Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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A properly done leather covered pad should not be a problem if its properly cleaned and cared for. A simple wipedown and some leather cream will keep it nice or saddle soap, then a wipe down clean damp rag, then the cream will do it.
I'd not use Neet's foot oil. It will permeate the pad, turn it dark, and loosen any glue used in attaching the leather to the pad. It will also soften the leather and make it more suseptable to nicks and cuts.
However, leather goes get marked up from heavy cover like briars, thorns, sharp twigs and such. I'd also avoid laying the gun butt down on damp ground.
I've been using kickeez pads for a long time now on any hunting guns that have a pad. They can be ground to the same contour as a rounded traditional English pad as well as any. They also clean up nicely with any plastic cleaner like Son of a Gun. They also reduce the punch of a heavy kicking gun nicely.
I'd go with an eye for practicality first. If you will be toting the gun on only nice days in tweed and knickers so to speak, leather is nice. But if you tend to get into the thick stuff and like full contact upland like I usually will end up doing (like it or not  ), a Kickeez, or decelorater too will serve you well at a cheaper price, will hold up better, and will be cheaper to replace if it comes to that. |
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