New shooting bag help

Use the heck out of it!

I'm sure there are products like a baseball glove conditioner softener. How soft do you want the leather to be? I'm opting for a new shooting bag made of stiff leather, and I prefer it that way. Why soft? It's simply a matter of personal preference for me, similar to a leather jacket - I prefer the solid, thick biker style over the soft, dressy type.

I think using it should break it in nice alone.

I've used car leather dash conditioner on a leather jacket once or twice. It's up to you if you like a shooting bag to break in and look a little worn. Keeping it nice though is nice just the same. Without listing everything I think you don't need, a non-glossy interior leathers car spray of choice might be ok.

What a great gift! Mink oil or vasoline can be worked into the leather to soften it up. Just be aware both will darken the leather and take a few days to dry out.

Shaving cream…. With lanolin.

Rub it in a couple times and your good too go.

First off what type of leather is it and how is it tanned? cow, pig, goat, deer or elk ? chrome tanned? oil tanned? bark tanned?, smooth finish, or sued out? not all leather is created equal and one treatment may work on one type and NOT another.

Dear Sir,
As a saddle maker, please do not use vaseline or ANY petroleum products or Neet's Foot Oil COMPOUND on leather.
100% Neetsfoot oil, Mink oil, olive oil or Lexoil are good choices. If it is suede, any oil will change it dramatically.
Also, oil darkens leather.
David

David Y. Snellen said:

Dear Sir,
As a saddle maker, please do not use vaseline or ANY petroleum products or Neet's Foot Oil COMPOUND on leather.
100% Neetsfoot oil, Mink oil, olive oil or Lexoil are good choices. If it is suede, any oil will change it dramatically.
Also, oil darkens leather.
David

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X2

andy52 said:

X2

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Put it in a clothes drier (front loader) with four or five lacrosse balls, and tumble on air-dry until soft enough for you.

kansas_volunteer said:

Put it in a clothes drier (front loader) with four or five lacrosse balls, and tumble on air-dry until soft enough for you.

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old tennis shoes work wonders

Use the heck out of it!

I pretty much use mink oil for all my leather bags and pouches. If the leather is fairly stiff, I'll do it twice just to make sure it gets in there and that usually helps soften it up.

Use it and it will mellow. Adding a bunch of oil or grease unnecessarily will prematurely age the leather and possibly its stitching causing an early failure. Is it made of vegetable/bark tannage? Many today seem to want that leather to obtain characteristics of modern chrome tan or brain tanned leather.
Agree with above on the products containing petroleum.

Bigdaddykane said:

merry Christmas to all!
I received new shooting bag as gift, soft leather, but still pretty stiff, whats secret to soften it up more?

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Some leather shops or shoe repair shops have a product called Pecard Leather Dressing or Pecard Leather Conditioner. Dixie Gun Works has it in stock also.

https://pecard.com/

Bigdaddykane said:

merry Christmas to all!
I received new shooting bag as gift, soft leather, but still pretty stiff, whats secret to soften it up more?

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Listen to Beaverman2!!
Always identify the material before ruining it - most 'conditioners' and such will destroy anything suede, and as another pointed out, different leather, different thread (and stitch style) could get destroyed then the nice new bag falls apart!
On the upside; if you do ruin it then you got a good project to work on!!

But; try to identify the type of leather, and examine the stitching.
If good leather but the only done with a running stitch then might want to just 'break' it in, no oils, creams, voodoo sauces; especially if it is sewn real close to the edges.
If good leather and a good saddle stitch then maybe some pue mink oil (not the shoe stuff) or even some of Montana Pitch products; they have oil conditioner as well as a cream dessing. I have heard that "Fine saddle makers trust Montana Pitch blends" and I have used on a variety on leathers with no ill effects, their oil conditioner even restored a 1940s near rotted US Navy Glovers Palm that I still use today!

However; my preference, provided it's good leather with good stitching, would be Bear Grease (real bear, not a product name, like the Indians did it).

HOWEVER; also keep in mind - Virtually ANYTHING you use Will alter the color! Sometimes only temporarily darken but most of time permanently, and on some leathers I have seen it even change the color altogether (I think it was Montana Pitch that turned some buckskin straps of mine a dark orangish kinda color..darkened up months later but never back to the original buckskin shade).

Remember; one main reason that leather Hardens is the loss of oil, it goes dry (then eventually cracks).
So to 'soften' it you need to Replace the oil into it.