Thread: Homemade Leather Preservative / Waterproofing

As mentioned in some private messaging and earlier, this brew is a little firmer than the original, more like Nugget than a shoe cream, with the viscosity as expected being a function of temperature.

It will be reasonably easily extracted from the container onto a finger like the original blend if above 30°C.

If below 20°C then it will be necessary to rub the dubbin off the surface with either a stiff application brush as one might with Nugget, or instead initially scrape the dubbin to be applied from the block surface using say the edge of a table knife or an iceblock stick. Here is the interesting bit — any dubbin having been so removed from the surface of the block is then very soft irrespective of temperature. Rather odd actually.

So if you want to really layer it on thick, and are finding a brush is not transferring enough, then scrape a larger amount free and apply it that way.
I've done this and applied multiple thick coats, and as always it can be pulled into the leather quickly with a bit of applied heat with the hairdryer or (with care) a hot air gun.

I'm hoping with the higher % beeswax it then provides some good long-term water repellency.