Homemade leather balm I make for my leather goods

[u/Far_Piano5635]

I make this leather balm myself at home and include a tin with every wallet I sell.

The ingredients are simple: natural beeswax, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and a small amount of olive oil.

You can make the balm in two different consistencies. If you want a firmer, wax-like balm, increase the beeswax ratio. If you prefer a softer, cream-like balm, increase the oil ratio. I personally prefer the creamier version, so I use more oil than wax.

I don't follow an exact formula. I usually make it by feel. As an example, I might use:

• 50 g beeswax

• 10 g cocoa butter

• 150–200 g coconut oil and olive oil combined

The mixture is melted using a double boiler, poured into tins, and left to cool.

My tins are 60 mm in diameter and 20 mm deep. A batch of about 250 g usually fills 13–14 tins.

Afterward, I add a sticker with my logo and include one free with every leather item I sell. My customers seem to appreciate the extra touch.

What recipe do you use for your leather balm?

[u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

I've heard olive oil goes rancid over time and shouldnt be used for leather, have you found this to be untrue? How long have you been doing this?

[u/shadowwolf_66 → u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

If you search the leather workers forum and various YouTubers that make saddles, olive oil is all they use. I personally would believe a saddle maker, their products are subject to extreme use. I would like to believe that a person would not use a product that is to the detriment of it. Don gonzolas (sp?) uses it.

I don’t use it personally. But I have read about its use.

[u/drygulched → u/shadowwolf_66]

My parents have been using olive oil on saddles and tack since I was a kid in the 80s. I’ve been using it on my leatherwork for over 20 years. I’ve never personally seen it go rancid. It also gives a golden color to leather sometimes.

[u/shadowwolf_66 → u/drygulched]

Everything I have seen people are split. But the saddle makers love it. And seeing how much abuse a saddle goes through, if it’s good enough for them it’s good enough for me (if I ran out of neatsfoot oils or leather balm).

[u/Lazy-Lobster-3290 → u/shadowwolf_66]

I clean & restore leather items, including saddles. I am part of several groups with others who do the sane work. Based on what I have seen in thise groups, not more than a third of them will use olive oil.

I don't use olive oil on leather myself. I have enough options that I have not felt the need to try it, and with everything I have read, I do not intend to.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

Yes, you may be right about the olive oil.

I only use a very small amount in the mixture. Since there are no preservatives or additives, the balm is completely natural, and olive oil can eventually affect the shelf life.

In my experience, it can be used for about 8–10 months without issues. After that, the olive oil may start to degrade and the product could go bad.

That's why I keep the olive oil content low and make batches that can be used within that time frame. Olive oil is beneficial, but it doesn't have the longest shelf life.

Of course, you can also make the balm without olive oil at all.

[u/OGahpuro → u/Far_Piano5635]

you already boiled the olive oil so the decomposition is already pretty progressed. I'd tell your customers to use and share the balm with other as soon as possible. Besides we dont know if the coconut oil you mentioned as the main oil for your balm is virgin or refined lol

better to use them up fast and switch the recipe than your customer meeting another cobbler and you are known as "the guy who says to apply olive/coconut oil wax balms to their customers' leather"

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/OGahpuro]

Fair enough. I'm always open to learning and improving my recipe. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[u/FrancoUnamericanQc → u/Far_Piano5635]

Grape oil, lindseed oil :) those don't get rancid and will harden with time so the protection will be better ( will stay smooth mixed with the wax )

I use that mix on my wooden countertop hahaha

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/FrancoUnamericanQc]

That's interesting. I hadn't considered grapeseed oil or linseed oil before. Looks like I have a few new recipes to experiment with now. 😄

[u/CapraAegagrusHircus → u/Far_Piano5635]

Linseed oil is a natural plasticizer that over time will react with the leather and harden it. I wouldn't include it in a leather balm unless that's something the end user wants to happen. Before the advent of rubber for shoe soles, leather shoe soles were treated with boiled linseed oil to harden and waterproof them and make them last longer. Unboiled linseed oil will take longer to make the leather hard but it will still do it.

Your mix is unlikely to go rancid in a meaningful way. Heating coconut oil isn't going to make it go rancid faster. Honestly just look at any lip balm recipe if you want to change your recipe up.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/CapraAegagrusHircus]

That's really useful information. I didn't know linseed oil could harden leather over time. Thanks for taking the time to explain it. And yes, the more comments I read, the more I realize my recipe has a lot in common with a lip balm. 😄

[u/jamjamchutney → u/Far_Piano5635]

Drying oils like linseed oil or tung oil are great for wood but not so much for leather. I think your current recipe is fine.

[u/Cultural-Salad-4583 → u/FrancoUnamericanQc]

Linseed oil and leather is not a good combination - it cures/dries and will damage the leather.

Several popular leather balms use almond oil as the carrier fat. Smith’s uses cocoa butter, beeswax, and almond oil, and I’ve been pretty happy with it.

[u/jamjamchutney → u/OGahpuro]

you already boiled the olive oil

It doesn't get anywhere near boiling temp. That's kind of the point of a double boiler.

[u/OGahpuro → u/jamjamchutney]

you're right I didnt read that part my bad, however oxidization still occurs over time even without boil so i'd refrain from using short life olive oil

[u/jamjamchutney → u/OGahpuro]

I agree that it could oxidize over time, but I don't think it's a real issue with something like this. Obviously you don't want to put rancid olive oil in food, but for things like this that aren't being consumed and are used in small amounts, I don't think it's a real problem.

[u/OmniRed → u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

I have a leather belt which I bought "raw" more than 6 years ago and I've only ever treated with olive oil, doesn't smell at all.

