Leather saddle

[funk2monk]

Have acquired a number of old Brooke's and Wright leather saddles which seem to be all useable. However the leather is solid and needs 'feeding' with something that will get the leather supple again. I'm conscious though of using the wrong product and loosing all the strength and shape in the leather.
Recommendations please.

 

[raleighnut]

Proofide, it really is the only stuff to use. It may be expensive but you really don't need to use that much.

 

[Paulus]

Some people say that neatsfoot oil works well, but I have not used it. As above, proofhide is the stuff I have used for many years.

 

[funk2monk]

Proofide, it really is the only stuff to use. It may be expensive but you really don't need to use that much.

Thank you
Just ordered some off flee bay

 

[raleighnut]

Thank you
Just ordered some off flee bay

1 tip, don't use a cloth to apply it you'll waste what soaks into that. I use the tip of a finger to gently massage it in then leave it overnight before another quick very light application then buff it off. You'll be able to see where the drier bits are cos it'll soak in more if you leave it too.

 

[12boy]

I bought a 75 Carleton at a garage sale with what seemed to be the original Brooks. It was very dry and a little cracked. I poured several tablespoons of olive oil on the underside and this covered the inside with a fair ly thick layer. It was summer and I left the saddle in my car for a couple of days. When it was removed all the oil had been absorbed and the leather was more supple and fresh. That was about 12 years ago and I rode a bike wth that saddle a few days ago.

 

[rogerzilla]

If they're very tired, rather than completely gone (texture of cardboard and deep cracks), it's amazing how they'll come back to almost pristine condition with Proofide and a few hundred miles of riding. The riding bit is just as important as the Proofide, as it polishes the saddle and reconsolidates the top. Fine cracks disappear.

 

[12boy]

True dat, rogerzilla.

 

[Gravity Aided]

With distressed leather on saddles, I usually try a bit of beef tallow, let that soak in, and use a little bit of proofide and after that has soaked in, a bit of beeswax. Even an old cheap Chinese saddle off of Amazon still looks pretty good after a number of years. I think the problem with neatsfoot oil would be that it would allow the leather to harden over time, like mink oil will. That being said, it does come from the lower legs of a cow, so it can't be all that bad for leather. Olive oil seems to be a better choice, if not using proofide.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

For really deep treatment of dry or hard leather, look to what horse riders do to their saddles and tack to get it supple again. Neats foot oil, olive oil, and Flexalan are all popular in the horsey community. I use Flexalan on my saddles. You need something that penetrates.

I'm not a very big fan of Proofide, it's fine for protecting and enriching the finish of a decent saddle but to recondition an old one I feel it's too thick and not penetrative enough. Proofide feels much much like a neutral shoe polish, because in essence that's what it is - wax.

 

[12boy]

I've always understood neatsfoot oil is designed to soften and stretch leather. I have known it used for the purpose of making heavy leather baseball gloves flexible and create a pocket. For that reason continued use isn't a great choice for saddles since stretching the leather too much isn't good for longevity. Perhaps an initial application of organic oil on the underside of the saddle and proofide to protect the outer surface from friction and rain.

 

[RMFrance]

Awhile back I got a vintage Brooks Competition off Ebay in great condition - except that if anything it's softer than I'd prefer. Maybe it's been over-proofed.
Any ideas for hardening a little? Leaving it in the sun, perhaps?

 

[12boy]

Grant Petersen of Rivendell bicycles stuffs then with rigid foam, claims you can get another 5k miles. Seems a better idea somehow than detaching the nose, getting it wet and letting it dry, which if it doesn't work is more permanent.