Best Mink oil brand/product?

[SDHNTR]

I’ve tried them all… Snoseal, Obenaufs, Montana pitch, Kennetrek, Nikwax, et al. So save your breath please.

I recently found an old tin of some mink oil product. I used it up and don’t remember the brand, not that it would likely exist anymore. It was a few decades old. Anyway, it was by far THE best boot dressing and waterproofing treatment I’ve ever used. In an attempt to find a replacement I bought some Kiwi mink oil and it sucks in comparison. Doesn’t melt in and absorb like the previous stuff (yea I tried heat). So those of you who use mink oil, specifically which product do you like?

 

[Stalker69]

We used to buy a container that had a picture of a mink on it, it smelled pretty strong, but worked great. Haven’t been able to find anything close to it sense.

 

[sndmn11]

Fiebing paste

 

[arock]

I use leather honey. Keeps the leather nice and supple and repels water. Having some kind of waterproof membrane in the boot itself is going to be the best option for waterproofing. Everything else will be resistant until it isn't.

I think that most of the mink oil comes from China since that is one of the few places that mink farms are still allowed so it wouldn't be terribly surprising that the quality control isn't very good.

Pecard makes a bunch of leather products and is based out of Wisconsin. May be worth checking out if you want something pre manufactured.

The original beeswax spray should work reasonably well.

You could make your own soft wax with bees wax, carnuba wax and turpentine (the real stuff not crap you get at a box store). Bees wax isn't bomb proof but the carnuba helps there (the carnuba wax should be limited to 30% of the total weight). You could also use equal parts bees wax, cold pressed linseed oil and turpentine. The stuff is great on wood furniture as well. It won't "condition" the leather but it will protect it and make it fairly water resistant until it wears off.

 

[BBob]

Trapper's MINK OIL TALLOW, patch grease, for match shooting & cold weather hunting, one 8 oz. tin - Track of the Wolf

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www.trackofthewolf.com

 

[Flycaster1977]

I can second the TOW product. I bought a tin a few years back. Works great and goes a long way.

 

[Schnee's]

I’ve tried them all… Snoseal, Obenaufs, Montana pitch, Kennetrek, Nikwax, et al. So save your breath please.

I recently found an old tin of some mink oil product. I used it up and don’t remember the brand, not that it would likely exist anymore. It was a few decades old. Anyway, it was by far THE best boot dressing and waterproofing treatment I’ve ever used. In an attempt to find a replacement I bought some Kiwi mink oil and it sucks in comparison. Doesn’t melt in and absorb like the previous stuff (yea I tried heat). So those of you who use mink oil, specifically which product do you like?

Snoseal is the only product we say to avoid. Ruins leather over time. We've been using Pitch blend for years and it's the best we've found.

One thing to take into consideration is what type of boot it is going on. If it has a membrane, most products out there inhibit the breathability. Nikwax is specifically made for Membrane boots. An application of it might not last all season, but it keeps the membrane performing as it should.
- matt

 

[pirogue]

I stumbled on the best, one day for free, and oh, so easy to get.

 

[gaswamp]

Snoseal is the only product we say to avoid. Ruins leather over time. We've been using Pitch blend for years and it's the best we've found.

One thing to take into consideration is what type of boot it is going on. If it has a membrane, most products out there inhibit the breathability. Nikwax is specifically made for Membrane boots. An application of it might not last all season, but it keeps the membrane performing as it should.
- matt

can you explain how snoseal ruins leather over time...thanks

 

[BBob]

I can't say if it actually does or doesn't harm leather but the idea I think that it could is it's made up with a high amount of petroleum distillates (20-40%). The solvent is the carrier to drive the beeswax into the leather and will evaporate. I haven't used it in decades but I owned a pair of Lowa boots bought in the late 70's that had nothing but Sno-Seal and those things lasted forever.

 

[Eastfork]

thanks for all the info from everyone! extremely helpful.

 

[Eastfork]

I stumbled on the best, one day for free, and oh, so easy to get.View attachment 387056

awesome find!

 

[Schnee's]

can you explain how snoseal ruins leather over time...thanks

Can I explain how? No, not really. Im definitely not. a chemist or anything like that. haha. We've been making pac boots since the 70's and repairing them even longer. Over this extreme amount of time, we've seen a pattern where snoseal basically dries our and rots leather, for lack of a better word. - Matt

 

[gaswamp]

I can't say if it actually does or doesn't harm leather but the idea I think that it could is it's made up with a high amount of petroleum distillates (20-40%). The solvent is the carrier to drive the beeswax into the leather and will evaporate. I haven't used it in decades but I owned a pair of Lowa boots bought in the late 70's that had nothing but Sno-Seal and those things lasted forever.

great info thanks

 

[Pony Soldier]

We used snowseal in the early 70s. I could still get mink oil but used it lightly on the inside. I condition a lot of my leather products with saddle butter. It has enough wax to control moisture. For my leather boots it's a mixture of saddle butter and Obenofs.

 

[Mosby]

I use Kennetrek boot wax and Montana Pitch Blend on my stuff.

 

[gaswamp]

Can I explain how? No, not really. Im definitely not. a chemist or anything like that. haha. We've been making pac boots since the 70's and repairing them even longer. Over this extreme amount of time, we've seen a pattern where snoseal basically dries our and rots leather, for lack of a better word. - Matt

thanks for the reply.. now get me a Schnees in Georgia

 

[roosiebull]

I’ve tried them all… Snoseal, Obenaufs, Montana pitch, Kennetrek, Nikwax, et al. So save your breath please.

I recently found an old tin of some mink oil product. I used it up and don’t remember the brand, not that it would likely exist anymore. It was a few decades old. Anyway, it was by far THE best boot dressing and waterproofing treatment I’ve ever used. In an attempt to find a replacement I bought some Kiwi mink oil and it sucks in comparison. Doesn’t melt in and absorb like the previous stuff (yea I tried heat). So those of you who use mink oil, specifically which product do you like?

I will try to remember to look when I get home, but the stuff I use is in a white plastic bottle with brown lettering (mink oil) some bottles are better than others, but overall I like it

I know some boot manufacturers say to not use mink oil, but it just works better than anything else as far as not wearing off after a couple wet days… I’m a fan of mink oil

Next bear i kill, I’m going to try some rendered fat, I have heard it works well, and that would be ideal

 

[Shraggs]

This has been fascinating thread.

Years ago I thought mink oil was less desirable because the animal fat base rotted leather.

At that time I thought beeswax was a preferred method to use without harm to leather.

Clearly experienced members here and an industry representative have stated the opposite.

Where the heck was rokslide 25 years ago !

 

[LongWayAround]

Damn. I've always used SnoSeal. I just treated four pairs of boots with it.

Looks like I will be looking for a new product.