Rescuing old tack?

[aGoodHoss23]

I found this amazing bridle at an estate sale and I think it’s pretty old. The reason I think this is because I bought some Neetsfoot oil off Amazon and have put about 3-4 coats of oil on this bridle over a week-2 weeks and it’s still very stiff. Neetsfoot oil has always worked for me in the past so I’m a little taken aback. I’m exploring and analyzing why this could be happening. I have no reason to believe that this Neetsfoot oil is counterfeit but I suppose it’s a possibility. Obviously the bridle is now much darker than it used to be, but since it’s so old and it’s clearly not to be used to show in, it doesn’t bother me.
The ends of the reins remain extremely stiff; it’s as if the Neetsfoot oil had absolutely no effect here.

Does anyone have any tips on getting the leather more supple? Is it simply a matter of continuing to apply the oil and maybe when I get to coat #10 I will see a more noticeable suppleness? Kind of at a loss here.

[Bluey]

Lexol has done the job well for me before, try it.

[2DogsFarm]

Soak bridle in warmed oil - neatsfoot, olive, really any oil.
Let it soak overnight or longer, then wipe off excess & use a cloth to remove as much oil as you can.
Let it airdry & you may need to condition once it’s dry.
I like Black Rock or Stubben Hamanol to condition.

[Aces_N_Eights]

Despite soaking in oil or conditioner the lack of suppleness may be due to lack of quality of the leather.

[aGoodHoss23]

Yeah the reins aren’t the greatest. The headstall is nice though

[axl]

@2DogsFarm

Soak bridle in warmed oil - neatsfoot, olive, really any oil.
Let it soak overnight or longer, then wipe off excess & use a cloth to remove as much oil as you can.
Let it airdry & you may need to condition once it’s dry.
I like Black Rock or Stubben Hamanol to condition.

I warm the oil and then put them in Ziplock, although I suppose you could just leave them in a pan if you have one you don’t actually cook in? Or am I weird about that?

They may leak oil for a while afterwards…

[goodhors]

I am not a “soaker-in-oil” believer. I hate how neatsfoot oiled leather feels in my hands. Plus it leaks oil after for long times, sliming other things. For really dry stuff, I do the twist test first, before applying products. This is taking leather and twisting it as hard as possible to see if it will rip apart. You would be amazed at how easily that can happen!! That leather is not worth saving. Even conditioned back to supple, it WILL FAIL when you stress it! Some old leather items are only good now as decorative objects to display. Better safe than sorry!

We use Leather Honey as conditioner on our black leather harness. A great product! It WILL darken any light color leather permanently. It does the best job of getting and keeping leather soft and flexible of anything I have used, in only one or two applications. You do need to let coated leather sit and dry about 24 hours to absorb what the leather needs. Then wipe things to remove excess, get the sheen back. Also great on skin, does not remove callus like Lexol does. However the Leather Honey does need Dawn Dish soap washing, to get your hands clean when you finish conditioning. Does not affect your skin, just doesn’t wipe off.

Lexol is my second favorite conditioner, but softening leather can take multiple coats. Does not darken leather much, even after years of use, it is a nice rich brown. Not blackish looking. Leather is soft and flexible to use. Again, let the leather absorb after application, dry out before use or another application of Lexol. It polishes nicely when dry, using a rag and rubbing briskly.

[TheHunterKid90]

I keep a 3 gallon bucket in my tack room that’s full of neatsfoot oil. Cool up the reins and stick them in the bucket. Lid on and leave for 24 hours.
Pull them out and swipe the excess oil off the leather.
Hang the leather outside in the sun to bake and periodically pick it up and bend and twist the leather in all directions to loosen it up.
If you can let it sit for a full day, that’s perfect.
Then go in with your glycerine soap bar and thoroughly clean the leather to take up the excess oil. The leather will still bleed oil a little but the lexol really helps cut through it.
If your tack is still stuff after this, it’s probably cheap/poor quality.