Leather Care

Natural vegetable tanned leather is very much alive.  Sun will change its color, oil will soften its tone, and time will mold its shape. These pieces are meant to tell their story, which is why natural leather items will arrive to you completely untreated. While they can be used right away, a conditioner is suggested before use to protect from harsh wear patterns and staining. 

Suggested Initial Treatment

• Two days of direct sun on all sides.
• Two coats of pure liquid oil. Mink oil for a darker red tone, Neatsfoot oil for a softer yellow tone.
• One coat of Obenaufs Heavy Duty LP of similar leather dressing. 
• One night to dry. 

Horween® and other dyed leathers to not require initial treatment. All leathers can be conditioned every 6 months or as needed, and can be cleaned with a warm cloth and mild saddle soap. Pure mink oil will also help to remove indigo staining. 

Most hardware is made out of or plated with metal that patinas over time. To keep your metal pieces shiny, use lemon juice or your preferred metal polish. Bottlehook o-rings can loosen over time if under enough stress or heavy load. Make sure to check and tighten them as needed.

Your belt will come with the screws finger tight so that you can switch out the buckle if you so desire. Once you've got a buckle you like, please be sure to apply some Loc-Tite or similar to the threads before wearing. 

The article is forward from corterleather.com