Leather Jacket Care?

[willowstreetguzziguy]

What is the best products and procedures to condition an older leather riding jacket to keep it in shape?

[RinkRat II]

 I have used Lexol on all my leather goods for over 30 years and it works great.  Occasional saddle soap to clean the really dirty spots but then treat with Lexol.

     Paul B

[dguzzi]

And the bugs can go in the pepper shaker.

[Guzzistajohn]

I ordered a qt of neetsfoot oil from amazon for a pair of boots I was having trouble breaking in. Now I'm using it on everything I have that's leather. It's softens and cleans.

[Rich A]

Depending on the jacket, the folks who made it may offer washing, re-conditioning, and re-dye services (Vanson does, for example).

Rich A

[lazlokovacs]

dubbin

all you need

[kingoffleece]

Nothing that contains silicone or petroleum distillates.

[Toecutter]

Saddle soap to clean.

Aussie Leather Conditioner after.

be careful with neatsfoot oil, it's easy to overdo it. It works great, it used right.

[john fish]

Obenaufs

https://www.obenaufs.com/

Recommended to me by a member of this group.  IIRC, it's what the Smithsonian uses to restore leather.  It's the best I've ever used and I've used most of the stuff mentioned above.

[Paul Brooking]

Use a multi stage process

1) clean the leather
Use a damp rag to sponge off dead bugs, coffee, red wine ...etc
A little "Dawn" or equivalent detergent can assist
Then deep clean with a good quality Saddle Soap .. this will remove dirt deep in the leather grain
The more time you spend on this the better the result.

2) condition the leather
Use a good quality Leather Conditioner and slather it on, pay extra attention to any areas of stitching (seams, Zippers and straps)
It helps to warm the jacket up to body temperature using the sun, a hair dryer (on low) or a warm room.
Avoid direct heat or putting it too close to a heater or fire
Leather conditioner will be absorbed into leather .. leave in the warm room
repeat until no more can be absorbed
Wipe off any remainder with a soft lint free rag.

3) Waterproof
Any good quality Beeswax, Linseed oil, Neatsfoot Oil type product (SnowSeal, Boot Grease, Limmers, Obenaufs etc.)
Warm the jacket using a warm room or a hair dryer, warm the product by placing the jar in warm water or leave it in the sun or next to a heat source.
Slather on the product using your bare hands so your body warmth melts the product into the seams (Be generous)
Use the hairdryer on low to push the product into the leather
concentrate on seams, zippers and straps as well as the front of the jacket and arms.
Leave the jacket to absorb in all the product in a warm room.
Repeat until no more product can go into the jacket.
Wipe off remainder
Buff with a soft cloth and a horsehair brush to bring out the natural shine.

Special Notes
I use
Australian "RM Williams" Saddle Soap and Leather Conditioner
I also use Snow Seal and/or my own version made from Beeswax, raw Linseed Oil and Gum Turpentine.

Avoid Dubbin   .... Most of the products marked Dubbin are petroleum based and not the original 'Natural" recipe.
The solvents in modern dubbin can dissolve any adhesives in jackets or boots causing the leather to delaminate.

Avoid using Animal based oils (Neatsfoot etc) unless you are very familiar with them
Overuse will soften the leather fibers causing the jacket to collapse on itself and lose shape
It can also cause stitching to pull out at stress points.

This has worked for me YMMV.

My leathers and gloves are 40 years old and still providing warmth, waterproofness and comfort.

[Aaron D.]

My leather jackets have received regular treatment with bugs and rainwater. Seems to work.

My wife waxed her Indian Benjamin, looks old but resists rain. I waxed the deerskin pants she made me, they look the same.

[twowheeladdict]

What is the best products and procedures to condition an older leather riding jacket to keep it in shape?

I had a 1968 leather jacket that was so thick it could stand up on on it's own.   Never had an issue with the leather.  The issue was with the threads.  I had to blind stitch most of the seams with modern thread in the 90s.  Then I lost the jacket in a house fire in '03.  The leather survived the fire, but the threads and zipper did not. 

Said all that to let you know that of the jacket is not triple seamed withstanding a slide is probably not going to happen because time is not on its side.

[pressureangle]

I've always used Murphy's Oil Soap to clean, and Mink Oil to condition. I resuscitated an old H-D leather jacket that was traded in in the early 70's and lay around in a box upstairs at the dealership until the mid- 90's. It was so stiff it was nearly brittle. I wore it for 3 more years before someone thought they needed it more.

Clean and dry it
Warm it in the sun
Apply Mink Oil
Give soak time in the sun
Repeat until satisfied.

[Dilliw]

Leatherique works great on non coated leather.  I like to massage it in, wrap it in a plastic bag, and then Sun dry it.  Clean it after oiling  They make a cleaner in Pristine but to me it's just ok. 

[flower_king001]

Skidmore's Leather Cream is by far the best leather condtioner/protector I have ever used. Also it's family owned in the USA.

http://www.skidmores.com/products.asp?cat=11

Brian

[jbell]

I have used Lexol on all my leather goods for over 30 years and it works great.  Occasional saddle soap to clean the really dirty spots but then treat with Lexol.

     Paul B

 

[Ncdan]

+1 on the Lexol