Questions on Proofide for a Brooks saddle.

[Aluyasha]

So I have a 50's B66 Brooks saddle that I bought a few weeks ago. It seem to have been neglected for some time now. I just got some Proofide today but am unsure how to use it. The Brooks website tells insructions to help form a newer saddle using proofide but I just want to help prevent further damage to the seat.
How many times should I apply the proofide and how long should I wait between each application?

 

[deven_science]

This is actually a question I have, but I figure if I rub it in once in a while, that'll be better than never applying it.

 

[user 135]

If it is really, really dried out, I would do a couple of coats top and bottom.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

......then throw it away and buy a good seat from Schwinn. $20 at Target :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[SummitCoCycleWorks]

I found an old Schwinn-built something or other, pre-war, in some guy's backyard not too long ago and it had this awesome Brooks B72 on it. The thing must have been sitting out in the weather non-stop for five or more years by the time I got it so the saddle had seen some abuse. However, the leather was super supple and very comfortable to ride on so I thought we were in good shape. I was psyched with my find! Then, a few days later, the nose ripped off from the rest of the saddle at the front rivets.

Moral of the story: once leather has deteriorated to a certain point, no amount of cream, goop, olive oil, sno-seal, penzoil, or tears is going to make the bonds in the leather regain their original strength.

I have since bought a new-to-me new B72 (it was in a guy's basement for 20 years- never been used) which is hard as a rock right now- may as well be one of those plastic, perforated BMX seats that were everywhere in the eighties- and I have been pouring over message boards and youtube videos and everything else trying to find an answer to the question: How do you properly take care of a Brooks saddle? Either reviving it from years of sun and rain damage or keeping a new one from turning into a shapeless lump of soggy leather. The answer is there is no answer. It's black magic. I think the official policy as stated on the Brooks website is "Buy Proofide for whatever ridiculous price we charge for it, use it how you see fit, say a prayer to whomever you'd like, and hope for the best."

Me personally, after bringing my saddle home, I hit it with a hair dryer for a few minutes to soften it up a bit and open the pores. I put a glob of Proofide about the size of a squirt of toothpaste you'd put on your brush onto a clean rag and worked it into the top of the saddle with pretty firm pressure. I used a bit extra from the tin and worked it in well into the small cracks that were developing around the rivets. On the underside I used my finger tips to spread as much Proofide as it took to cover the exposed leather. This was quite a bit more than it took to cover the topside because the rough, unfinished surface seemed to drink it in as fast as I rubbed it on.

In my research I have learned that you can put too much Proofide on and find yourself with a floppy saddle incapable of supporting your weight, or you can put too little on so that you're not really doing anything beneficial for the leather- just making it smell like a citronella but not really protecting it. The black magic part is finding out where that line between the two lays.

 

[deven_science]

If it is really, really dried out, I would do a couple of coats top and bottom.

I remember reading when I bought my Brooks not to apply anything to the rough underside.

 

[user 135]

This is pretty much the advise I follow on a new saddle.

http://pashleyguide.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... -with.html

o apply proofide, get a clean, lint free cloth and follow my instructions below (these are for a NEW saddle)

1. For a brand new saddle - remove it from the stem of the bike and bring it in the house - it will be easier as the first coat will be rather heavy. Using a finger underneath the cloth, apply a thin-ish coating to the outer of the seat paying particular attention to the edges, the breathing holes and around the Brooks badge. The final finish should look shiny and almost wet.

2. Turn the saddle over and apply a LIBERAL coating of proofide to any exposed leather under the saddle. This is not essential but will not do the seat any harm. You may find areas that you cannot reach, but do your best - this coating is to protect the unfinished leather from rain spray.

3. Leave the saddle overnight to dry, refit to the bike, and buff off the outer of the seat (you need not worry about proofide applied under the seat unless it is likely to drop off or get on your clothes). You need to polish the outer away until there is no greasy-ness on the saddle.

4. The best advice is to repeat this outer treatment after one week, then after one month, then after two months. Thereafter, think about an application before the onset of each winter or if your saddle is looking dry.

Also I don't use Proofhide anymore. Obenhauf's Heavy Duty LP is generally thought of a proper substitute for Proofhide. Plus it is manufactured in Idaho. :wink:

 

[jerrykr]

what do you think of Kiwi Mink Oil? - available where shoe polish is sold at the supermarket.

 

[Wingman]

Hi everyone, ,
Good Maint to your old Brooks model whatever seat is GOOD OLD Fasion, Cheep buy compairson , Vasiline or any Petroliam jelly like it.
role your bike/ seat out into the HEAT of a good old summer day and liberaly apply to the top surface.

The seat should soak it up nicley in the sun .... Repeate as neeeed or to liking.

There are Tons of goose grease oriented products out there for leather.
I started off using the Brooks double priced stuff ... then wiped out the can of mink oil for my redwings & now I just use the vasiline jelly or any product equivelent to it.

I have seen a lot of comment about saving these old relics .....

Brooks wont sell you a new cover for the frames .... BUT lol

I have fianaly kind of prototyped a way to rescue these old , damaged or on their way out saddles & the fix includes incorperating the orignal cover and Reingforcing it , using the Biggest Copper Tinners Rivets avaliable like the Brooks Professional road race seats use on the back of the frames instead of using the small chrome rivits. The rivits come with a flat face out of the box, then they get a small Percusion adjustment
I have tooling that puts a nice Crown / Button top shape on them prior to use.
So far mine has held up.
Im 6'2 .... 180 lbs & so far its a happy saddle . I have a pair of B 66's on my tandem.

1 has the Orignal Small Chrome Rivits & and 1 is Updated, Repaired , Fixed on my old 59 Columbia Rat Tandem. It was Old , had a Torn rivit hole or 4, Deteriating & dry , had rivits torn thru on the nose & the back on the frame aeras. ..... Mine had 4 torn rivit holes. Both corners on the back & one side & the center one on the nose. ..... I Fixed it succesfully & the repairs looks COOL .

If you are giving up on yours because it has a torn rivit or two ..... Please , Pretty please , I will pay the freight for you to throw it away in my trash can & buy ya a soda ta boot.

I can repair them if the rivit is torn on the nose or at the corner rivits as is so common. It is best to NOT Oil them up prior to any repairs. Save it for afterwards.

I can take photos of mine BUT loading them to here might prove chalanging to this old geezer lol.

If you stop & repair them with only 1 or 2 torn rivits, they turn out pretty cool. The Larger Copper Replacement rivits are a BIG improvement over the little chrome ones that come on them orignaly.

The copper gets a pretty cool patina OR .... with a little lemon concentrait & a clean rag & elbow greese, they shine again. ..... However you like it .....look old or New & shinney

Like I said, I will take ALL the damaged throwaways I can get ok.

 

[Wingman]

Bump