February 29 - everyday carry artisans

What is Mink Oil?

Mink is an animal that belongs to the same family as weasels & otters. Their furs are highly prized and their left over fats will be using to produce mink oil. They are commonly sold as a paste or cream for leather conditioning.

Mink oil for leather boots was first used by fur trappers, who found that by applying mink oil to their boots, it made it more flexible, and waterproof. It is used in leather care products where the sebum of these minks, prove to be a good way of using it for leather care, making them last longer, and pack in that sheen effect rather than giving it that dull appearance. It is mixed with beeswax, to further make its effects stronger. It is also used for polishing handbags, car seats and briefcases

Mink oil acts as a softening agent; it helps to make leather more supple and comfortable. It also improves the lifespan of leather by replacing the natural oils removed during the tanning process.Do note that it is possible to over-soften leather and discolor leather by using mink oil. Light colored leather will be made darker after applying mink oil. It is advised to apply mink oil in thin and evenly coatings.

Let's see how to use mink oil for leather.

The first step is to slightly warm the leather using either a hair dryer or another source of heat for a couple of minutes to allow it to absorb the oil better once applied.

Paper towels can be used to apply the mink oil, or you could use any kind of cloth like chamois or ordinary cotton.

Use the cloth against your fingers and apply the mink oil paste to it, until you see it being absorbed by the leather.

It should turn clear, when applied to the leather , so you know it's been absorbed.

Do one part of the leather at a time, and not all at once, till the whole leather is evenly covered by mink oil.

When you're done, keep the leather to rest overnight, so that it can dry up, and the following morning repeat the same steps as above, another time.

Some leathers can turn a shade darker after the use of mink oil. It can be used to condition anything that is leather based, to polish and restore its sheen and texture. You can put mink oil on your leather every few months to keep them in good shape. Mink oil doesn't damage anything that it comes into contact with while applying the sebum, like the stitching of your bags.

You've probably run into this problem before: You're zipping up your bag, and the lining suddenly gets caught in the zipper's teeth.

Here's how to get out of it.

1. Stop zipping as soon as you feel something is caught.

 2. Examine the zip to locate the problem. The inner lining may be caught so check the inside of the bag.

 3. Gently pull the lining away from the zip head. Tug lightly if necessary. Pull at the lining, not at the zipper. Pulling the zip tag up or down will worsen the problem.

 4. If any teeth became separated as you removed the lining, push them back into place.

 5. Run your fingers along the length of the zip and push the lining away from the zip to prevent future snags.

 6. Use a little force to pull the zip head to the bottom. Then re-zip, making sure to avoid the lining as you go.

There is not fool proof way to make your canvas bag water-proof unless you wrap it up in several layers of ziplock bags.  =P

However, we do know of an excellent and cost effective way to make your canvas material bags repel water which will come in extremely useful when you are caught in the rain.

Visit your home department store and look for water repellant spray, it is normally located at the shoes or car care section.

Just spray a light mist every few days and it will provide a water protective layer that will repel damaging rain water.

Do try the spray on an inconspicuous area of your bag to test for adverse reaction first.