Can i use mink oil on cowboy boots

Due to being made from genuine leather and are often worn a lot in hot sunny conditions like in the US, the leather tends to lose moisture faster and quickly worn-out if not cared for and maintained appropriately. They say, if you give a proper condition on leathers, they can even survive as long as more than years. One of the best ways to nurse this material better is using mink oils. This product seems to be a superior option to normal leather conditioners in many ways.

Yes, definitely, why not! Since mink oil was recognized as one of the best traditional leather conditioners that are sourced from mink fat either fur or body fats.

This gives it an outstanding advantage in moisturizing leather better than Beeswax or vegetable-sourced oils. One of the most essential advantages of applying mink oil on boots is to provide your cowboy boots with real better waterproofness and water resistance.

Though genuine leather cowboy boots are already moderately waterproof, mink oil enhances this feature to withstand longer in rain or humid conditions. This is due to this oil being able to penetrate deeply and fill the pores that create a strong barrier to repel water-based liquids better. Besides, since your cowboy boots are water resistant, the chances that your feet may get wet is not so much. Therefore, you can feel your feet dry, comfy and cool and comfortable as well as anti bad odors.

Your feet are kept warm during the winter too. Genuine leather materials are like human skin, they have pores and they will lose water and oil during exposure to sunlight, dry air, and heat causing cracks and elasticity reduction. This is apparent especially when real leather cowboy boots are not shielded from these environmental factors for better protection.

Therefore, when applying mink oil that possesses natural animal fat, this active ingredient will penetrate the pores of the leather and help moisturize dry textures. Using mink oil properly can greatly prevent the leather from being dry, wrinkled, cracked, and damaged. Mink oil can be used to soften your new stuff cowboy boots during the break-in period.

Newly shipped genuine leather boots will usually have a greater stiffness than synthetic leather boots. But the longer you use them, the softer the real leather will become, while the faux leather will quickly sag and crack.

But the truth is that the pain during break-in is not pleasant at all. Therefore, you can apply mink oil to stubborn leather and use the hairdryer on low-setting to warm it up slightly. This will help the skin absorb the oil from the mink oil better and increase the softening effect.

Genuine leather boots after a long time of use about years will appear in uneven spots, cracks, skin discoloration, or scratches from heavy to light on the surface. These problems are even more serious with cowboy boots due to their large area of leather and appearance that contribute to how you look.

Therefore, you will probably have to deal with more problems with a pair of heavy-abused cowboy boots. First, mink oil can visibly improve skin discoloration to make the skin tones more even. Secondly, mink oils provide the moisture and shine needed to visibly soften fine lines and wrinkles and cover scratches of varying degrees.

This is definitely. When your leather is moisturized as well as used properly, it can greatly increase the longevity of this grumpy material.

Remember that your leather cowboy boots can live up to 15 years , which means, you can save a lot of money on buying a new pair. I know a new design takes you on new trends but old colored ones give an extremely sophisticated and classy look.

It is even more true when it comes to cowboy boots. Anyway, we hope you understand how much you get when you pay attention to the condition of your boots. Vegetable-sourced substances such as beeswax and other non-animal ingredients used to make leather conditioners often usually have a very thin texture and are easily absorbed into the skin. This is either pro or con depending on your preference and intended use.

Many said mink oil can darken your leather cowboy boots. Yes, it can. One is to darken your new cowboy boots if you want them to look elegant and classy in a darker way. Mink oil is a conditioner for working leather. This means you should use it for leather goods that see a lot of wear and tear.

Even for daily beater boots, an occasional coat to remedy dryness or to prolong water protection is more than enough. Applying too much mink oil or using it too frequently will soften the leather too much and clog the pores of the leather, preventing any ventilating from taking place.

This will accumulate moisture that means your sweat — yuck! The presence of these pests will not only make your feet stink but also deteriorate the leather. Shoes trees may help with this issue, but I have personally used too much mink oil in the past and have gotten some mold in my boots and shoe trees.

After that, leave your boots outside on a sunny day to kill any remaining spores. Another thing to consider is that mink oil will darken your leather significantly and take away the natural shine of your boots.

Depending on the type of leather, it may even give it a matte look. I do not personally see this as damage but I know some people prefer the stock color of their leather. The product has been around for a while and proves to be very useful in a working environment. Hikers and workers generally do not care that their shoes are darkening because they expect that to happen. For the average commuter, however, the somewhat debatable negative effects of mink oil may not be something to ignore.

If you would like to maintain the color of your boots, shine them for a special occasion, or waterproof them, then mink oil products are not suitable for you. Please refer to the some alternatives that I have listed above to fit your needs. Featured image via tsaiproject , licensed under CC BY 2.

Thanks for the wealth of information. I found this while trying to find an answer to another question, however. Which products, or type of product would fit this description? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

So what is mink oil? Enter your e-mail for an exclusive article to help you find the best deals on quality footwear. The following two tabs change content below. Bio Latest Posts. Humphrey Tsui. Humphrey is a native Brooklynite who loves clothing! He is a teacher by day and a total shoe geek by night.

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