How To Preserve Your Leather

It's no secret that proper maintenance is absolutely essential in preserving the life of leather goods. Recently, there have been a lot of questions about the process of breaking in and maintaining the leather goods we offer, here at Toor Knives. Our hope is that this information provides some insight on what you should do to get the longevity you want, out of the product(s) you entrust us to make.

It takes a little while for a knife/tool to properly form to a leather sheath, but there is a technique you can use to expedite this process. We recommend a basic type of “Wet fitting” for best results.

Some of you may have a different process in which you break in your leather goods, however, this is a fast and effective way to get great results.

Before you get started, gather all the supplies needed. You will need:

Bowl of warm water
Knife or Marlinspike
Leather Sheath
Toor Knives Leather Conditioner
Toor Knives Leather Cleaner
Toor Knives Leather Dressing
Lint-free Cloth
Frog Lube

Duration: For best results, this process will take up to 72 hours.

PREP:
CLEANING - If you are breaking in a sheath that is not brand new, start by cleaning the leather. For cleaning, start by wiping away loose dirt buildup and surface contaminates. Apply the Toor Knives Leather Cleaner to a lint-free cloth. In a circular motion, clean the leather until desired. Then move one to STEP 1.

NOTE: If you are just cleaning and conditioning, allow the leather to dry before conditioning.

Leather Cleaner: https://toorknives.com/collections/leather-care/products/leather-cleaner

STEP 1: OILING

The first thing you are going to want to do is put a coating of FrogLube on your Toor Knives blade or Marlinspike, to protect against corrosion, while wet fitting your blade.

FrogLube Paste: https://toorknives.com/collections/leather-care/products/froglube-paste-40z

STEP 2: WETTING

The key to this step is to NOT wet the leather all the way through because we have found that the inside tends to dry and crack. Take the cloth and submerge it into the warm water, then ring out the excess. Wet the front and back of the sheath evenly, to avoid unsightly water stains. The leather is going to be stretched, so it is important to spend a little more time, with the cloth, on the areas where the desired stretching will occur.

STEP 3: MOLDING

After the wetting process, place the oiled blade or marlinspike in the sheath and begin to form the desired shape using your hands. If you are not able to achieve the form, revisit STEP 2 in the areas of interest.

STEP 4: DRYING

DO NOT TRY TO EXPEDITE THE DRYING PROCESS! Trust in the process and allow the leather to dry overnight. DO NOT use ovens, hairdryers, FIRE, etc.

STEP 5: CONDITIONING

Take your Toor Knives Leather Conditioner and apply a small amount to a lint-free cloth. Using circular motions, rub the conditioner on the sheath until fully coated. After application, let the sheath sit for 1 hour then apply more if needed. Then Let the sheath cure for 24 hours.

Leather Conditioner: https://toorknives.com/collections/leather-care/products/leather-conditioner

STEP 6: LEATHER DRESSING

Take your Toor Knives Leather Dressing and apply a small amount to a lint-free cloth. Using circular motions, rub the Dressing on the sheath until fully coated. After application, let the sheath sit for 1 hour then apply more if needed. Then Let the sheath cure for 24 hours.

Now your sheath is broken in and ready to be shown off. If you have any other tips, feel free to share them below!

Leather Dressing: https://toorknives.com/collections/leather-care/products/leather-dressing