Quote Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT
So animal fat is a no-no? How about petroleum jelly (vaseline)? It's used to condition skin, so I believe it would be good for leather and it's been around for a while.
It's not that animal fat is a no-no. After-all, leather also is from (duh) an animal. Neatsfoot oil, for instance, is a slaughterhouse byproduct that has been used for over a hundred years as a leather "waterproofing" application for shoes and hunting boots, and as a general, non-waxy conditioner.

Some animal, even some vegetable fats, can go rancid in some climats. If you live someplace like St. Louis or south Florida where summer brings high humidity and heat, and don't have air-conditioning, that can be a problem. If you hang your strop on the back porch and flies are drawn to it, you probably want to switch conditioners. :roll: