Waterproofing goat skin

[Nurglitch]

I'm currently sewing some things using goat leather. I've done a test on a sample set aside - I soaked it with water and left to dry. It turned into... well, pretty much into a board. Completely stiff. Obviously I wouldn't want this to happen to my gladius pendant if I get soaked in a rain (and this being England sooner or later I will get soaked while wearing my gear). So here's the question - is there a relatively easy and authentic way of waterproofing the goat skin? Will olive oil do? Or lanolin? Or anything similar? Or should I just buy some modern oils?

[M. Demetrius]

Olive oil, neatsfoot (calf's foot) oil, mink oil, and even lard will help to keep the water off your leather, and help keep it supple.

[John Conyard]

Soaking goats skin in olive oil will make it water proof for a few years. Neat'sfoot oil makes it waterproof for....... a very long time! The oil prevents the leather soaking up water, so make sure the leather is saturated with oil.

[Nurglitch]

Understood. Thank you

[M. Demetrius]

Use the better olive oil, and it works better. Also, I found that olive oil on leather, put in the sun for a few hours, reacts with the light somehow to make a nice, dark reddish-brown color. I find that color attractive, so that's usually what I do.

[Nurglitch]

A question about that colour. I have a bit of undyed goatskin (and will have some more). I myself find the natural white colour to be quite attractive. Waterproofing it with olive oil or lanolin oil does work, but it makes the leather go yellow or light brown. Is there any authentic way of dyeing the goatskin that will preserve the natural white colour?

[M. Demetrius]

I have no experience using white leather in this way. I can't imagine any oil that has color not imparting its color to the leather.