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Neatsfoot oil is a yellow oil rendered and purified from the shin bones and feet (but not the hooves) of cattle. "Neat" in the oil's name comes from an Old English word for cattle. [1] Neatsfoot oil is used as a conditioning, softening and preservative agent for leather. In the 18th century, it was also used medicinally as a topical application for dry scaly skin conditions.
In spite of its name, "prime neatsfoot oil" (or "neatsfoot oil compound") is a blend of actual neatsfoot oil and non-animal oils, generally mineral or other petroleum-based oils.
Fat from warm-blooded animals normally has a high melting point, becoming hard when cool, but neatsfoot oil remains liquid at room temperature. This is because the relatively slender legs and feet of animals such as cattle are adapted to tolerate and maintain much lower temperatures than that of the body core, using countercurrent heat exchange in the legs between warm arterial and cooler venous blood. Other body fat would become stiff at these temperatures.[ clarification needed ] This characteristic of neatsfoot oil allows it to soak easily into leather.
Modern neatsfoot oil is still made from cattle-based products, and is sometimes[ vague ] criticized for a tendency to oxidize and therefore contribute to the deterioration of leather. [2] [ dubious – discuss ] This formulation does darken leather, particularly lighter shades. If mineral oil or other petroleum-based material is added, the product may be called "neatsfoot oil compound". [3] Some brands have also been shown to be adulterated with rapeseed oil, soya oil, and other oils. [4] The addition of mineral oils may lead to more rapid decay of non-synthetic stitching or speed breakdown of the leather itself. [3] [5] [6]
The lower legs of slaughtered cattle (less the hooves) are boiled, skin and all. The fat that is released (as an oil) is skimmed off, filtered, and pressed. The first pressing is the highest grade; the second produces both a lower grade and a solid press cake or stearin product used, among other things, to make soap. [1]
Neatsfoot oil is used to soften, condition, and preserve a number of leather products, including baseball gloves and horse tack, including saddles and harnesses. It is being displaced by synthetic products in certain applications.[ citation needed ]
Like other leather dressings, neatsfoot oil can oxidize with time and contribute to embrittling, especially on historical objects. [7] It also may leave an oily residue that can attract dust.
Neatsfoot oil of the highest grade is used as a lubricant. [1] It is used in metalworking industries as a cutting fluid for aluminium. For machining, tapping and drilling aluminium, it is superior to kerosene and various water-based cutting fluids.[ citation needed ]
Neatsfoot oil is often used to oil sign-writers' brushes that have been used in oil-based paint, as this oil is non drying and can be easily washed out with solvent at any time.[ citation needed ] Oiling the brushes reduces the buildup of pigment in the ferrule, the metal part that many brushes have to hold the hairs in place.[ citation needed ]
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, and aquatic animals such as seals and alligators.
A lubricant is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, transporting foreign particles, or heating or cooling the surfaces. The property of reducing friction is known as lubricity.
Tanning, or hide tanning, is the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather. A tannery is the place where the skins are processed.
Motor oil, engine oil, or engine lubricant is any one of various substances used for the lubrication of internal combustion engines. They typically consist of base oils enhanced with various additives, particularly antiwear additives, detergents, dispersants, and, for multi-grade oils, viscosity index improvers. The main function of motor oil is to reduce friction and wear on moving parts and to clean the engine from sludge and varnish (detergents). It also neutralizes acids that originate from fuel and from oxidation of the lubricant (detergents), improves the sealing of piston rings, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.
Cutting fluid is a type of coolant and lubricant designed specifically for metalworking processes, such as machining and stamping. There are various kinds of cutting fluids, which include oils, oil-water emulsions, pastes, gels, aerosols (mists), and air or other gases. Cutting fluids are made from petroleum distillates, animal fats, plant oils, water and air, or other raw ingredients. Depending on context and on which type of cutting fluid is being considered, it may be referred to as cutting fluid, cutting oil, cutting compound, coolant, or lubricant.
Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum, soft paraffin, or multi-hydrocarbon, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons, originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties. Vaseline has been an American brand of petroleum jelly since 1870.
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil, is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant. The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction.
Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds that are artificially modified or synthesised. Synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil, but can also be synthesized from other raw materials. The base material, however, is still overwhelmingly crude oil that is distilled and then modified physically and chemically. The actual synthesis process and composition of additives is generally a commercial trade secret and will vary among producers.
Linoleum is a floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), pine resin, ground cork dust, sawdust, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a burlap or canvas backing. Pigments are often added to the materials to create the desired color finish. Commercially, the material has been largely replaced by sheet vinyl flooring, although in the UK and Australia this is often still referred to as "lino".
Mink oil is an oil used in medical and cosmetic products. It is obtained by the rendering of mink fat which has been removed from pelts bound for the fur industry.
Dubbin is a greasy or waxy product used to soften, condition, and waterproof leather. It has been used since medieval times to waterproof and soften leather goods. It differs from saddle soap used to clean and lightly condition leather, or shoe polish, which is used to impart shine and colour to it.
Hoof glue is a form of animal glue made by boiling down the hooves of ungulates into partially hydrolyzed keratin. It is not to be confused with hide glue.
Animal glue is an adhesive that is created by prolonged boiling of animal connective tissue in a process called rendering. In addition to being used as an adhesive, it is used for coating and sizing, in decorative composition ornaments, and as a clarifying agent.
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic and lipophilic. Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated lipids that are liquid at room temperature.
Horse grooming is hygienic care given to a horse, or a process by which the horse's physical appearance is enhanced for horse shows or other types of competition.
Saddle soap is a compound used for cleaning, conditioning, and protecting leather. It typically contains mild soap, softening ingredients such as lanolin, and preservatives such as beeswax. It is commonly used on leather footwear, saddles, and other items of horse tack, hence its name.
Crocodile oil is extracted from the fatty tissues of crocodiles. Crocodile fat is a product of commercial farming, evident in Thailand. Historically, for centuries crocodile oil has been used by traditional practitioners across the globe, including Chinese Traditional Medicine, Southeast Asia, Ancient Egypt. Crocodile oil was found to be used since the 19th century for different purposes in different cultures. Due to the oil's components, its richness in monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats, it is today commonly used as ointment for treatment of skin conditions, skin structure enhancement, collagen deposition, and medicine for illnesses. In recent times, the use of crocodile oil has invited criticism from the use of crocodile oil as there is an increased demand for cruelty-free and vegan-friendly beauty products in consumers of today's society.
Inksticks or ink cakes are a type of solid Chinese ink used traditionally in several Chinese and East Asian art forms such as calligraphy and brush painting. Inksticks are made mainly of soot and animal glue, sometimes with incense or medicinal scents added. To make ink, the inkstick is ground against an inkstone with a small quantity of water to produce a dark liquid which is then applied with an ink brush. By adjusting the strength and duration of the ink grinding process, artists and calligraphers may adjust the concentration of the produced ink to suit their tastes.
Honing oil is a liquid, solution or emulsion used to aid in the cutting or grinding of metal, typically by abrasive tools or stones, and may or may not contain oil. It can also be called machining oil,tool oil, cutting fluid, and cutting oil.
The conservation and restoration of leather objects is the process of determining the causes of deterioration, followed by deciding the best course of action for preserving the leather objects for the future.