Saddlebags

[exeric]

My wife and I spent the first day of the new year riding out for breakfast. She has a Sportster and I rode the '51 FL. I am always so pleased with that old Pan because it never lets me down, always starts, and does exactly what you want a time machine to do. We live in Sarasota, Florida which is one of the nicest places in Florida to live and a very active motorcycle town. This morning was slightly cool with a rather heavy fog so the riding took on an eerie almost surreal feeling. Of coarse a majority of the population is sleeping off last night so there was virtually no traffic. It's times like this that reaffirm my devotion to motorcycling and make me realize that there are only a few other things I would rather do.


However, I'm suppose to be talking about saddlebags. A friend of mine recently gave me a set of correct '51 era H-D saddlebags with the white piping. They have probably been laying on top or each other for 25 years so they are wrinkled in the wrong places and the piping is twisted and deformed. Does anyone have some pointers on bringing old dried out leather bags back to life, and is there any way to straighten out the piping ? Any advice would help because I don't know beans about leather.

[INLINE4NUT]

NEATSFOOT OIL AND PLENTY OF IT !!!! You can get it from just about any leather repair shop or maybe even wallyworld, it will take awhile but it will work good luck and let us know how you make out1

[T. Cotten]

Beware of applying neatsfoot oil to bags that may have horsehide elements!!

This may be only straps, or it may be side panels, or even complete lids.

They will turn hard as a rock and be ruined forever.
(Ever wonder why the binding of solo seats often disintegrated before the cover?)

And it will prevent proper cleaning and saturation of rejuvenators in the future.
I found it safest to avoid neatsfoot oil entirely.

If the bags need only minor attention, please clean them and oil with Lexol, until you can consult a professional such as Chuck Leipham of The Saddle Shop (Traverse City, MI), or Wayne Hagler of Heather's Leather's (Clover, SC)

...Cotten
(PS: I learned the hard way; Now the bags sit on the bike that serves as my shop sign on the roof, housing sparrows: http://virtualindian.org/5deallibpic1.htm)

PPS: "Mink oil" is fungus food.

[Paquette]

I don't know about The Saddle Shop but Heathers does not do saddlebag repairs. I am the owner of Worsham Castle Cycle Leather and I know how to make the bags very useable again. Leather not only looses oils, it looses simple water moisture as well. Do stay away from neetsfoot oil and mink oil. The way to straighten the welt or piping is to take the bag apart and put it BRIEFLY into boiling water, but then you have to sew the bag back together. Let me know if I can help you out-----

[INLINE4NUT]

Sorry for the mis information its always worked for me,But I cannt argue with either of you

[Tommo]

I found out the hard way. Neetsfoot oil ruined a seat for me. It rotted the stiching and turned the leather as hard as rocks. I now use Saddle Soap and a lot of elbow grease which seems to work for me but Paquette don't be surprised if a pair of saddle bags turn up from N.Z. requiring attention.

[exeric]

I would like to thank you all for the advice to this point. I'm afraid I have already put neatsfoot oil on the bags, (but not a lot). the first thing I did was wash them with a lot of water and saddle soap and then stuffed them with newspaper and furniture blankets.

Paquette, I know I don't have the skill to take those things apart to fix the piping although I'm sure that's the best way to do it. I may get in touch with you and lean on your expertise. These bags aren't really that bad and in the right hands could probably be made to look good again.

I have always been a ****er for original motorcycle stuff but I don't have the money to buy the good original motorcycle stuff so I bust my stones fixing old junk. The mechanical stuff is easy becuase I have a complete machine shop behind the house but things like this require skills I'll never aquire. I just can't throw anything away and I feel anything made by a motorcycle company is like a religious icon. Even if it is junk it has the imprint of some anonymous craftsman (or schlub) and that makes it valuable to me. I'm having a gin and tonic right now so my mind is thinking of chapter 2,3, and 4 on this subject of originality, motorcycle history, and how in the hell did they make some of this stuff. . . . . . Well, you know what they say, one's not enough and three's too many. I'd better sign off.

[Paquette]

Exeric--Yes folks tend to think that restoring old saddlebags are a piece of cake. Far from it and I do not know anyone else that will take the challenge. As far as I know WCCL that being me, is the only company that will even take on the old bags. Over the years, I have developed my own formulas and techniques to bring the old stuff back to life. I am not a motorhead so this is my way of contributing to the hobby ( more like our obsession). I will admit that it is trying, makes me cuss a lot, but when I can send out a set of original bags that are good to go, it makes me very happy. I can never charge enough to cover my labor, but what the heck I am passionate about what I do----------

[AdminGuy]

I also use Lexol on all my leather stuff. I'm very happy with results.

[Paquette]

Yea Paul Lexol is the ONLY product that you can buy that I would recommend. The non-greasy formula is the best as it containg glycerine which attracts moisture.

[len]

Where can I get some of this lexor?

[Paquette]

Lexol is available at stores that sell horse tack and maybe at auto parts stores for use on leather upholstery. please know that Lexol DOES contain neetsfoot oil but the formulation is contains other things as well.

[T. Cotten]

Neatsfoot in Lexol? Doh!

Here's an alternative:

http://leathertherapy.com/

Apparently these products are some of the very few that have fungal growth inhibitors.
They were kind enough to send me samples, but since leather ain't my bag, I haven't used them enough for a fair assessment. (But I owe it to them to tell all....)


...Cotten

[AdminGuy]

Buy the big jug, you'll use it. Yup - Leather Therapy looks like simular product. I've personally used Lexol for years. It works well. Maybe I'll try other stuff. Maybe it's priced better.

http://www.vinylexprotectant.com/dealers.html

[cmoon]

Here is a post you might find helpful.

http://www.hydra-glide.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=213

Good Luck!