Conditioning leather

heelme · 20th December 2006, 16:58

Over the years, I've used different off the shelf products and home remedies for conditioning leather. Anything from baseball gloves to motorcycle saddles to belts. Each case had it's own good and not so good results. I heard of a new one and have yet to try it, thought I'd pass it around to see if anyone here has and their opinion.

Vegetable oil.

When I had my boots remanufactured, a new sole and heel were installed on a pair of Elle 8890 thigh boots, lined, in black leather. This is not the best leather in the world, but I really LOVE the boots and would like to keep them in good shape as long as possible. They get almost daily wear. The man who created these boots for me told me that many leather conditioners actually looked like they were working well, but in fact, were drying out the leather. He said the best thing he's found is pure vegetable oil. Clean the boots with mild soap solution, then liberally apply the oil, let sit for a few hours and wipe off excess. Any one try this before?

One thing I want to avoid is making the leather too soft so that is streatches to easily. My boots fit really well right now and wouldn't want them to loosen up too much.

Guy N. Heels · 20th December 2006, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by heelme

Over the years, I've used different off the shelf products and home remedies for conditioning leather. Anything from baseball gloves to motorcycle saddles to belts. Each case had it's own good and not so good results. I heard of a new one and have yet to try it, thought I'd pass it around to see if anyone here has and their opinion.

Vegetable oil.

When I had my boots remanufactured, a new sole and heel were installed on a pair of Elle 8890 thigh boots, lined, in black leather. This is not the best leather in the world, but I really LOVE the boots and would like to keep them in good shape as long as possible. They get almost daily wear. The man who created these boots for me told me that many leather conditioners actually looked like they were working well, but in fact, were drying out the leather. He said the best thing he's found is pure vegetable oil. Clean the boots with mild soap solution, then liberally apply the oil, let sit for a few hours and wipe off excess. Any one try this before?

One thing I want to avoid is making the leather too soft so that is streatches to easily. My boots fit really well right now and wouldn't want them to loosen up too much.

Well, it depends. But you could be buying yourself a whole peck of trouble.

One of the first questions you need the answer to is the way the leather was tanned. Now if the leather is vegetable tanned, then you might be okay. But if not, you could ruin the leather product.

Since you live in the States, why don't you go to TandyLeather.com and check out their leather care products? I don't know if they'll answer your questions on-line, but you could get in touch with a Tandy Leather shop near you (they have one in nearly every state now) and ask them. I'm sure they'll be glad to help you out.

For my own part, I tend to lean toward things like Neetsfoot oil, wax products and polishes, and a leather restorer product I bought from Tandy for really badly cracked leather goods

.

hart88 · 31st December 2006, 19:28

There is a new product company to the USA

URAD, imported from Italy..
you could go to www.urad.com and see what I am talking about

I was turned on to their Tenderly product by a Mortorcyle enthusiast who is a customer, who saw a story in the Motorcycle Consomer News of Jan 05-if I am remembering correctly. I have sold alot of it since especially to customers with leather coats, chaps, purses, and couchs...The Tenderly product is non greasy, and you can use it over polish, etc. When I refinish a Jacket and put the Tenderly on, the jacket feels new, and I can hardly hold onto it, it is so slippery and if I accidently drop it, it doesn't pick up ANY dust from the bench or floor.

I had see the regualr URAD 3-1 conditioners that my customers said "wow" when I refinished their Motorcycle jackets, Coach purses, etc.

Alot of the shoe repair shops sell the Urad, but not all sell the Tenderly yet.
Also, in the winter Urad freezes so we can't ship it at least in the Northern climates,

heelme · 1st January 2007, 15:20

Thank you for the idea and link. I'll search these products out.