Best Pump Leather Lube
 

I've obtained the new leather for one of my silca pumps, and since time is of no object right now I want to do it right! What is the BEST lubricant for the brand new leather (all things considered)?

IDK if it's best, but, I had a tub of boot grease handy for the leather boots,
so I put a big wad of it on the cup side of the plunger .

For over 40 years I've used one or two drops of olive oil (Italian, of course) every few years, on my Silca pump washer. Friends use Brooks Proofhide, or silicone o-ring grease with success. Whatever you use, the key is to use just enough to keep the leather just barely supple, and to make a seal on the cylinder. If you over-oil it the leather gets too soft, and can collapse or blow inside out over time.

This is one of those instances where you can kill with too much love.

Decisions decisions.....
Thanks guys, I'll go with either silicone O-ring grease or olive oil.

+1 on the silicone grease.........won't degrade rubber, and seems
to have worked for me for leather........I have a jar that will last
me forever and probably get left in my will, still 3/4 full.

Transmission fluid(mineral oil) works well on leather.......That's what we soak leather seals for early style power brake boosters with......that's what Delco used from the factory.......in the early days it was known as shock oil(with leather seals).....there were no auto trans....:)

There's also a product made just for leather washers used in airguns but works with any leather washer for whatever purpose called RWS Chamber Lube, but any silicone lube will work, just don't use any petroleum based lube.