Why Use Mink Oil in Maintaining Leather?
Admit it or not, there are moments when taking care of your leather feels like a burdening task you need to complete. More often, that's the result of not using the right product to guarantee the best care for your leather. That's why it will be worth your time to know about mink oil. A shoe care product that serves as a reliable leather conditioner. Well, you might have already heard about it because it has a rich history. Long ago, it was prominently used as a skin conditioner that helps smoothen it.
Obviously, things changed, and it has gained popularity in shoe care. While shoe enthusiasts and leather workers primarily use it for aesthetic advantage, it can also help protect and maintain leather quality. It is quite interesting how mink oil gained high importance. Let's dive deeper into the benefits of this oil to gain a better idea about its key role in maintaining leather and why use it.
Benefits of Mink Oil
Unbeknown to many, mink oil is not just a go-to conditioner that can help maintain and take care of leather. Also, it can do more than reverse the damage from constant friction. What makes it beneficial and worth the effort is that it can effectively replenish most of the leather’s natural oils, which are lost during usage. That's an important benefit because the loss of oil can make the leather more vulnerable to cracking.
The damage of loss of oil in leather does not stop with mere cracking. In reality, it can lead to the separation of the fibers, which makes the leather deteriorate faster than expected — a huge impact considering that the only problem is the loss of oil. This kind of leather issue highlights the importance of mink oil for effective shoe care. Amazingly, mink oil does more than replenish the loss of oil in leather. It can also lubricate the fiber, promoting more flexibility and durability.
Moreover, another impressive benefit of mink oil is that it can add a water-resistant advantage to leather. As a result, you can be at ease even if you wear your leather outside when there is light to heavy rain since the oil can help with repelling moisture. Yet, don't be mistaken that being water-resistant is the same as being waterproof. If you want excellent waterproofing, you need to use a special liner together with the mink oil.
Final Thoughts
The importance of mink oil shines the most when it comes to taking care of leather frequently used in tough conditions since it acts as a protective coating. Yet, it is vital to remember that putting too much can be a problem because it can smoothen the leather. The occasional coating is more than enough to maintain the leather quality. Since it has been used for a very long period, you can never go wrong with mink oil. With its benefits in consideration, you have enough reason to use it if you are focused on taking care of your leather.
Like other shoe care products, mink oil is not perfectly formulated. With that said, it might cause undesirable results, especially if you have applied too much. For instance, it can darken your leather significantly. Depending on the type of leather, mink oil can cause a matte look. Although some might not consider that as complete damage because it simply changes the look of the leather, you must be aware of this if you are strict in preserving the stock color of your leather.
Nonetheless, leather works as expected in terms of maintaining leather most of the time. If you want to try mink oil, you can use the Angelus Mink Oil Paste Leather Waterproof & Conditioner. From adding water resistance to helping your leather prevent water, salt, and perspiration stains, it is definitely worth trying. Plus, you can use it for other things, such as harnesses, saddles, jackets, and much more. For more shoe care products that can help you, try shopping here.