I have a couple brooks saddles that were left out in the weather. Looks like they got a fair amount of sun and rain. They're dry and pretty much like plates (flat) leather. Can something be done like maybe getting them wet and reshaping them and then doing some type of leather treatment?
Can old leather saddle be saved?
- Thread starter harquahalas
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Yes and no.
I have heard of soaking the leather in water to reshape them but could not point you in a direction for that. Some have had luck with crusty saddles soaking them in Neats Feet oil, Mink oil or 30wt. oil.
you probably will need to tie the saddle when done. This is accomplished by punching some holes in the skirt and tie the sides together with some leather lace.
Some reading material
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5080
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... ond-Saving
http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/brooks.html
I have heard of soaking the leather in water to reshape them but could not point you in a direction for that. Some have had luck with crusty saddles soaking them in Neats Feet oil, Mink oil or 30wt. oil.
you probably will need to tie the saddle when done. This is accomplished by punching some holes in the skirt and tie the sides together with some leather lace.
Some reading material
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5080
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... ond-Saving
http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/brooks.html
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I had an old Harley jacket that was left in my shed for a while and started to get stiff and brittle, I rubbed it down with a good mink oil and hung it on a hanger over a heat register for a week to let the oil soak in and let it dry. A few applications with the mink oil and it worked pretty decent. Kinda think humidor effect. Might also be able to use some type of lotion or baby oil....?
I've had luck with soaking hard leather in water to soften it up, I believe there are even catalysts you can buy to help this along.
I will second the mink oil plan. I've saved some fairly gross and crusty dress shoes with the stuff and a little patience, it will probably take several applications and time to 'soak in'. I've also used it on leather pads when making keys for my irish whistles, it resists moisture well. One particular instrument I made back in 2005 I oiled the leather key pads once, and they have stayed supple ever since (and this thing is the knockabout instrument, left in blazing cars, freezing rooms, been out in the rain a few times, well loved ya know :wink: )
I will second the mink oil plan. I've saved some fairly gross and crusty dress shoes with the stuff and a little patience, it will probably take several applications and time to 'soak in'. I've also used it on leather pads when making keys for my irish whistles, it resists moisture well. One particular instrument I made back in 2005 I oiled the leather key pads once, and they have stayed supple ever since (and this thing is the knockabout instrument, left in blazing cars, freezing rooms, been out in the rain a few times, well loved ya know :wink: )
No. If you soak them in oil they'll end up being too squishy. Lacing can work, but you run the risk of the saddle splitting, breaking, cracking ect. Have fun trying. I messed with a few old Brooks before just sucking it up and buying a new one. Leather saddles seem to have a life span and you can't do much to reverse it.
if they look like junk and you cant save them by trying, they are still junk, right?
Sometimes all you end up with is a fairly decent looker, good for display, but no weight bearing, and that can still be OK on a vintage bike or a wall, etc.; hey, they are bikin' history and pretty cool.
So, DO NOT oil up right away, but start by soaking, at least overnight, in warm to the touch, not hot, water. A little glycerin from the corner drug store mixed in might help too (they have been soaking wet before), then saddle soap the surface clean.
Dont punch any extra holes, but try to 'train' the sideflaps to turn back down. If they crack through the leather is dry rotted to no good, so dont try this dry! Being saturated they should bend down, and wont stay, so pad them with some clean cloths and tie wrap or tape around to the form you want and set to dry. DO NOT use any heat source to dry! A fan running ambient air over and through is OK to use.
There is nothing wrong with letting the saddle sit thus for several days.
Once dry the form should hold when you unwrap. If it does not, soak again and redo the forming.
If there is any color staining to do, do so now, before beginning the oiling process. Say, if you have light spots on a black saddle, use leather stain only on the light areas, then lightly buff to blend, repeat if needed.
When the form will hold you may start re-oiling. NEVER use motor oil; I recommend only Pure Neatsfoot Oil (Pure, not the 'Compound'), Set the saddle in the sun, or use a hair drier set on low only, and get warm to the touch. What you are doing is opening the pores of the leather to absorb better. Rub in a bit by hand, all over the surface, both top and the underside. I like to do a couple of good coats the first day, then hang to soak in. The next day I will do another, and likewise the next. At this point you need to determine if you should stop. It should look and feel much better, but too much oil will make a 'hammock' style (a Brooks, Ideale, etc.) too soft and sag. These type are also prone to tearing dry rotted leather, too far gone, out at the rivets. A pan-base leather topped saddle can still be usable when a hammock style wont be.
