I was just fiddling with a couple pair of chopper mittens I have had for years. One pair is buckskin, the other elkhide, both full grain. I have never treated them with any oil or anything.

I am wondering if any of you folks have any advice about treating or not treating, and if so, with what? I have numerous jars of rendered bear grease.

Thanks!

Moosetrot

Treating for what purpose? Waterproofing? Just general longevity? I usually wear holes in mine before the leather goes bad.

I have put a light coat of mink oil on them.
Rub it in good and not to much.

I guess both!

Moosetrot

I have given up trying to waterproof leather, whether it is gloves or moccasins. I just have a dry pair or two with me. For longevity, I just try to keep them as dry as I can, avoid road salt at all costs and dry them out well when they get wet.

I treated a pair with neatsfoot oil, I don't think it helps much with waterproofing but it made them nice and soft!

The bear grease should work I've never tried it before but I do use Obermeyer boot wax on all my leather boots and shoes with out any problems it's much better than mink oil or any other product I've tried .

Sno-seal. Been using it for years. Use wife's hair dryer or your heat gun on low. Warm up leather and rub it in , then Warm it up again until it melts in. Your mittens will be water proof for ever if you do this every year.

Im like K snow if your really using leather in wet conditions good luck with waterproof no such thing not bear grease, coon, grease, mink oil, snow seal or political reduction oil it does not work to water proof! resistant to a degree but if your really using them in a wet environment it dont work. It does protect leather however from drying out and cracking. If you want waterproof get rubber or goretex till the seam breaks or it punctures.

Obenaufs works great on boot leather. I also hq e used it on some Kinco leather gloves and was pleased with the job it did. As others have mentioned, never gonna make them totally waterproof, but it keeps them dry a lot longer than no treatment at all.

Always treated my firefighting elk hide gloves with Snowseal. Waterproof? Nothing is waterproof on a fire scene. Water resistant to a point. But they remained flexible (til they froze) and didn't crack after repeated drying cycles.

If you need waterproof, get a pair of the commercial fishing neoprene gloves that accept separate liners, not the already lined ones. replace the liners with military wool glove liners. Can get the gloves fingered or mittens.

Replace liners when damp from perspiration, or water getting in over the top.

The leather choppers are great for cold and dry, just not cold and wet

Sno Seal or Huberds I'm sure there are many more leather treatments that would be fine. Elk and deerskin holds up well, stays supple and resist cracking for a long time but there are limits of course. Best thing about them is they dry soft even after getting wringing wet unlike cow hide and other leathers.

Put the leather choppers without the wool liners in the oven on low 0r dryer but the oven opens the pores better and stays hot. When the leather is very warm
Apply Snow seal wax very liberally.
The leather is now proofed.