Hestra Leather Balm; worth it?

[Roxtar]

Is it worth it to order this stuff?
I mean, is there anything special about it or is it pretty much the same as any leather conditioner?

What do other Hestra guys here use?

[PuderLuder]

I use it. Works great. Never tried anything else, and don't intend to.

PL

[Sinecure]

It is basically just beeswax. You can use that stuff or the Nikwax version. They all work great. One big hint with any of them is to put your gloves in the dryer for a few minutes before putting the wax on and rubbing it in. Then after it has soaked in really well, you can put them in the dryer again (lower setting) for a short time and it really soaks the wax into the leather and makes them super waterproof and not sticky on the outside.

The Hestra stuff smells pretty good. The nikwax not so much.

[nick > jesus]

i used when i first got the gloves, cause the hestra blam came with them. Last week i just used mink oil, it seems to be working fine, and is a lot cheaper

[DAFTC]

Skidmore's leather care products are the best I've found. Smell good, made in WY, all natural, blah blah. I don't sit around thinking about the next chance I'll have to use them, but they actually make maintenance sort of pleasurable.

http://www.skidmores.com/products.asp?cat=14

[AltaAndy]

It is basically just beeswax. You can use that stuff or the Nikwax version. They all work great. One big hint with any of them is to put your gloves in the dryer for a few minutes before putting the wax on and rubbing it in. Then after it has soaked in really well, you can put them in the dryer again (lower setting) for a short time and it really soaks the wax into the leather and makes them super waterproof and not sticky on the outside.

The Hestra stuff smells pretty good. The nikwax not so much.

I use the hestra balm and I use a similar process, only I put them in the oven instead of the dryer. When you heat them up, they can take a LOT more balm and are far more waterproof, but they will stain white leather to be a bit darker

[wooley12]

Sno-Seal beeswax. I've been in the leather glove business and have leather mittens that I've had for..well twice as long as most of you are old. Every year I put them on and hold them in front of a hairdryer to warm them then scoop out some wax and rub it in. 7 oz can lasts about 20 years for 7 bucks. Mink oil tends soften leather. I'll use that sparingly if the gloves get completely soaked and stiffen after they dry. Not often. Bought 2 pair of Hestra Heli's and plan to treat them the same.

[Roxtar]

Bought 2 pair of Heatra Heli's

Same here.
Unfortunately, with the back & gauntlets of the Helis being fabric; the process is much more time consuming than just grabbing a handful of balm and rubbing your hands together.

Oh well, it's just once a year.

Just finished doing mine and used up the little mini balm packs that come with them.
That's the reason for the OP. Wondering what to use next time.

[ACHTUNG]

Last week i just used mink oil, it seems to be working fine, and is a lot cheaper

Mink oil contains petroleum which will eventually open the pores up and break the leather down. The leather will completely loose it's waterproofing.

this happened to a pair of leather hiking boots that I used mink oil on all the time.

[Skidog]

I've been in the leather glove business and have leather mittens that I've had for..well twice as long as most of you are old.

Wow...you must be fucking old if you have gloves that are 80+ years old....

I think you're sadly mistaken at the age group here...most of us might act like we're 12, but I can assure you we are not actually 12..maybe you're thinking of epicski or something?

[Shredhead]

Looks just like Snowseal if you ask me?

[BSS]

Hestra balm is just Gucci snowseal.

[QuikR12]

ok, hestra balm or beeswax products, nix the mink... now, how often?

[Roxtar]

Hestra balm is just Gucci snowseal.

That's the answer I was hoping for.

And well put.

[LightRanger]

ok, hestra balm or beeswax products, nix the mink... now, how often?

Beginning of the season every year. And, if you're getting in a lot of days on that pair and notice the leather soaking up water, hit them again.

And 2nd the oven on the "warm" or lowest setting for 3-5 minutes. Clothes dryer seems like a big pain in the ass. Hairdryer maybe for finishing.

[wooley12]

Ok. The mitts are 40 years old. Still killer warm with wool mitt liners. Just did the Hestra's. I hold a hairdryer between my knees pointing up and scoop a little goop. Rub my palms together and work into the fingers. Not too anal about getting some on the fabric.

[bossass]

Ok. The mitts are 40 years old. Still killer warm with wool mitt liners. Just did the Heatra's. I hold a hairdryer between my knees pointing up and scoop a little goop. Rub my palms together and work into the fingers. Not too anal about getting some on the fabric.

This quote is oozing with out of context possibilities.

[wooley12]

Glad you got it.

[IrieRon]

Reading this forum always makes me buy shit. For example, this morning I stopped by Porter's and bought some Hestra Leather Balm.

[2FUNKY]

Ok. The mitts are 40 years old. Still killer warm with wool mitt liners. Just did the Heatra's.

Just did the Heatra's.

What the fuck are Heatra's? Knock off Hestra's? Curious since you mentioned them twice. No one could be retarded enough to misspell it twice. Drunk enough, yes.

[wooley12]

a next to s typo. Thanks. Unemployed english major?

[Spats]

Mink oil contains petroleum which will eventually open the pores up and break the leather down. The leather will completely loose it's waterproofing.

Mink oil does NOT contain petroleum! Mink oil is made from the subcutaneous fat of minks. Nor did it rot your boots.

Mink oil by itself, however, is just a conditioner -- you are correct that it isn't waterproof. For that you'll want to mix it with something harder, like beeswax. If your boots rotted, it's because they spent too much time being soaking wet, which is what happens if you only use mink oil thinking it's a waterproofing treatment.

Note that Sno-Seal isn't pure beeswax...pure beeswax is REALLY FRIGGIN' HARD. You can't just rub it on stuff, and it'll flake off if you do. I made my own version of Montana Pitch-Blend Leather Dressing by melting beeswax into Red Wing natural shoe conditioner (which is just mink oil and pine pitch). Now I have a paste that's just a little bit harder than shoe polish, smells nice, and does an excellent job at waterproofing and conditioning leather.

Basically you want to find something that's a) all-natural and b) has a lot of beeswax in it.
http://www.mtpitchblend.com/ournaturalproducts.html

[ill-advised strategy]

so...I hesitate to even post this but whatever

I ended up with these hestras years ago from a lost-and-found at the end of a season. They were bright red and I had this yellow jacket and didn't really want to be all ronald mcdonalding it so I figured I'd do what I always do with everything anyway: spray paint it flat black.

guess what really really waterproofs the shit out of that fabric: yup. black spraypaint. and it didn't do too damn badly on the leather either. I was really surprised.

that is all.

snowseal and a woodstove. it's all you need.

[ESTtoMST]

The Hestra stuff smells pretty good. The nikwax not so much.

Agreed. The Nikwax stuff smells like gasoline.

[kbuzz]

Agreed on the nikwax smell. OK if you have a basement/garage to air em out. But i fyou live in an apt you will find out how it smells pretty fast.

Try pecards. Smells good, a tub will last a decade, all natural and easy to use. Pecards OEM's/private labels for other companies, so i wouldnt be surprised to find out they were the one's who make the hestra balm. http://www.pecard.com/mm5/merchant.m...ode=leathdress

Ive heard really really good things about obenauf's LP as well. Some use as a primer before the so-sneal.