration of the oil into the leather occurs when the oil is slightly heated.
This can be done by placing it in a small pot and heating it on the stove. Or it can be warmed in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
You will know that the oil is at the right temperature when the separation of the lubricating elements is no longer visible.
Submerge one side of the sponge in the oil
Submerge one side of the sponge in the water and ring it out so that it is dry.
You can reuse the same piece of sponge multiple times. You don’t have to get rid of it until it starts changing colors.
Another benefit of using the sponge is that the oil will stay in it for days so that you don’t have to keep replacing
Apply Neatsfoot oil to the middle of the leather
Use the sponge to make light coats of oil only down the middle of the leather while avoiding the edges.
The oils seem to penetrate edges such as borders and stitch holes at a much faster rate causing the leather to be darker in those areas.
This is very apparent when using Neatsfoot Compound Oil when compared to Neatsfoot 100% Oil.
So again, stay away from using the oil sponge on the edges and only use it closer to the middle of the leather.
When neatsfoot oil is first applied to the piece it is absorbed rather quickly at the surface level, causing a very dark blotchy looking color, and absorption appears to be very uneven, especially at edges and seams.
The key is to then set the piece aside, at least overnight. This allows the oil to “settle” in, migrating through the fibers and finding an even distribution throughout. The color/shading will eventually lighten. .
Then your final finish can be applied (it will accept Bag Kote, Resolene, Leather Sheen and most others that I have tried).
When is the best time to apply the neatsfoot oil
Neatsfoot oil can be applied at several different times throughout the leather crafting process. I have listed a few common situations indication when to apply neatsfoot oil
After Cleaning
Residual oils on the surface of your leather could also interfere with the dyeing process.
Sometimes oils are deposited on the surface of leather at the warehouse as it is being handled and shipped. And there will be times where you may get some unwanted oils on the leather as you are handling it.
Regardless of where the residual oils come from, they need to be cleaned from the surface. I
f you are not familiar with how to clean leather, there is an entire post entitle HOW TO CLEAN LEATHER. The article goes into great detail about how to use common and safe household materials to clean leather.
Unfortunately, the cleaning process isn’t selective. Residual oils are removed along with the necessary oils needed to keep the leather moisturized are removed leaving the leather dry and stiff.
The newly cleaned leather can be brought back to its original level of moisturization by applying coats of Neatsfoot oil.
Use any of the methods described above to apply a thin layer of Neatsfoot oil to the grain side of the leather. Wait 24 hours to allow the oil to be fully absorbed by the leather. Begin the dyeing process.
Before Dyeing
If you dyed enough pieces of leather, you know how frustrating it can be to see splotches and uneven areas of dye on your finish.
It can make you so angry that you want to ……, especially after you spent many hours working to perfect that special project.
But wait there’s good news. These inconsistencies can be greatly reduced by applying a thin layer of Neatsfoot oil to the leather prior to the dying process.
The Neatsfoot oil creates a layer that prevents the dye from penetrating the leather immediately. The dye levels itself and is absorbed evenly into the leather.
After Stamping and Tooling
Leather becomes hard any time it is dampened with water and then allowed to dry.
During tooling, the leather is cased (dampened with water), stamped and tooled, and then allowed to dry. The leather gets even harder if you continually dampen and dry the same area.
Neatsfoot oil can be applied after the tooling process to rehydrate the leather fibers.
After Dyeing
This is the most common time to add neatsfoot oil. Dyes have a tendency to remove moisture from the leather.
The alcohol in the dye evaporates so fast in the dyeing process that it takes some of the moisture with it. Neatsfoot oil is used at this stage to replenish the moisture content.
The oil needs a minimum of 8 hours to completely migrate through the leather for each level. If you are doing one coat then allowing the leather to dry overnight should be sufficient.
Moderation is the key. All of my stuff gets a light coat of neatsfoot oil, prior to the application of a finish.
A key to remember is that neatsfoot doesn’t dry, it attempts to uniformly penetrate the fibers, and that takes a bit of time. I allow 24 hours after application before I start finishing.
Additional Methods of Applying Neatsfoot OIl
Cloth Application
100% Neatsfoot and Neatsfoot Compound oil can be applied with a cotton cloth, but the results are more inconsistent. The cloth tend to absorb too much oil, and it is not as evenly distributed as with the foam applicators.
If a cloth has to be used. Apply just a capful of oil to the cloth and apply it using small circular motions. This amount will be just enough to apply a thin coat.
Allow the leather to remain undisturbed for a minimum of 24 hours. Check the level of disbursement and apply more oil if the disbursement did not cover the intended area.
Hand Application
Hand applications are usually reserved for %100 Neatsfoot since Neatsfoot compound can be a skin irritant. Many leather crafters have reported great success using this method.
What happens when you add too much neatsfoot oil
Applying too much neat’s-foot oil to your leather can actually do more harm than good.
Neatsfoot oil will soften the leather by breaking down the fibers. Too much oil weakens the fibers and makes the leather easier to stretch. Once this happens the leather will become thin and weak in some spots.
Neatsfoot oil should be absorbed as you’re applying it. Let it set for an hour or so, then wipe off any excess that hasn’t soaked in.
If oil continues to come out of the leather within hours or a few days after the application, then you’ve over oiled it. This is not a problem if it happens occasionally, but if it’s happening every month then your leather will be compromised.
Don’t oil more than 2-3 times a year, or less. Use a light weight conditioner between oilings if your leather tends to dry out.
Hydrophane Leather Conditioner is a good option. It waterproofs and conditions the leather. It’s oil-based but won’t harm the leather if you use it more frequently. I have heard of people using it once every 30-60 days on equipment that is used and cleaned frequently.
