Maintaining leathers

[talkToTheHat]

I've encountered all kinds of voodoo about maintaining leather. I do living history, so I've got stacks of military leather kit, most of which is cleaned with saddle-soap and fed neatsfoot oil every year or two.

I've just retired a hand-me-down leather jacket, partly because the leather was getting tired, (and partly because the textile parts were in even worse shape)

Currently I clean my (thereabouts new) bike jacket and trousers with nikwax leather cleaner and then apply nixwax leather restorer as I think this is required. Dead flies and the like are removed post-ride with unscented baby wipes.

My boots get a wipe down with a damp cloth or the above leather cleaner and then a brushing LederGris.

My gloves get the same leather cleaner to the outside and nikwax glove proof. If the lining of my waterproof gloves stinks or feels like it has absorbed too much salt from my skin they get rinsed out.

I have some newish summer gloves that are unlined. I have no idea whether or how to clean the inside of them should they become a sweaty stinky mess.

Am I looking after my kit in a thereabouts ok manner, or are there things I should be doing that I'm not? Should I be using a leather conditioner? Does the nikwax stuff actually take care of my leather or just get it clean? Am I just worrying too much?

[Rogerborg]

You may be over-thinking this. I just use whatever vaguely oily substance I have to hand at the time when I can be bothered doing it.

Off the top of my head, I can recall using nice smelling posh leather feed, dubbin, skin moisturiser cream, aloe vera gel, sunflower oil, and 10W40 engine oil (on panniers). This is on both chrome and veg tanned leather.

My theory is that pretty much anything is better than neglect.
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[bugeye_bob]

I just use shoe/boot polish on mine,
Sad but it`s worked for 30 years and I tend to have a tin around.

[map]

As above basically.

To give a clean check out saddle soap from an equestrian (horsey) place.

Then allow to dry naturally (don't put on radiator or apply heat) and put on some oily stuff like dubbin (or the horsey place may be able to supply).

At the bike shows (and other craft/country shows) Renapur put in an appearance. It's expensive but you really do use very little, so it lasts years, and it does (IMO) appear to work.
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[Rogerborg]

That too. And soft furniture wax. And Miss Borg's prescription moisturiser, because that's my taxes in a bottle.

The only thing I'd avoid is melting candle wax in a tin and painting it on to warmed leather. Unless you want to make hardened leather armour, in which case that's the way to go.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[talkToTheHat]

It's a bit trickier to harden leather with hot wax than you describe. It shrinks horribly and it's much easier to start with a leather that doesn't have a shiny surface finish...

Having said that I used some oily waxy product (think is was by Grainger) on some leathers. I think it was meant for boots as although it softened some hard old leather, the flex zones spawned some suspicious marks that bore passing resemblance to marks one might get on fetishised leathers...

Do i need to worry about the insides of my unlined gloves? There were vague instructions and scary warnings on the packaging, but I have failed to keep said packaging.

[map]

[-Matt-]

I cleaned at old one piece suit using the horse saddle stuff and conditioner once - took too long to make me bothered to do it ever again.

Have never cleaned any of my leather stuff since and its all been fine after a few years use. Don't think its all that nescessary as a result personally.

I wear a long sleeve vented shirt over my leathers in summer usually to act as a fly-shield.

[TheSmiler]

This is my (waterproof ) jacket below excuse my ugly mug, however at the time it had been worn throughout most of my biking life so far. Apart from a hole in one of the pockets it's as good as new.

Saying that I've never treated it with anything and it's still fine. Still not going to bother treating it with anything.


(Waterproof because it has never leaked and got me wet even in heavy rain).

https://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b545/paddynewman/P1010590_zpscb090589.jpg
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[Llama-Farmer]

There are various different brands out there, I'd just use a stage 1 cleaner and a stage 2 conditioner.


Stuff for car leather interior tends to be cheaper because you need more of it for the intended job, plus it comes in bigger bottles.

MucOff bike leathers conditioner has the same ingredients as AutoGlym leather care cream and Meguiars leather cream
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[Rogerborg]

[talkToTheHat]

You a LARPer or a reenactor?

or

Shall I bring the comically oversized toy sword or the sword that lets my men know I'm giving the orders?

[Clanger]

I use black Dubbin on mine. My leather jeans are over 17yrs old, and are still in good nick.
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[parkmoy]

Urinate on them first, spread with a sponge, allow to dry and then spray with Pledge. Guaranteed waterproof and flies etc are easily removed with a damp cloth.

[delsol]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[MarJay]

Fiebings care 4. It's designed for horse saddles but it feeds, cleans, protects and waterproofs. It's expensive but its good.
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Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Pigeon]

Horse stuff is pretty good, cheap and lots of it.

https://www.equestrian.com/c/Horse/Tack/Leather-Care/

I got this stuff, £6 and it will probably last 6 years.

https://www.equestrian.com/p/leather-care/lincoln-superior-leather-balsam/4490/

30-40mins to apply, leave for 24 hours to soak in. Wipe off excess if required. You do end up stinking of honey, but I like it.
As a bonus, due to the oil + honey content, jacket repels water.

I didn't use anything for 2 years and the leather became stiff, lost its colour and cracked. Wish I'd used something earlier given the price of the gunk and the price of clobber.

[parkmoy]

[parkmoy]

[Commuter_Tim]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

I used Mustang textile cleaner. Same stuff the guys at Hideout Leather use. Works well for me, as well as cleaning other textiles around the house.
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[talkToTheHat]

Raided the local horse shop. Bought some saddle and leather conditioning soap. Fiver for a 250ml tub. Leaves a matt finish (perfect for preserving the appearance of my RST Touring jacket and trousers) and is not greasy or tacky after use. It's an orange coloured oily wax that is applied with a damp sponge

Would have bought Belvoir Balsam from the same manufacturers for shiny stuff.

On deciding between the many identical products from other manufacturers, this one stood out as being the least stinky.

Tried it on my jacket, foams on application and gets nicely into all the seams, dries quite quickly and I didn't have much buffing of the leather to do to make it look nice. Leather feels less rough but it's not a greasy mess.

Will consider cleaners when I'm out of overpriced nikwax.

[parkmoy]

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