Over the years we've responded to a variety of questions about our products, ingredients, application instructions, and other miscellaneous inquiries.
This page is a good place to start. If you have a question - it's likely you'll find the answer here. If not, just send us an email via our
Contact Us page.
Product FAQs
Product Choice
Q: Which product should I choose?
- For conditioning and protecting your leather, choose either the Leather Oil or the Leather Dressing (for the difference between these two scroll below
to next question).
- For cleaning of soiled leather, choose the Leather Oil Soap. If the leather is new, you do not need the Soap. The Soap is designed to prepare the surface
of soiled leather before the conditioning step.
Q: What is the difference between our Leather Oil and Leather Dressing? (See also Our Products page)
- The Leather Oil is our liquid pitch-oil conditioner for leather. It is naturally water-resistant preservative; an excellent choice for leather not heavily
exposed to wet weather or for leather used in drier climates.
- The Leather Dressing is our Leather Oil plus natural Beeswax to provide the highest possible natural water-repellency. It conditions and preserves
the same
as the Leather Oil but has a higher resistance to water. It is preferred for leather that will be exposed to wet weather or used in humid conditions.
It is also ideal for or indoor leathers (such as sofas and chairs) that are susceptible to frequent spills of liquid.
Q: Can all our products be used together?
Yes, you can use any combination of our products.
- Our Leather Oil Soap is ideal for cleaning soiled leather before conditioning with our Leather Oil or Leather Dressing.
- Our Leather Oil can be used by itself on clean, dry leather goods to condition, protect, and preserve the leather.
- Our Leather Dressing can be used by itself on clean, dry leather to condition, protect, and preserve with the highest possible water-repellency. It can
also be used on top of the Leather Oil after the oil has been absorbed. Leather Dressing is usually the final protective step - referred to as a 'top
dressing.'
- Some folks like using both products together: Oil first or used in drier months of the year; Dressing second or used in the wettest months of the year.
Product Usage
Q: What kinds of leather goods can our products be used on?
For examples of rugged / thick leather goods that our products are most ideally suited to, please review our Leather Goods
page, or contact us with your leather goods questions.
Q: Can our products be used on boots lined with Gore-Tex or other insulation technologies?
- YES, our products are 100% safe and compatible with Gore-Tex (goretex) and other insulation technologies.
- When using a leather care product, you're maintaining the performance of the leather portion of your boots, not the lining inside.
- And our products do not interfere with the performance of these technologies, but rather by keeping the leather in good shape and water-repellant, you
will assist with the overall purpose of dry linings to help keep your feet warm and dry.
Product Application
Q: How should our products be applied?
- An example of application is available on our Products page
- When applying, remember that a little bit of our product goes a long way; you won't have to over-apply or saturate the leather in order for our products
to work.
- Amber pine pitch helps the conditioning mink oil last longer even in extreme climates and temperatures.
- Because our products are all-natural, they can be applied easily by rubbing directly into the leather with the palm of your hand. Applying by hand also
will warm the product a little and help it melt into the leather quickly, while conditioning your hands as you work.
- If you prefer, you can also utilize a soft natural horsehair brush (available on our Online Store) as an applicator to brush or buff product onto your
leather. Oil can be drizzled onto the bristles; Dressing can be picked up onto the bristles by sweeping the brush across the jar. Soft horsehair brushes
work well when working product into the fine grooves of leather work where applying by hand would be more difficult. Large brushes also help save time
and effort on larger surface areas, like with saddles or sofas.
- Natural cellulose or tack sponges work well for applying the Leather Oil Soap since they suspend plenty of Soap and suds as you clean the leather. This
is especially
true when working with larger surface areas, such as with saddles. But soft horsehair brushes or cloth towels also work nicely with the Soap on smaller
items, such as boots, shoes, or outer jackets.
Q: How frequently should our products be reapplied?
- New leather is in good condition when you buy it, but to keep it that way it's important to condition it periodically using a premium leather care product.
Montana Pitch-Blend Products will help to condition, protect, and preserve leather's appearance and performance.
- After the first treatment, you only need to reapply on an infrequent basis because our products have excellent staying power. The exact reapplication
frequency varies quite a bit depending on your climate and frequency of use. The best rule of thumb is simply to reapply as often as the leather begins
to feel dry, less flexible, or after cleaning it. The goal is to maintain suppleness, optimal performance, and water-repellency.
- Maintaining your leather will also help prevent drying, cracking, and damage to the skin, while minimizing the appearance of scratches.
- You can also reapply a light coat of Oil or Dressing immediately before going out in extremely wet weather to help boost water-repellency.
- Older, drier, or neglected leather may require a little more TLC and attention than new leather. More than one application may be needed to help restore
leather to
supple condition.
