Treating a Moose Hide Bag

[The Baron]

Hello Everyone,

I acquired a very nice tanned moose hide bag this summer and it is almost time it sees the great outdoors (on days other than the sunny day trips to the range).

The bag is wonderfully soft and has a light, almost yellowish/orange color at present. What would you fellas recommend I do to treat moose hide for exposure to the elements? Unfortunately, I have no contact with the maker and I do not know what, if anything, has been done to it already.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Black Hand]

Nothing!! Any of the "water-proofing" treatments will darker the leather and give it an oily appearance unless that is what you want.
Black Hand

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Black Hand is correct about the color change, if you dont mind this and want a good all natural water proof dressing of beeswax and carnuba, try Whites Boot Dressing, you can purchase from them direct, their in Spokane, WA> look them up in a web search, great stuff! alot of us here in the pacific NW use nothing else!

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've got a soft moose hide bag. I treated it with Montana Pitch Blend (as I do all my leather) and it darkened it slightly. It was already darkened with something, unlike yours.

By comparison, the trim leather on the bag and leather trim on the jute horn strap is undyed deer, and you can see how much it darkened that.

 

Almost anything you put on it will darken it, mink oil doesn't seem to darken it too much. You can test it on the inside. Keep in mind though it will eventually get some dirt, and stains if you use it for it's intended purpose. I personally would put some kind of treeatment on it, which will help reduce blotches and stains. Even rain will blotch and stain the hide. JMTC Bill

 

[davidesau]

I make shooting bags, and have made many out of moose. It is probably my favorite, due to it's toughness. If you don't mind darkening it some, any good solid minkoil dressing will do a good job. Fiebing's Aussie Conditioner is very good. It has beeswax in it. Like the other gentleman said, it's going to get things on it anyhow, and then it will be blotchy. Also, conditioning the stitching is important, if it is stitched with heavy linen. I give my customers the option, but highly recommend it.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I dont use anything but Whites either. It does not have mink oil in it. Mink oil is greasy and is not really good for leather. Whites is a mix of natural oils, waxes and resins that actually strengthens the leather. They claim it resists mildew and bacterial damage. It does not contain petroleum subsitutes, silicones, or mink oil. (I'm reading off of the jar.) I use it exclusively and it will darken the leather a little when you put it on, but it will lighten up after it soaks in and dries out a bit.

 

[Norskie]

They're right, it's gonna get darker. Even sunlight will change the color. I treat the bags I make with a 50/50 blend of beeswax and tallow. I believe Blue Heron Mercantile sells a similar product. Applied sparingly, it will darken the leather slightly.
You can make an applicator by rolling up an 18 inch long, 3 inch wide strip of cotton cloth into a 1 inch cylinder and running some stitches through it. I keep a half dozen of these at my workbench for applying various oils, waxes and dyes to the leather goods I make.