cleaning your linemans belt

[reppy007]

How often do you take the extra time and clean your linemans belt..I want to say that Ive been known to clean mine about every 2-3 months,using saddle soap....I hear olive oil is good too as long as you dont apply too much or too little....I read up on this and the article said if it shines too much ,then you applied too little,and if it darkens alot then you applied too much....now I have known some guys that never have applied anyhing to their belts...what do you guys use,thats if you use anything at all?

[climbsomemore]

I take care of mine like I would any other saddle or tack and harness.

Clean it about once a year... if it's full of dust or dirt hose it down and work saddle soap into the leather, rinse it down and let it dry.

I use mink oil... or neatsfoot... and a narrow paint brush. Paint the oil on the clean leather and let it soak in. If the leather was dry it will soak in quickly. Let it dry and hit it again with the oil... if it soaks up dry hit it again. When you see some left wet thats the sign you have "filled" the pores and wipe off the excess.

Hanging leather goods on a hot place dries it out and shrinks it. More belts and hook straps get ruined from hanging in hot storerooms or truck bins than ever got ruined from use. If your storage is wet or you put up a belt thats soaked without drying it-expect mold. Mold needs to be cleaned -it will attack and weaken leather.


I clean my stuff up once a year or so... you may need more cleaning if you live in a hot, dry, climate that drys your leather up.

[climbsomemore]

I take care of mine like I would any other saddle or tack and harness.

Clean it about once a year... if it's full of dust or dirt hose it down and work saddle soap into the leather, rinse it down and let it dry.

I use mink oil... or neatsfoot... and a narrow paint brush. Paint the oil on the clean leather and let it soak in. If the leather was dry it will soak in quickly. Let it dry and hit it again with the oil... if it soaks up dry hit it again. When you see some left wet thats the sign you have "filled" the pores and wipe off the excess.

Hanging leather goods on a hot place dries it out and shrinks it. More belts and hook straps get ruined from hanging in hot storerooms or truck bins than ever got ruined from use. If your storage is wet or you put up a belt thats soaked without drying it-expect mold. Mold needs to be cleaned -it will attack and weaken leather.


I clean my stuff up once a year or so... you may need more cleaning if you live in a hot, dry, climate that drys your leather up.

[linemanfrog]

If my belt gets soaked or muddy it gets dried as soon as feasible and saddle soaped. I make it a point to inspect it at least every 3 or 4 months for mildew/mold and such. I have a Buckingham belt 20000M and it seems to have a softer better quality leather than some other belts out there in that it rarely needs any type of oiling. Saddle soap at least yearly or when I cannot remember the last time I did so. Spent quite a few hours/days in it in both good and wet weather over the last 10 or so years and it doesn't look worse for wear. I do pay special attention to the rawhide stitching when cleaning and saddle soaping. Since we are slowly but surely going to fall restraint, I hope I can get the company to spring for the same belt with 4 d rings. The backsaver feature of the belt is a godsend and I intend to keep a belt with that feature if at all possible.

Frog

[thrasher]

At our company we started about fifteen years ago taking each lineman's belt in for a professional cleaning once a year. The way it works is when you file for a week off anytime during the year you bring your belt in to the Construction supervisor before you go on leave. He takes it to a local saddle shop. They clean it, polish all the brass, check and redo any stitching and do a final preservative coating of a different type of soap. When they come back the belt is actually waterproff for a couple of months. We have numerous belts here that are over 20 years old and look good. You can tell they have been worn but there is nothing defecient about them. Note: we have lots of swamps in our area so belts get used regularly for trouble calls. It costs the company $25 - $50 per belt but it is well worth the money. The difference in price is if stiching is replaced.

[reppy007]

At our company we started about fifteen years ago taking each lineman's belt in for a professional cleaning once a year. The way it works is when you file for a week off anytime during the year you bring your belt in to the Construction supervisor before you go on leave. He takes it to a local saddle shop. They clean it, polish all the brass, check and redo any stitching and do a final preservative coating of a different type of soap. When they come back the belt is actually waterproff for a couple of months. We have numerous belts here that are over 20 years old and look good. You can tell they have been worn but there is nothing defecient about them. Note: we have lots of swamps in our area so belts get used regularly for trouble calls. It costs the company $25 - $50 per belt but it is well worth the money. The difference in price is if stiching is replaced.

Thats a first for me,I have never heard of a company doing that,pretty cool.