# Olive oil on Bridle?



## sam72431 (26 June 2008)

Hi

I always though this was bad practice but a guy i know who manafactures bridles says that someone who buys his bridles always gets a bottle puts it in a black bin liner puts the bridle in and puts it next to a radiator for a few days, and apparenty it comes up amazing, this sounds so bad to me but apparently she always does is and it always works anyone else heard of this?


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## KatB (26 June 2008)

Have soaked leather in olive oil before on suggestion of my mother!!. Not sure about the radiator thing though!! Never did my bridle any harm, and made it nice and supple


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## flyingfeet (26 June 2008)

I have to question the need to do this - sounds like poor quality leather that hasn't been stuffed correctly!

However leather is suffed with vegetable oils so olive oil would not harm it. However I'd imagine you'd end up with a silmey mess!!!!!!


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## PapaFrita (26 June 2008)

I've heard of people using vegetable oils, AND of them putting a bridle in a plastic bag, but I don't think it a very good idea to put it near a radiator 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Agree with CotswoldSJ that a good quality bridle shouldn't need that sort of treatment.


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## jen1 (27 June 2008)

I  bought a second hand leather headcollar from a local tack place and the little old lady that runs it said it would come up a treat if soaked in Olive oil, tried it and it did, it's a VERY old headcollar and was dry and dusty when I got it, looks lovely now! Didn't put it in a plastic bag though, just soaked it using a brush and hung it up overnight for it to soak in.


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## Amymay (27 June 2008)

Cheaper bridles are always stiff though aren't they?  I have a cheap one which I bought last year for Thumper which I haven't used yet, as I'm just too lazy to oil it.

However, this evening I feel an olive oil moment comming on.

Brill


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## WishfulThinker (27 June 2008)

One thing I have noticed with my 2 cheaper bridles is that the one that HAS been oiled has stretched!   The newest one I have treated with Effax rather than oil and its not stretching. 

I shall ask my new sharer about this as she is a saddler


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## jen1 (27 June 2008)

Must admit the old headcollar was I think originally very good quality it has a makers stamp on it and it's made in UK I think it's a good 20 or 30 years old so I assume English leather. When it was dirty and dusty it didn't look like much but cleaned up it's very good quality, so maybe starting with good quality leather helped?? Don't know how it would work on cheaper or imported leather? Anyway give it a go it didn't harm the headcollar in any way!


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## Shiraz (27 June 2008)

When I worked in Oz they soaked new bridles in linseed oil? Literally dropped the bridle in a bucket of it and then hung the tack under the houses to dry. 

Think the radiator thing is to open the pores if it's warm and therefore absorb more?? I'm probably way off the mark!


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## Amymay (27 June 2008)

[ QUOTE ]
Think the radiator thing is to open the pores if it's warm and therefore absorb more?? I'm probably way off the mark!  

[/ QUOTE ] 

No I think your probably absolutely right.


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## tinker88 (27 June 2008)

i have used olive oil, veg oil, rapeseed oil.

they all do they same and are better than no oil at all.

if i havnt used a piece of tack for a while then i will give it a wipe and it comes up nice and flexible.

and i think everyone always has some oil knocking about!


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## sam72431 (27 June 2008)

Thats the thing its a really good quality bridle, and tbh doesnt look like it needs oiling, i dont think i'm going to risk it but not sure it could do any damage?


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## Keltic (27 June 2008)

I always oil my new leather, i use an old garlic tub pour a bottle of neatsfoot in and piece by piece pop bridle in and leave ten mins and pop on paper to dry.


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