Author Topic: Mink Oil (Read 3492 times)

rjpalmer · « **on:** October 14, 2020, 10:17:14 AM »

Curious if any manufacturer's brand of Mink oil is suitable for lubing patches. I have Mink Oil purchased from a local Farm Supply Store for treating leather boots. Can I use it for a patch lube, or must I use Track of the Wolf Mink Oil?

Leatherbark · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2020, 11:15:46 AM »

The Mink Oil for leather is purported to have other ingredients that are not good for using as patches. What they are I don't know. I'm just repeating what I've read over the years whether or not it is true. I do believe that Track of the Wolf's Mink oil is pure. I've used it for years and have no problems. I take my thumb and wipe a patch in a circular motion against the product and that is all is needed. The friction quickly melts it into your patch. No need to melt the stuff.

Bob

MuskratMike · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2020, 07:25:31 PM »

Most if not all of the "Mink" for leather are compounds and come in a liquid form. TOTW mink is suppose to be pure mink oil/grease. i would stick with it. I always use 100% PURE Neatsfoot oil but recently started using Track's mink oil and like it a lot.

Daryl · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2020, 08:18:39 PM »

For the amount used (I only use Neetsfoot oil or Track's Mink Oil for hunting), a tin of Track's mink oil lasts me a long time.
For target shooting, I use spit or WWWF + a tich of Neestfoot oil.

hanshi · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2020, 12:43:40 AM »

TOW mink oil is excellent lube. I use it exclusively in the deer woods. One tin does go a long way and beats any other grease lube I've tried. Extended shooting, plinking, etc, is mostly done with Hoppes BP lube.

I've never used Neetsfoot oil and don't know where to find the real stuff. But it's worth a try if I can ever come across a can.

Besides, it's my understanding that Neets are an endangered species.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2020, 12:51:14 AM »

I use a 50/50 blend of Tracks mink oil and Bear oil/grease. melted and saturate the patches and squeeze out the excess. Straight mink oil or straight Bear oil are also great by them selves. Melted deer or mutton tallow are also good.

MuskratMike · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2020, 02:40:02 AM »

Hanshi: You can get the 100% pure Neatsfoot oil at most farm stores or saddle shops in the equestrian section. Fiebing 100% Neatsfoot oil is what I use and you can order it direct from the maker at fiebing.com or something close to that.
Hope that helps,
Mike

WadePatton · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2020, 03:54:19 AM »

Quote from: hanshi on October 15, 2020, 12:43:40 AM

TOW mink oil is excellent lube. I use it exclusively in the deer woods...

Besides, it's my understanding that Neets are an endangered species.

"Neats" are rather common actually:

retired fella · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2020, 03:54:53 AM »

Hanshi,

Got mine at Tandy leather. They had cages upon cages of those neets. Cute little buggers
they are.

James Rogers · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2020, 01:42:56 PM »

"Pure" neatsfoot these days is derived from hog lard and not shin bones and foot bones of cattle. "Compound" or "primed" neatsfoot contains the petroleum additives.

hanshi · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2020, 09:08:02 PM »

Thank you, Muskrat and the others who posted.

rjpalmer · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2020, 10:02:31 PM »

Thanks to everyone that replied to my original post. I will order Mink Oil from Track of the Wolf since I was unable to discern the ingredients in the boot purposed Mink Oil that I have on hand.

Darkhorse · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2020, 10:22:43 AM »

I used Track's Mink oil for hunting a couple of seasons. It worked good. No complaints. So come deer season I got out my little tin to lube some patches but the stuff had turned rancid. People have questioned the accuracy of that statement but they don't know me if they doubt me. All I can say is I live in the hot and humid deep south and my Mink oil was kept on a shelf in my gun room. Plus I had this stuff for years. If I try it again I'll get 2 cans and keep one in the frig.
Never got to try Neetsfoot oil. Being a horseman with several horses I always kept some pure Neetsfoot oil on hand. All I could find was a gallon, in a plastic gallon jug, that had been smashed somehow but it bent the jug and cracked the bottom. All my oil had run out the bottom and ruined some old tack.
But still I'm wanting to give both a good try. I just need to get up a couple of orders.

Daryl · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2020, 02:38:46 AM »

Darkhorse, your post made me check mine, about 3 years old & kept in my shooting box. Thus, the odd time, it got quite warm
but it is a new tin, unused and smells the same as it did as new.
Tks for the warning though. My bear oil is also in the same shooting box of stuff. It's fine, too and is only 2 years old.

MuskratMike · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2020, 04:52:19 AM »

As I just bought 10 tins of TOTW mink oil/grease I will keep two tins out in the gun shop and freeze the other 8 cans. That should cure the going rancid problem. Still trying to decide if I like pure Neatsfoot oil or mink best. Not sure there is a difference when it comes to shooting.

Daryl · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2020, 07:37:16 PM »

My .69 sees no difference, but the larger the bore, the more imperfections there can be with everything, before causing negative
reactions in shooting, in comparison to smaller bore sizes.

mushka · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2020, 03:23:25 AM »

I use the totw mink oil for a patch lube. A little goes a long way. Have a tin about two years old and keep it in an old refrigerator
out in my loading room to keep the temperature even all the time, the refrigerator doesn't work. I store primers and caps in that refrigerator also. The mink oil works well so I see no reason to change.

Leatherbark · « **Reply #17 on:** October 18, 2020, 12:15:46 PM »

A few years ago I bought a tin or Track's Mink Oil to replace the one that I depleted. It came to me Rancid. It smelled terrible and even looked different. I called TOW and they replaced it immediately. The new was A-Ok and am almost out of it. It has been at room temperature and what is left still looks as good as new.

Bob

MuskratMike · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2020, 07:28:42 PM »

100% "pure" Neatsfoot oil that is sold by Fiebing's is still derived from hoofs and shin bones of cattle. An earlier post said it is now made from hog tallow. I can not speak for other companies especially those who can sell for a cheaper price but I talked to the production superintendent at Fiebing's and theirs is still made the old fashioned way.

Not English · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2020, 05:03:26 AM »

I found the earlier e-mail regarding lard/neats foot oil a little suspect. I have not used neats foot oil for a patch lube, but I plan to. Neats foot oil can also be purchased on Amazon at a decent price if you're having troubles finding some. It's been an interesting discussion.

Daryl · « **Reply #20 on:** October 23, 2020, 09:44:05 PM »

The Tac & Feed Shop here in town sells a quart of Neestfoot oil for about $10.00. That will go quite a ways as a patch lube.
If you have a Tandy Leather shop, they also sell it I think. I find Track's Mink Oil patch lube to be more slippery than Neetsfoot Oil
but Neetsfoot oil doesn't need to be heated to apply it the way I do by soaking the patches, then squeezing out the excess.

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Author Topic: Mink Oil (Read 3492 times)