Leather Maintenance & restoration

[40 Nuck]

I was going to PM Paquette, but realized that others may both have an opinion on this topic and/or benefit from the question and its responses.

I'd like to make sure that my leather seat and saddlebags are maintained as much as possible, as well as some of the vintage horsehide jackets I have. I know others are concerned with boots and other pieces of clothing.

In doing research on leather treatments, the opinions seem to be like you know what ... everyone has a different one. Anyway, I know that silicones are bad, but have seen all kinds of products that are both recommended and disdained. It seems that mink oil (without any silicone additive) is generally recommended. I am curious as to what folks with practical application and are independent of product profits recommend.

My seat is a new manufacture repop (I intend to have an original seat pan recovered and replace it). Any recommendation on treatments and cleaners on new stuff?

I also have a pair of original Speedball Saddlebags, and a couple of old horsehide jackets. The saddlebags are in nice shape, but the previous owner seems to have oiled the straps pretty heavily and they seem almost too flexible ... almost seem like they could be easily torn.

The horsehide jackets are in generally good shape, but one has a few areas where the original surface has worn away or degraded, and the raw leather is exposed. Is there a way to preserve as much as possible these exposed areas?

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

[portagepan]

Yup, I got one. I try to use it daily. I don't know about the old leather, but for my jackets, gloves, shoes and repop bags, I like Meltonian Leather Balm. I think just about anything will work on Vinyl. I have had good results with ArmorAll.
Mike

[bmh]

I use products from a company called Obenauf's. They have a web site and sometimes have closeouts on private lable stock. Thier site can explane it better but basically the stuff was designed to preserve the leather boots of the people who fight forest fires out west. If it's good enough to protect leather against standing in boiling lye for hours on end..... well lets just say it works real good.

[Paquette]

Stay away from any type of oil such as neetsfoot, mineral, baby, etc. as it has the effect of sealing the leather and does not allow it to breathe. Mink oil is OK for boots buy not seats or bags. I use a lot of glycerine in restoring old leather. It sinks into the leather without sealing it and attracts moisture which is just what leather needs. I also use a lot of Lexol brand products, leather cleaner, preservative, etc. and I think they also have a product for garment leathers. Lexol also contains glycerine. Remember: leather needs moisture, not oil!!!!
Michael Paquette--6671

[40 Nuck]

Much appreicated guys ... I'll do a little more research specifically on Lexol and Obenauf's for the right product for the right application, and ensure that the product content is what I need. I guess as I was skimming the internet, I would see product sites swearing by their stuff, and finding that it contained silicone or sealants, etc. and became skeptical of what I was finding out there. Your real world experience is much more credible. Thanks again.

[T. Cotten]

40 Knuck!

Please stay away from Neatsfoot oil on horsehide at all costs.

It will shrink and turn as hard as oak, and it cannot be rejuvenated.

....Cotten

[40 Nuck]

Thanks, Cotten. By the way, I think I'll be getting with you soon on my M25 Carb. Based on everyone's info, I'm thinking of going with the Lexol PH Cleaner with glycerine (rather than Glycerine Saddle Soap ... alkaline?), and then using either the Meltonian, Obenaufs or Lexol Conditioner. There is also some pure glycerine out there sold in a jug ... not sure if it would be helpful to give the leather a light treatment of that every now and then.

[Paquette]

I have had this discussion with Mr. Cotten on another forum before, but neetsfoot will cause cowhide to become hard as a rock as well as horsehide. Believe me, this is what I do for a living and glycerine and the Lexol products are tried and true in my experience. The pure glycerine ( which is a by-product of bio-fuel production) is used in hand soaps, hand lotions, etc. because it ATTRACTS MOISTURE, making leather more supple and workable. Neetsfoot oil, while upon application, makes leather supple, it seals out the moisture and hardens both horsehide and cowhide,---M--6671

[T. Cotten]

Neat'sfoot oil is why these saddlebags hang upon my roof and not upon a machine: (attached).

The bottoms of the bags were cowhide, and suffered not at all. The lids turned to rock.

Only then did an old farmer tell me they were obviously horsehide.

Neat's foot means cow's foot, because that's what its made from.
Horses are a different animal.

It should be no mystery why so many solos are found with a cover that remains supple and intact, but the binding strip, even though protected from the elements and sun beneath, has disintegrated into chalky fragments.

....Cotten

[Paps]

When those fast food hamburgers cool down and the taste changes drastically.....now you know what they are made out of.

[40 Nuck]

Uh oh ... didn't mean to start (or re-start) TWII (Thread War II). Just for clarification, Mike, should the glycerine be used by itself, full strength, or simply considered as an ingredient. Is my proposed use of Lexol PH Cleaner followed by Lexol conditioner a sound choice? Thanks to both ... and I will not use Neats Foot oil on my Horsehide.

[Sargehere]

Neat'sfoot oil is why these saddlebags hang upon my roof and not upon a machine: (attached).

....Cotten

Cotten, what IS that up on your roof? Looks like a UL Chain on the other side, Big Twin oil tank, Big Twin kicker sidecover, Flat heads, but in a twin downtube frame with the front exhaust is coming out-the-side (?) Suggests a 36VLD top end on a UL bottom. Can't gauge scale, but it looks funny. Would you elaborate, please?

[T. Cotten]

Sorry to get off topic, but since Sarge asked:

There is nothing on my roof sign that should ever need to be retrieved. Everything is gutted and filled with 'fomofill' to attempt to keep the bird's nests to a minimum, and also welded together to prevent injury to passers by below.

The right case was WL unearthed (literally) behind a local Indian dealer shack, and the heads were labeled "junk" when Rat Scherk contributed them fifteen years ago.

The front of the frame is HD, but I think the rear was BSA. It came out of a golf course lake that way.

Wheels are Beezers from a local gravel pit. I suspect the fender is Horex or Puch from the same dig.

The center seat post is a vacuum cleaner 'wand'. The generator is a propane bottle. The headlamp clock is not wired, but set to "six to nine". The brake grip is an oilfilter wrench.

The fork is a Paughco that dropped a buddy twice because he thought he could actually run a fender.

The rest is almost what it appears to be,... well maybe sorta.... One thing that is missing is a lightning ground strap.

Back to topic:
It would be interesting to know what the true origin of the bags might be, as I always considered them just 'vintage aftermarket'.

The bottoms sag badly now (from bird's nests), but the lids are still the way they petrified from the Neatsfoot oil. They have the color and consistancy of a coconut shell.

....Cotten

[Paquette]

As I have previously stated, Just do not use any type of oil to condition seats, saddlebags, or jackets.

[T. Cotten]

Although I'm sure this will split hairs and get under somebody's skin somehow,

I must point out that the prime concern in leather preservation is mold control.
Many of you might have noticed that products like Mink Oil are mildew food!

The apparent leader in combating this scourge is http://www.leathertherapy.com/

Gawdforbid, they use a mix of oils.

....Cotten