I recently got a pair of Red Wing leather work boots and was told that I should apply a protectant before I wear them for the first time. So I did a quick google search to find what made the best leather conditioner and there were a few times when it was mentioned that you should NOT use neatsfoot oil on your boots, as the oil will actually cause the leather to crack prematurely (this was said for a few other oils too...mink oil comes to mind). Naturally, I assumed this would be true of all leathers and it got me thinking of the use of neatsfoot oil on strops. The last thing we want is a cracking strop.

To be fair, it was said that this isn't a problem with PURE neatsfoot oil, however, most neatsfoot oil made nowadays is a pretroleum based concoction. This is what is harmful.

I'm also unsure of what timeframe would be required for one to experience this premature cracking.

Looking to start an intelligent discussion of strop dressings.