Katipunan Dagger

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kai

I respect your restoration skills but this sounds like a pretty harsh treatment! From what I understand, mink oil is about the least suitable option to soften leather and results in damage to leather in the long run!

Hello Kai,
where you have heard this? When I have let ship items to Robert with leather scabbards he has always treated the leather with mink oil with great result and until now I haven't noticed that it harms the leather. All look still nice and get softer as they have been before.

Originally Posted by kai

Leather (even the traditional vegetable/tannin-tanned stuff) seems almost impossible to "treat" without harm and AFAIK museum conservators try to avoid touching leather as much as possible! For pieces in use, wax seems to be the least harmful option.

I've used byself always boot polish to maintain leather scabbards with great result, it get softer, get glossy again and also close small cracks in the leather. And all look still nice and I can't notice any disadvantage by the leather.

Best regards,
Detlef