Product Safety
Q: Are our products safe to use?
- Yes, our all-natural products are safe for the leather and for the consumer applying them. Montana Pitch-Blend Products have been safe and leather-friendly
for nearly 30 years now.
- Moreover, our products are not only safe for leather, but are preferred and recommended by leather professionals for the best care possible because they
are made from premium quality natural ingredients.
- Questions on mink oil, pine pitch, or beeswax? See our Ingredients FAQ page.
Product Safety
Q: Is there any expiration date to our products?
- No, we have not yet encountered a limit to the shelf life of our products in nearly 30 years of use, because they are made with nature's most powerful
natural preservative: amber pine pitch.
- We even have customers contact us to this day who are still using the same tub of Leather Dressing or bottle of Leather Oil from way back to 10, 15, even
20 years ago.
- If we some day discover or hear of a particular limit to our shelf life we'll be sure to publish it for our customers, but our guess is you'll definitely
run out of our product before it will run out on you.
Product Cautions
Q: Are there any cautions when using the products?
Yes, simply with regards to the natural darkening of light, textured, or specialty leathers. Oil-based products are most ideally suited to thick smooth
leather goods (see our Leather Goods page for examples). But for leathers such as light colored, fine or exquisite, or textured / specialty leathers (see
below), we warn that the leather may darken simply as a result of being moistened.
If you picture the way raindrops darken light colored or very thin leather as a result of moistening the surface, it works the same with oil, only the
darkening will not lighten as quickly or evaporate like water would.
Spot Testing: Even with the above caution, many of our customers tell us they still prefer to use our products especially when they
are most concerned with achieving water-repellency. Even if that is the case, we recommend that spot-testing our product (or any product) in an inconspicuous
place on the leather could be helpful to ensure that you like the appearance before you treat the entire piece.
Q: How will oil affect either Light or Textured leathers?
Light / Fine Leathers:
Darkening is most predictable with light colors such as butter, caramel, or tan tones, or with fine lightweight leathers like those used in expensive
ladies purses and shoes.
Black or dark brown colors you won't notice any darkening effect because the original color is so dark to begin with.
Textured / Specialty Leathers:
Oil will simply weigh down the nap and brushed look of textured or rough-out leathers like suede and nubuck. With suede, the brushed texture will lay
down and the fibers will darken. With nubuck, the brushed look will simply smooth out all the way leaving a smooth surface.
Order Processing & Shipping FAQs
Placing Orders
Q: I would like to place an order. What are my options?
- You may order 24 hours a day via our secure, validated, and encrypted web site. You can checkout as a guest or create an online login for easy reordering.
Our web site is managed directly by us and we never share your information with any other company or third-party - We respect your privacy.
- You may also call us toll-free at 800-728-0970 to place an order over the phone.
- Or you can request that we contact you or correspond via email to setup an order in the manner you prefer. (Use our Contact Us
page)
Q: How can I pay for my order?
- We accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amercian Express, and Discover), as well as express checkout and security methods such as Paypal and Google
Wallet (Google Checkout).
- Customers who prefer to mail in a personal check or money order can call or email us to request a quote before sending their payment.
Shipping & Freight
Q: How are orders shipped?
- We ship via the US Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS freight. You can choose whatever available shipping method suits you best - our web site offers multiple
rates and options.
- Most customers prefer to use USPS Priority Mail for the least costly delivery.
Q: Do you add surcharges or handling fees?
- No, we do not charge more than the rate quoted online by the freight companies. We strive to provide the lowest possible freight charges at all times.
Q: Do you ship internationally?
- Yes, we can ship nearly anywhere in the world via the US Postal Service. To international destinations, multiple freight options are available on our
web site's Online Store.
- The least expensive option is First Class Mail International which takes up to 4-6 weeks for delivery.
- The quickest option is Priority Mail International which has an average delivery time of 6-10 days approximately.
- We can also ship via FedEx or UPS International.
Company & Business FAQs
Customer Service
Q: How do I reach Customer Service?
Call us at 800-728-0970 or online via our Contact Us page.
Please feel free to leave a detailed message with a support representative or via voicemail. We are unable to receive all calls directly during busy production
times. But we strive to provide a speedy reply and personal customer service.
Company History
Q: What is the history of the Montana Pitch-Blend company?
See our Our Story page
Dealers & Distributors
Q: I am a retail dealer or distributor. How do I setup a business-to-business account with Montana Pitch-Blend?
See our Dealers page
Miscellaneous
Misinformation Issues
Q: I have read or heard warnings on products made with mink oil or other animal oils. Is mink oil safe?
Yes, mink oil is perfectly safe for leather, but there has been misinformation over the years that we occasionally get questions on.
Read additional information about this.
