my new jacket reeks of linseed oil.

[loosebolts]

hey guys and gals. (update pictures at bottom of page. fortunately not in smell 'o' vision)
got a new leather jacket of unknown vintage kinda/sorta German or french. love it! fits perfect but it smells of linseed oil so stout its hard to have in the house. any tips or methods to change the smell?
thanks
LB

 

[Smithy]

hey guys and gals.
got a new leather jacket of unknown vintage kinda/sorta German or french. love it! fits perfect but it smells of linseed oil so stout its hard to have in the house. any tips or methods to change the smell?
thanks
LB

Doesn't help I'm sorry but I wouldn't mind that at all. Linseed oil reminds me of my cricket playing days and I only have to have a whiff of the stuff and I go quite nostalgic!

I'd bung the thing outside in the sun. You'd be surprised what a bit of sunshine and fresh air can remove pong-wise from clothing.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Whatever you do, dont febreeze it!

Condition it with some other type of oil and wipe it clean. Air it out.


At least its linseed oil, you oughta smell some of MY jackets.

 

[loosebolts]

thanks gents. ill keep airing it out. i don't mind the smell much but this is over powering. the boss lady does not care for it. ill find some other pleasant oil to treat it with. i think some other guy must have had his lady smell it and make him sell it.

 

[Peacoat]

Linseed oil is normally used for wood products. Never heard of it being used on leather items. Might take the jacket to a dry cleaning establishment that specializes in leather clothing and see if they can get rid of the substance by dry cleaning.

 

[Fanch]

+1

 

[Pinhead]

Take up smoking. You'll soon not notice that nasty oil smell at all.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Linseed oil is used in painting because it is a "drying" oil. The "drying" though is actually oxidation. They found out early on that canvas especially, as well as other natural materials would first have to be sized with a protective layer to isolate the support material from the effects of the oil. Otherwise the oil's oxidation would cause the support to literally rot! Leather, I would think, would suffer similar consequences. Given the fact that you can still smell it, the oil must have been applied fairly recently. A thorough cleaning might help, as the oil might not be completely oxidized. Why anyone would purposely "treat" a leather jacket with linseed is beyond me. :eusa_doh:

 

[loosebolts]

i think the seller might have wanted to spiff it up before arrival...who knows why. i ware it and then i smell like linseed oil. ill try some thing to get the smell to go away and clean the oil off of it.

 

[loosebolts]

heres the jacket with me in it. even my sisters chihuahua was offended.

 

[Locrian]

I think this is bad news. Linseed oil polymerises — and in the sun, quite quickly. That's why it's used in oil painting. And as it polymerises it will stiffen, until the jacket will be unwearable. Of course turpentine will dissolve it — but then it will also take off the colour. Soap may be your only friend: a scrub that is careful not to take off the colour. But act fast and the more you air it the faster it will polymerise. Because that is what polymerisation is: the taking in of oxygen to form long fatty chains. Airing, in other words, will hasten your problems, not solve them.

 

[simonc]

Here's a tip, turn it upside down, and soak it using a shower head with hot water, turn and turn it soak and soak it. Then scrutch it up as hard as you can, twist the arms, twist the body, then rise again with hot water. Then wear it for an hour, do some stretches in the jacket. Three things will happen: the jacket will lose it's stiffness, it will shape to your body and any foreign oils will wash away.

 

[Plumbline]

either that or wash it ... gently ... on a wool/delicates cycle in the washing machine with woolite ( I've done this now a couple of times with jackets which either smelled of mould / damp ( been in someones atic) or cigarette smoke ( been in someones ashtray ).

I would NEVER have believed it works as well as it does .. and so long as you dry the jacket sympathtically ( slowly)and treat it similarly afterwards .... I've had no harm done.

The washing thing was picked up HERE on the FL .... It is true that the first time I did it I really had NO alternative ( that jacket STANK of smoke and sweat ) and was BRICKING myself that I'd ruin a £600 leather jacket ..... BUT it has worked GREAT so far with no damagibng effects other than a couple of coathangers with large pieces of foam on them now

 

[Atticus Finch]

Linseed oil is normally used for wood products. Never heard of it being used on leather items. Might take the jacket to a dry cleaning establishment that specializes in leather clothing and see if they can get rid of the substance by dry cleaning.

Yep. It sounds like the seller (or someone) wanted to condition the jacket and chose linseed oil instead of neatsfoot oil or mink oil. Linseed oil works great on old gun stocks...but not so great on leather jackets.

AF

 

[loosebolts]

Yep. It sounds like the seller (or someone) wanted to condition the jacket and chose linseed oil instead of neatsfoot oil or mink oil. Linseed oil works great on old gun stocks...but not so great on leather jackets.

AF

The Elm stock on my mauser loves the stuff. i recognized the smell when i opened the box

 

[armscye]

Your jacket seems like a prime candidate for washing. I documented a process that works for me, with lotsa pix, a few months ago:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ditioning-vintage-jackets&highlight=one+man's

 

[Worf]

(Note to self... not ALL oil is GOOD oil)....

Worf

 

[loosebolts]

Your jacket seems like a prime candidate for washing. I documented a process that works for me, with lotsa pix, a few months ago:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ditioning-vintage-jackets&highlight=one+man's

i wore it and took and extra hot shower and stretched while doing so and let it dry yesterday then flipped it inside out and dryed it inside out. there slight cracking around one of the cuffs but i think that was probably there in the first place. ill oil it and see how it goes.

 

[loosebolts]

i got the linseed oil out for the most part but there is some cracking around the cuff. suggestions?

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Just good old Wear and tear. Not much you can do about that cuff, Keep it ply with a bit of mink oil or something on it, Personally I like a Ratty old Jacket more than a brand spankin new one...more character!