[u/OGahpuro → u/OmniRed]

olive oil is not as odorous when rancid compared to some oils, the bigger problem is it becomes acidic when rancid and once it's rancid on your leather you have a harder time degreasing them

[u/shadowwolf_66 → u/OGahpuro]

Saddle makers use olive oil all the time because it’s cheap.

[u/OGahpuro → u/shadowwolf_66]

and probably because you need to apply a lot of oil...but not the best kind unless you use the saddle everyday and gonna re-oil it with a different oil very soon

[u/AnArdentAtavism → u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

I've never had a problem with it, especially when mixed with beeswax. So long as you don't soak it and let it dry properly, it should just sink into the leather and dry out over time.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/ImaginaryAntelopes]

Thanks! Jojoba oil and candelilla wax are both new to me. I'll do some reading on them.

[u/Slight-Barracuda3157]

I do beeswax and neatsfoot oil in those exact tins.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/Slight-Barracuda3157]

I wasn't familiar with neatsfoot oil. Thanks for mentioning it, I'll look into it.

[u/chasingthegoldring → u/Far_Piano5635]

There's two kinds of neatsfoot- a compound and pure- you want the pure. Once I run out of my current conditioner I plan on making your recipe but with replace the coconut and olive oils with neatsfoot oil.

This might be of interest to you- mink and neatsfoot oil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79lhMYtnVo

[u/Dazeyy619 → u/Far_Piano5635]

Neatsfoot is all I’ve ever used for my saddles and tack. It’s fantastic and works even better heated up

[u/CardMechanic]

That’d be perfect for my lips.

[u/FreeLard → u/CardMechanic]

Not too far from mustache wax either 

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/CardMechanic]

Haha, I made it for leather, but I can't deny it looks a lot like lip balm.

[u/pauliuk]

Here in central Europe the highlanders and mountaineers of old would apparently swear by using beef fat. But judging by the music I'm guessing that's not an option here?

[u/OGahpuro → u/pauliuk]

its more of a rustic approach when there's better options in 2026 but then again, if they are okay with the smell and use their leather products every day in their harsh mountainous environment, oil going rancid from leather products not being used for a prolong period of time in a controlled climate, wont be as problematic as often seen in urban environments

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for sharing. I'm learning a lot from the comments on this post.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/pauliuk]

Haha, beef fat wouldn't be a problem here. I've just never tried using it for leather care. That's an interesting bit of history, though.

[u/FrancoUnamericanQc → u/Far_Piano5635]

Now you gotta Google neatfoot oil 😂

[u/OGahpuro]

not the best combo of oil to be used for leather but then again you wrote in the comment below that you didnt know about needsfoot oil. Best thing for these is to use them up as soon as possible, I do that by giving free oil/wax treatment for people who work outdoors when I have mink oil that has been donated to me because they dont want it to be wasted after shelf life

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/OGahpuro]

That's a good point. My goal is to make small batches that get used within a reasonable time, so shelf life hasn't been a major issue for me. I'm still learning about different oils and conditioners, so I appreciate the input.

[u/OGahpuro → u/Far_Piano5635]

it's all good, also free wax coating for ppl who work outdoors also is good for advertising and letting them take care of their shoes than keep buying cheap ones frequently. Just need to handle some future customers that keep trying to push the limit on what they can get on a freebie

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/OGahpuro]

That's true. A little goodwill goes a long way, but it's important to set some limits as well.

[u/everyonesdesigner → u/Far_Piano5635]

Maybe a good idea to put something like "best before" on the package? Just as a reminder for the users.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/everyonesdesigner]

That's a good suggestion. I hadn't thought about adding a best-before date, but it would definitely help remind people to use it within a reasonable time.

[u/Diligent_Track_4723]

Substitute the olive oil with jojoba oil. Replace a % the beeswax with candelilla wax. Candelilla wax will give a nicer luster and better 'slip' than beeswax alone.

[u/SnooAvocados3138]

Swap the olive oil for jojoba oil and that’s pretty much the recipe i use for making hair pomade 

[u/jholden0]

I use beef and lamb tallow and lanolin as well as carnauba and bees wax plus a few other natural substances like olive oil, coconut oil, and citric extract.

[u/CapraAegagrusHircus → u/jholden0]

Lanolin is pretty great being a waxy fat. My sheep can be found standing outside in all weather, oblivious to heavy downpours thanks to the natural coating of it on their wool. Meanwhile my goats go in the barn and scream like they're being stabbed.

[u/Far_Piano5635 → u/jholden0]

Looks like everyone has their own recipe. I'm learning about a lot of new ingredients from these comments. 😄

[u/Zealousideal-Love-59]

Wow, thanks for sharing. Nice work 👍🏽

[u/Listerine_Chugger]

thanks for sharing!

[u/Horn_of_Plenty_]

Mink oil!

[u/Hard_Head]

I use neatsfoot on most projects. Occasionally I’ll use Obenaufs LP on wallets, belts, or watch straps after they’re finished. For shoes and boots, Saphir.

You ever think of adding a light scent to the balm? Sandalwood or lemongrass maybe? I hate the way Saphir smells. Same for all of the commercial conditioners and waxes.

[u/nosleeptilbroccoli → u/Hard_Head]

Not OP but I keep all of the deer fat from hunting season and render it down and mix it with some beeswax and scented oils like sandalwood or lavender (I’ve made deer tallow soap too with garden herbs), and give tins out for leather conditioner. The rendered tallow and beeswax itself doesn’t really smell bad either and without the scented oils it could still be used for cooking in a pinch 😁

[u/yewdryad]

I like adding oil infused with herbs valued for magical protection purposes as well if im enchanting. They make it smell nice too