84 MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 



Before oiling leather equipment it should be taken apart and each 

 piece thoroughly cleaned. 



The proper method of cleaning and oiling new leather is as follows : 

 Take a bucket of clean warm water, a sponge and a can of saddle soap. 

 There should be a rack of some sort, to hang the leather parts on. The 

 wagon pole in the field will answer. Wet the sponge, scjueeze out 

 most of the water, and work up a lather with the saddle soap. Xow 

 squeeze all the water possible from the sponge and proceed to work 

 on a piece of leather, cleaning it thoroughly, both sides. Clean the 

 sponge and make a fresh lather as often as may be necessary. Change 

 the water in the bucket frequently. Having cleaned a piece of leather, 

 work in the remaining lather with the hands, until it is all absorbed. 

 The piece is now ready for oiling. Put a little oil (neats foot prefer- 

 ably) on a rag and apply it to the flesh side of the leather, rubbing 

 quickly over the whole surface so that it will be evenly distributed and 

 too much will not be absorbed in any one spot. The piece is again 

 worked with the hands until no oil remains on the surface. This hand 

 working is most beneficial as it insures even distribution of the oil and 

 makes the leather soft and pliable. Light applications of oil are much 

 preferable to heavy, as they are absorbed more evenly and gradually 

 and men's clothing is not ruined. 



If the oil is applied to dry leather it is absorbed almost as if by blot- 

 ting paper, and it is impossible to make an even distribution. The pres- 

 ence of the saddle soap and moisture in the leather partialh' fills up 

 the pores and thus makes absorption slower and more even. 



If oil is applied to the hair side of the leather it is sure to leave spots, 

 and nice even-colored leather cannot be had, besides the danger of 

 spoiling any clothing which comes in contact with it. 



Those parts which have collected an unusual amount of dirt, such as 

 in and around buckles and keepers, mav be best cleaned with a soft, 

 smooth stick of wood, used when the dirt has been softened by soap. 



The inside face of collars must never be washed as it would make 

 them harden and wrinkle, which would tend to produce injuries to the 

 neck and shoulders. They can be kept clean by thorough hand rub- 

 bing. If additional cleaning is found to be necessary it can be accom- 

 plished with the sponge and saddle soap. A paddle of soft wood may 

 be used to remove excess sweat and dirt. Particular care must be taken 

 to squeeze all the water out of the sponge when using it for this pur- 

 pose. 



For use on black leather add one teaspoonful of lamp black to a 

 pint of oil. and mix thoroughly. 



Each piece of leather, excepting the collar, should be treated as above 

 and hung up to dry. The parts are then assembled and put away in 

 their proper places. 



This oneration should be repeated daily until the leather is in shape, 

 after which it should be cleaned thoroughly and oiled lightly at least 

 once a week. All leather must be wiped off with sponge and saddle 

 soap after each use. Leather equipment when not in use should be 

 kept hung on pegs or racks. It should never be allowed to lie around 



