Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-07-02
Cleanlns and Oilipx Harness.

III hAu 40HhH Ax1o u8Ell0SSs IN.
buckle all the parts and wash clean with
soft water, soap and brush. A little
turpentine or benzine will take off any
gummy substance which the soap fails
to remove. Then warm the leather,
and, as soon as dry on the surface, ap-
ply the oil with paint brush or aswab.
Neatsfoot oil is the best. Hang up the
harness in warm place to dry, but do
not let it burn" IA
The above extract, says the Carriage
Journal, copied from a scientific paper,
should have been headed, Chow to
Destroy Harness :" the writer evidently
knew nothing of what he was writing
about, but. having an item to prepare,
wrote the above instructions;l II this
article WAS one that would have been
read by none but harness makers. or
those conversant with the peculiar
properties of leather, it could do no
harm, as they would condemn it at
glance, but unfortunately, those who
would be the most likely TO read It are
those who use; not those Who mantifac-
ture the harness, and by following the
directions given, they would injure their
harness in, attempting tossave it; the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sWOu1O w OIkm0Os and no
explanation on the part of the latter
would convince the, customer that the
fault lay in the treatment the harness
had received after it passed into his
hands. The first and second sentences
are all that there Is in the advice given
that would be safe to follow, but we
would suggest that they be transposed.
as the repairing and oiling should fol.
low the cleaning. The next instruction
is to use turpentine or benzine to re-
move the g11mmy substances left after
cleaning with the soal. There
are no materials, except it be
some of the most powerful acids.
that will more effect,1alfy destroy ieath.
er than these !; they strike in almost
instantly, absorb the grease, harden the
fibre, and kill the leather. Owing to
the penetrating powers Of turpentine a
small quantity of it IL sometimes used
in making harness black, but unless
ncutralized by other ingredients it is
injurious !; when applied in a raw state
it is absolutely destructive, and never
should be used under any pretense. III
gummy substances cannot be removed
without its help they had better remain
on the leather, as the harm would be
much less than that resulting from tho
turpcntine or benzine. The next direc-
ton ls to warm tho leather and apn]v
the oil. If the leather has not been
ruined by the turpentine, the warninr
process will complete the work "Neats'
foot oil is the best" In some rcsnect.
this is true, but if used alone it Is Tho
most injurious grease that can he m.
piled, as it more than any other opens
the pores of the leather, and. instead
of keeping out the moisture, puts the
leather in condition to obsorb moro
than it otherwise would. If tallow is tn
be used as q final dressing, then meats.
foot oil is the best material that can ho
applied as first coat We are fnollv
told to chang up the harness in q warm
place to dry, but do not let it burn"
We arc not sure that the caution against
burning is necessary, for if the leather
has gone through the treatment recon-
mcndcd, it might rs we'll be burned rs
not, and perhaps-for tho safety of tho
would be a good thing to cremate it, as
it is already dead.
Our advice to those Intending to
clean harness is first to unbucklc I'LL
tho straps and remove MI the metallic
portions possible without ripping the
stitching then, if a thick coating has
formed on any part where the harness
came in contact with the horse, remove
it by scraping with q wooden scraper ::
then place the straps in water, and after
they have been well soaked lay them on
board and with soap and brush clean
OIL I'LL superfluous matter on the sur
face; they should then be allowed to