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What have you found to be the best leather dressing for your slings and holsters and how often do you apply?

mink oil, and twice a year

Neatsfoot oil.

Along the same line of thinking. How do you keep the green stuff from forming around the snaps. miles

Obenauf's. Great on boots, should be the same for slings. Although I usually just use gun oil most of the time.

Redwing Boot Oil.

Danner boot dressing; brown, black or clear.
http://www.danner.com/accessories/boot-care/

I make no claims to being a gun writer nor an expert but I'm quite sure there is no best and doubly sure there is no best across applications.

There are two streams of holster making in the United States today - the old west

(need not be old west in geography, there was once and may still be a great saddle maker/leather shop in southeastern Ohio but then again that was the North West Territory)

saddle maker tradition (e.g. Tio Sam Myres of Three Person holster design fame)

and the European shoemaker tradition often seen around New York state (Chic Garlord, Paris Theodore, Lou Alessi - again need not be physically in the east see also Bruce Nelson, Milt Sparks/Tony Kanaley et. al.)

much like chrome tanned, vegetable tanned and silicone treated waterproof boots responding to different leather dressings so too the holsters respond best to different treatment - Tony Kanaley touts Renaissance Wax and nothing more for the holsters from his own shop. Given an aging and likely dried out collectible holster by Heiser out of Denver and the saddle maker tradition I would very likely use an oil based product. Might even have snow in the name and the consistency of petroleum jelly.

Similarly I might have a Brownell's Latigo sling for carry, an oiled leather from
Andy Langlois again for carry, an older Safariland carry strap with velcro adjustment or a dedicated tight loop shooting sling each of which gets a different treatment.

Fiebing's makes good stuff and I have a variety of products on hand - often choosing to use whatever comes first to hand. Capitalism works and most anything used in accord with the label and advertising is better than nothing - except for the holsters in the Italian shoe maker tradition where nothing is sometimes better.

Kitchen grade olive oil....works as good as anything out there. The price ain't bad either!

I make handmade hunting knives for a hobby (closing in on #2000 now) and have used everything under the sun on my leather sheaths I make.

I always seem to go back to neatsfoot oil...just an old reliable in my book. If you are storing anything in your leather, ie" knives, pistols, etc...the object is NOT to make the leather waterproof, as it will cause the metal to rust if it is put into the sheath/holster wet, or even damp. Slings and such obviously are a different story.

I have taken a recent liking to Red Wings pump spray can of silicone spray...very nice stuff as well. Really nice to use on old, dried out leather....great stuff.....about $7 a bottle.

Mink oil stinks too much for me...and, again, in my business I'm not trying to waterproof the leather, just make it flexible, etc.

Good luck!

Buffalo Butter

What would you consider the best for a inside the pants holster that is against your skin all day and every day?

bea175, I would go with the Redwing silicone spray.....not as messy. Less chance of staining your clothes

KY Gel.... also works for those inside the pants applications

Thank me later

Recently did a new Montana Sling with Renaissance Wax and it seems to be working well. Sure softened the leather up.

Olive oil, its a plant based oil that doesnt spook game and protect's leather, I know it sound's stupid Men, but it really does work.
Not to hi-jack, but use it on Your rifle's and bow's to.

Gunner

What is Kentucky Gel?

pure 100% neatsfoot oil when needed. just cover don't soak.
Rub it in. Been around a long time. Great stuff.
Mouse

KY Jelly. Very useful product.....

I use Lexol-nf for all my saddles and leather gear. When I make a new saddle I use 100% neatsfoot oil to get the color I like and then the lexol-nf. The lexol-nr has neatsfoot oil in it but it does not darken as you use it and really softens the leather .
The best is bear fat rendered to bear oil.