Putting the oil back into wool

[Tod]

A few years ago I went round hedges and fences and collected up a lot of wool. I then rubbed this onto some of my kit thinking it would put some of the natural oils back and help the wool fabric to be more waterproof. To large degree it did work but it was hard work and I found the wool had to warm a bit first.
I've just bought a lot of fleeces that are straight off the sheep. My plan is to roll some of them up with my plaid (Highland kit) like a swiss roll and then put it in a plastic bag and hope the oil goes from the wool to the fabric. I'm wondering how is the best way to do the same with some of my jackets and doublets. Has any one ever tried this before?
As an aside I bought some rough woven cloth recently that was full of oil, but as I thought it best to wash it before we made kit from it to avoid shrinkage, it lost a lot of its oil but I have some rare breed wool that is almost dripping with oil so I'l going to try and rub that into the completed jacket.
Yes I know I will smell like a wet sheep when it rains, which is still better than smelling like tarts handbag or some thing from the bottom of the waste pit.

[Medicus Matt]

I believe that, traditionally, this effect was acheived by friction, as a natural result of the wee hairy highlanders rubbing themselves against whatever greasy livestock they might happen to have stolen.

You're going to smell gopping.

[Tod]

Of the three meanings I just looked up (NSFW!) I hope you mean the middle one. I thought about trying the friction technique but I've done my knee in.
Your helpful answer is (because I'm sure you'll know)..........?

[Phil the Grips]

Only instance I can think of is someone rubbing lanolin straight from a tub into a cloak to waterproof it. The water bounced off them, but they got very wet ankles and used to their own company rather quickly as others scattered upon sight! The same happened to a chap who used fish oil to waterprooof a leather cape.

i can't help but think the grease needs to be in the wool from the weaving stage rather than applied later to balance effectiveness with odour.

[Medicus Matt]

What Grips said. I think the trick was not to scour all of the lanolin from the wool in the first place. Rubbing raw lanolin into it is going to waterproof it but it'll kill the breathability of the fabric and you'll sweat to death. A lanolin emulsion might be better I suppose.

[Tod]

So maybe put a bit of sprayed water onto the fleece before wrapping it up with the clothing? That'll really smell I thought the oil would leach back into the fibres of the wool, maybe a bit of moisture would help it transfer? I thought the clothing might end up like a fishermans jumper - I've never seen one but read or heard they were waterproof but still wearable all the time.

[Medicus Matt]

Slap a lump of raw lanolin in the detergent tray of the washer. What's the worst that could happen?

[Tod]

Where's the getergent tray? I'm modern me, I use liquid (Jizer or Gunk, which ever is cheapest).
Two weeks ago I found my originals in a wood crate in the garden. I think they had gone there to die. They were a bit mouldy, but a week laid out in the elements and the mould has gone and they are as good as there were 20 years ago. I was wondering if a museum would like them, they are a fashion statement and best behind glass. I'm sure its the oil thats holding them together.

[Medicus Matt]

they are as good as there were 20 years ago. .

if they're anything like my originals (which eventually combusted), that's really not saying a lot.

[Tod]

I can't say I disagree.

[sally]

you can get wash-in lanolin, its sold for re-proofing wool nappy wraps, and its quite useful for some elements of outer wool kit, I occasionally use it to add lanolin to some of the heavy weather hats I do if its requested

[Tod]

Wouldn't that go into the lining as well?

[sally]

Probably, I've only used it on things where it doenst matter that the whole thing is proofed

[Steve H]

If you do not mind a more modern solution try using the cheepest home brand supermarket hair conditioner, mix with water and soak clothing in it dont rinse out. You can also get refined Lanolin in the form of Lanocane which is uesed by breast feeding mothers to stop chapped nipples. Mix as above

[Tod]

The idea was to use a natural oil, and there is no way I'm putting my kit in a solution made of hair conditioner or any other sort of chemical mix.