refreshing old hides

[YosemiteBen]

I have some skin capes that hang in the museum. They  are for display but do get handled frequently. The hides are old and drying out and occassionally need to be resewn. Will neats foots or something similar refresh them or do you all have other ideas?

[bowtarist]

Got pics?

We use a lot of sheep hides to lay on and what not at the house and about once a year we will wash them.  We put them in a zip up pillow case and put it on delicate in the machine, or hand wash. Then put them in the dryer on air dry still in the pillow case. Sometimes, depending on the weather we hang dry them. I'd say neats foot oil would be your best choice, I'll heck back to see what others think. dp

[PEARL DRUMS]

Mink oil works good to soften and condition leather.

[Mohawk13]

Very Light mink oil for the back, Woolite on a damp rag for the hair. Clean My hides this way and use the Woolite/Wet Rag for My mounts

[YosemiteBen]

This is a river otter cape. 7 hides. they are thin and drying out they rip easy. some old repairs are coming out or have ripped along side. I am going to put a deer skin liner on it when I repair it to alleviate some of the stresses on the otter skins.

[bowtarist]

IMHO once they are that dry and tear that easy, they are not really worth much but to look at, not to handle as a tourist would. Hides were renewable in the day and wore out if used regularly. I'd say a deer skin liner would probably work, but it'd need to be glued on. Keep us posted, dp