Saddlebag Restoration

[eddiepanhead]

I have a 46 WL that has been sitting for 40+ years. I'm very fortunate to have acquired what I believe to be an unmolested original paint bike. All the original items are where they should be. In an effort to preserve the past, I would like to send the saddlebags to a qualified craftsman to be restored.

Any and all advise would be appreciated!

I realize that this is my find of a lifetime and want to preserve it the best I can. Please give your advise on bag restoration and solo saddle selection (came with a buddy seat).

This is my first post. Thanks for your help!

Ed

[Chris Haynes]

www.worshamcastle.com

[fillibuster]

a good knuckleheader buddy up in the boondocks of South Dakota, loosened them up with neatsfoot oil, then stretched them out and lined the insides with fiberglass. They look great, big and fat (my favorite!).

[T. Cotten]

NO Neatsfoot please!

It can be disastrous.

....Cotten

[Duda]

Saddlebags

Michael at Worscham Leather

[BPK!!]

saddlebag restoration

""I have a 46 WL that has been sitting for 40+ years. I'm very fortunate to have acquired what I believe to be an unmolested original paint bike. All the original items are where they should be. In an effort to preserve the past, I would like to send the saddlebags to a qualified craftsman to be restored.""

Hey Ed,
Just to clarify, if this is an unrestored original(paint) motorcycle as you stated! If so, leave it original, preserve the "original" bags if possible and find an "original" solo that would be correct for the year. Anything restored/aftermarket would stand out from the appearance of an original petina'd motorcycle--fyi! Congrats-send a pic-BPK!!

[Paquette]

Cotten is correct, neatsfoot oil or indeed any type of oil is a NO NO!!!!! They will soften the leather at first but will also seal the leather so that it cannot breathe nor take in moisture. They will eventually turn hard as a rock (that is after they mold and mildew). Please stick with glycerene based products such as Lexol--Michael--6671

[exeric]

Michael's advice about Lexol type products stabilized and made the bags usable on my '51FL. He knows what he's talking about.

[T. Cotten]

"Turn to rock" can occur a lot faster than "eventually".

It can be a matter of a day or two for some vintage horsehides.

I would compare it more to oak than "rock".

Great for the display on my roof, however.

...Cotten

[fillibuster]

Michael's advice about Lexol type products stabilized and made the bags usable on my '51FL. He knows what he's talking about.

maybe I lied about the oil, sorry.
but please trust me on the fiberglass.

[stevekleincustom]

Leather restoration

Gentlemen;

I would like to address both the leather and the paint restoration. Will offer experience on the leather here and add another reply just for the paint.

I agree with "never use Neatsfoot oil". Neatsfoot oil is basically the same compound that old farmers obtained by boiling the hooves of animals and skimming the oily substance off the top. It was thoought that being from the same animal, that it would be a good product...and people still believe that to this day. It's what GrandDad used ! No faster way to ruin salvagable leather than neatsfoot oil.

Lexol and other glycerine products are great. I have used all "the this is it" products and keep returning to one that is made in Wisconsin and was patented in 1915...Pecard. Old timers also call it Duck Wax. It is all natural indredients that leather does need and will take old dry leather and make it soft and supple again with whatever number of applications is necessary to get the desired results. www.pecard.com

I have used it on an original factory 1914 HD saddle and an original factory 1912 Indian saddle. The Indian saddle was so brittle that I was afraid to even apply the product for fear a chunk would break off. Both saddles can be ridden on now. The product also breaths so the leather does not get sealed and hard. Recently took a 50 year old set of saddlebags that were dirty, dry and way out of original shape. I have had the best luck with liberal coatings by hand with Pecard. Once the leather becomes somewhat supple I use left over bubble wrap and start filling the bags to help them return to original shape. Add some bubble wrap or crushed up newpaper after each applicaton to fill the bag and return it to its original shape. Once you get it where you like the leather and its patina, just apply as needed to keep them in good shape.

Hope this helps

Steve Klein
AMCA Mamber 12176
Cherokee Chapter
Georgetown TX

[45OZ]

If your looking for things others have used; Ponds Cold Cream, I'm not sure if its right or wrong BUT I HAVE used it Many Many times on original saddles that were dry, Leather Gloves I got that were from the 30's, Puttees, old jackets, Saddle Bags, & it has worked great for me, An Old leather guy told me about it long ago I thought he was full of **** but hey it makes it soft & usable it even holds the original Patina, I just massage it liberally into the leather & let it sit a day or 2, if it is really brittle I reapply it, then wipe it down with a clean terry towel & Presto good as new. I have an old pair of Calvery Saddle bags that were dried out, & they are still good today, I'm still wearing my 1930 Gaulet Gloves, & they are great flexable & old looking those I redo each season, Well just my 2 cents It also cleans the leather,
Joe Oz
#7430

[stevekleincustom]

Paint Restoration Tips

If you truly have an all original paint, original plated machine you are a lucky man. Lots of machines had a repaint job or replate job sometime in their history and after more years of elements and / or neglect they now look like the original finish. With careful observation you will find places where the original paint is certianly still there. Sometimes it is under 30 - 70 years of caked on oil. Sometimes removing an emblem on the gas tank or removing the tail light assemby will indicate the original color beneath and whether the color outside is just a faded version of the same paint job from the factory? Take your time with toothbrushes, toothpicks, ice cream sticks and other handmade tools that will not scratch through the original paint.

Get some Kramers Best. www.kramerize.com.....click on Letters with Pictures... click on the picture of the original paint 1957 Cushman. I submitted before and after side by side comparison pictures to John Kramer to show him what his product does to old paint, rubber, and plated finsihes that were in real bad shape. You be the judge here.

Kramers Best was formulated by John Kramer to revive and restore old european antique wood furniture. It is made of all natural ingrediants that he guards like the recipe to Coca Cola. Vintage gun and militaria collectors started using it as well. Then vintage car collectors with alot of wood finishes in their cars. A discovery was made...it works on paint also. I found out about it from Don Whalen and he found out about it from Lonnie Isam in Sturgis.

My most recent project was an original paint, original condition 1914 Harley Davidson. It looked like an old rusty bike in the beginning. Now the paint has bloomed, the color has come back and I can even see much of the original factory applied horsehair pinstriping.

It is a liquid that I apply with a clean cotton pad and just liberally dab on everything and walk away from it for about two weeks. You can see the dirt float up to the surface of the paint. Gently wipe between coats to remove loose dirt and contaminants and reapply.

Hope this helps?

Steve Klein
AMCA #12176
Cherokee Chapter
Georgetown TX

[eddiepanhead]

Thanks for the input! My intentions are to leave it "AS IS". I would like to preserve the bags and prevent them from rotting. The bike came with the buddy seat, I am starting to look for a solo saddle.

When I acquired this bike, I put air in the tires and put a battery in it. Everything worked and the Firestones held air. I need to get a hole in the oil tank fixed and look at the carb and gen to hopefully get this old girl running.

As you can see fron the photos, a modified 1926 BA was part of the deal. I know a BA doesn't have a mag. I'm at a loss as to the rest of the bike. The frame has been modified and I can't place the fenders. They look professionaly homemade. The tanks appear to be cut down VL tanks. If someone is a B / BA expert and has any thoughts, your input is appreciated.

The corbin spedo is a 120 MPH model with vents (1930?) I basically bought the bike for the speedo. Couldn't go wrong....

[BNSONS]

Ed
You've got a couple of nice bikes there. Don't let anybody talk you out of that single until you find out exactly what you got.
Dave