Leather University™
Otter Wax Boot Wax for Leather Conditioning
by Dan Concord
Author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques.
Leather University™
Author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques.
Otter Wax is a leather waterproofing treatment made from natural beeswax, lanolin, and plant-based oils. It offers a simple and effective method for caring for your leather goods. In this article, we will explore the manufacturer, dive into the product and its ingredients, and provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to apply Otter Wax. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether this product is a good option for your leather care needs.
The Otter Wax Company was established in 2011 when its founder sought a natural wax to protect his favorite rain jacket. Unlike most leather waterproofing products on the market, which often contain petroleum-based ingredients and animal fats, Otter Wax was designed to be a more natural alternative. Based in Portland, Oregon, Otter Wax is primarily made from beeswax, lanolin, and plant-based oils, making it a highly natural option for leather care. This is especially beneficial for those who prefer to use natural products to maintain their leather goods.
Let’s apply it to some samples to demonstrate how Otter Wax works. First, I’ll set up a protective surface to cover my workspace. We have two samples: one will be kept aside for comparison, and the other will be used for the application. The first step is to read the product instructions carefully:
All right, that seems easy enough. Let’s give it a try.
Open the Otter Wax container. Using a cotton cloth is recommended as it is soft and won’t scratch the leather, and it’s relatively lint-free and won’t leave anything behind. Alternatively, you can use a cosmetic sponge, which is a small foam sponge. They’ll also pick up the Otter Wax and be easy and gentle to apply to your leather. But since they recommend a cloth, let’s go with that for now and see how it works.
Press the dry cloth into the center of the wax and swirl it around to build a kind of lather. This will help soften the wax and start to build up a little bit. You’ll notice the wax beginning to liquefy and change color as you rub.
One you have enough wax on the cloth, apply it to the leather in smooth, circular motions. The leather will darken slightly, which helps indicate the areas you’ve covered. Ensure you cover the entire surface evenly, avoiding excess wax buildup in any one spot.
Slowly work our way around, making sure to apply the wax as even as possible. All right. It looks like we got most of it covered. Next, I’ll show you a little trick to finish.
After the initial application, add another coating of wax to your cloth. Work over the entire piece again, using large circular motions. This will blend the wax evenly across the leather, ensuring a consistent and smooth finish. So, when it dries, it also dries evenly and looks even.
Let the leather dry for 24 to 48 hours before using it. The leather will darken initially but will begin to lighten as it dries.
After applying Otter Wax to our sample, we can clearly see the immediate effects. The leather appears darker, which is expected whenever a conditioning agent is applied. The true test, however, is how the leather looks once the wax has fully dried.
To compare the effects of Otter Wax, the right leather sample had the wax applied over 48 hours ago, so it looks fully dry. In the middle is a sample with wax just applied, and the left has no wax.
Focusing on the “before” and “after” samples, we notice very little difference in color once the wax has dried, which is a great sign. We don’t see too much color difference when we put on a compound like that. Additionally, the leather with the wax applied has water-resistant properties. Let’s check those properties and see the effectiveness of the Otter Wax.
To test the water resistance properties of Otter Wax, we will use two samples of leather. First, we’ll take an untreated piece of vegetable-tanned leather and observe how it reacts to water. When we apply water to the untreated leather, you’ll notice it absorbs quickly, spreading across the surface. After a minute, the water is almost entirely absorbed.
Next, we’ll compare this to our freshly treated sample with Otter Wax. Applying water to the waxed leather shows a significant difference: the water beads up and sits on the surface. Even if we tap the leather, the water droplets will roll off, demonstrating the effective water-resistant properties of Otter Wax.
Otter Wax proves to be an easy-to-apply and highly effective natural waterproofing solution for leather care. Whether for shoes, bags, or other leather goods, Otter Wax offers a reliable solution for maintaining and enhancing leather quality.
And there you have it. Until next time.
Dan Concord is a professional leather crafter with 15 years of design experience and expertise. He is founder of the successful Liberty Leather Goods studio, and also a published author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques. He lives in the USA.
Get detailed leather GUIDES and our NEWSLETTER packed with helpful info.