If/when you decide to stop oiling, rub in some Pecard's Leather Dressing (used by some museum curators for artifacts). It wont completely soak in, but will remain gooey to tacky, so buff it out after a week before sitting your new jeans upon.
Thereafter, when the suface begins to look a bit 'starved', rub some more Pecard's in.
IF you have doubts about the weight bearing ability of the leather after all this intimate handling, listen to that little voice, and dont sit on it (it will likely let go and you will hate yourself).
FWIW, Ive messed about with leather saddles for over 35yrs. and had over 100,000 miles on a 25yr. old motorcycle saddle when I gave it away, and it is still going. This is 'my way', and I know others have their way, but this has worked well for me.
Sometimes all you end up with is a fairly decent looker, good for display, but no weight bearing, and that can still be OK on a vintage bike or a wall, etc.; hey, they are bikin' history and pretty cool.
So, DO NOT oil up right away, but start by soaking, at least overnight, in warm to the touch, not hot, water. A little glycerin from the corner drug store mixed in might help too (they have been soaking wet before), then saddle soap the surface clean.
Dont punch any extra holes, but try to 'train' the sideflaps to turn back down. If they crack through the leather is dry rotted to no good, so dont try this dry! Being saturated they should bend down, and wont stay, so pad them with some clean cloths and tie wrap or tape around to the form you want and set to dry. DO NOT use any heat source to dry! A fan running ambient air over and through is OK to use.
There is nothing wrong with letting the saddle sit thus for several days.
Once dry the form should hold when you unwrap. If it does not, soak again and redo the forming.
If there is any color staining to do, do so now, before beginning the oiling process. Say, if you have light spots on a black saddle, use leather stain only on the light areas, then lightly buff to blend, repeat if needed.
When the form will hold you may start re-oiling. NEVER use motor oil; I recommend only Pure Neatsfoot Oil (Pure, not the 'Compound'), Set the saddle in the sun, or use a hair drier set on low only, and get warm to the touch. What you are doing is opening the pores of the leather to absorb better. Rub in a bit by hand, all over the surface, both top and the underside. I like to do a couple of good coats the first day, then hang to soak in. The next day I will do another, and likewise the next. At this point you need to determine if you should stop. It should look and feel much better, but too much oil will make a 'hammock' style (a Brooks, Ideale, etc.) too soft and sag. These type are also prone to tearing dry rotted leather, too far gone, out at the rivets. A pan-base leather topped saddle can still be usable when a hammock style wont be.
If/when you decide to stop oiling, rub in some Pecard's Leather Dressing (used by some museum curators for artifacts). It wont completely soak in, but will remain gooey to tacky, so buff it out after a week before sitting your new jeans upon.
Thereafter, when the suface begins to look a bit 'starved', rub some more Pecard's in.
IF you have doubts about the weight bearing ability of the leather after all this intimate handling, listen to that little voice, and dont sit on it (it will likely let go and you will hate yourself).
FWIW, Ive messed about with leather saddles for over 35yrs. and had over 100,000 miles on a 25yr. old motorcycle saddle when I gave it away, and it is still going. This is 'my way', and I know others have their way, but this has worked well for me.
It seems like any of the oils or dressings available aren't meant for items you press your clothes against. They might recondition the leather, but I'd guess any of them will leave a stain on your pants, no matter how well you wipe them off. I'm not stating this as fact, but I have a saddle I need to treat. I can't imagine that the leather will absorb the product to the point that it won't work its way onto my pants while I'm riding, especially if I get sweaty or something.
That is true about soon after the treatment, though, IIRC about Lexol, that it dried to a sheen? I wasnt that impressed when I tried it, years ago, for what I was doing, but maybe should revisit it as a 'top coat' ?
Anyway, even with the oils and waxes, once you buff with an old towel or T-shirt and use them a bit with something other than your best pants, they dry on the surface and the oil-bleed slows/stops. I still wouldnt recommend dress whites, though.
Anyway, even with the oils and waxes, once you buff with an old towel or T-shirt and use them a bit with something other than your best pants, they dry on the surface and the oil-bleed slows/stops. I still wouldnt recommend dress whites, though.
