Leather care - for new leathers

[Zapf]

Question for those leather professionals.

I bought a set of A* leathers recently, the made in china ones. And they have a textured finish with a feel that is slightly rubbery, not like the smooth shiny ones I had on another A* suit.

I have put some ZORBEL(lin) on it. And it just drinks it up.

1.) Am I doing the right thing?
2.) What would you do to protect a new set of leather from water and dirt?
3.) Is the Zorbelin a good product or should I be using something else?

Thanks
Zapf

[vifferman]

In my experience, Zorbel is not very good.
Of the many products I've used, SnoSeal has proved the best. However, I'm not saying it IS the best, just the best of the products I've used. It's mostly B. Zwax (or perhaps, beeswax), so it works well to waterproof the leather.

[99TLS]

also use snoseal here on mine, seems to work well imho, maybe quasi could enlighten us on this

[Zapf]

In my experience, Zorbel is not very good.
Of the many products I've used, SnoSeal has proved the best. However, I'm not saying it IS the best, just the best of the products I've used. It's mostly B. Zwax (or perhaps, beeswax), so it works well to waterproof the leather.

Would SnoSeal help conditioning the leather and keep it it good condition? tkns

[vifferman]

Would SnoSeal help conditioning the leather and keep it it good condition? tkns
Well, it seems to. I used it on my gloves, boots, jacket, pants, and some of my shoes.
It's not very exciting on toast though, so I prefer honey for that.

[KEN]

Try 'jay-el' Beeswax Leather Dressing,A very good product,or go to a leather shop?:third:

[Quasievil]

I bought a set of A* leathers recently, the made in china ones. And they have a textured finish with a feel that is slightly rubber

Yeah they are recycling condoms now, sheesh A* not like they used to be, have they got slight ribbings in the surface as well ???

use Bees wax or Sno Seal, thats the best as I understand it.

[sAsLEX]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=29328&highlight=leather+care

And BabyB would be the one to ask

[The Stranger]

I find tar is good. Right colour and it's water proof.



Can be a little painful at times though.

[steveb64]

I find tar is good. Right colour and it's water proof.



Can be a little painful at times though.

Ya gotta wait for a nice HOT day, so's it's all melted....

[Romeo]

I used <a href="http://www.colourlock.co.nz/products/leather-preserver/">Elephant Leather Preserver</a> on Quasi's old Speedster jacket and it came up like brand new. Softened it up for me a bit, as it appeared to have been stretched over a hard man for some time.


<img src="http://www.leatherdirect.co.nz/productImages/elc240Front.jpg" alt="Elephant Leather Preserver - Good stuff!"/>

Brought my $66 pair of <a href="http://file040b.bebo.com/6/large/2007/12/21/12/4507310746a6421833316l.jpg">Forma boots</a> back to "near-new" status. The wax goes on shiny, but it dulls out to a matt finish once it soaks in and dries. Oudourless and hastle free to work with - it's good stuff!

[Hailwood]

Second vote for the Elephant wax..use it on my jacket and pants, my wife's jacket and pants and both sets of boots....fantastic stuff..the leather looks great and i am sure it helps with a bit of waterproofing as well...

GO THE ELEPHANT :clap:

[pritch]

Snoseal is a bit industrial but having said that i have put it on my jacket.

I prefer the Nikwax products for riding gear.

[huck farley]

Try some Efax leather dressing, Only bought through leather suppliers or the very odd leather repair shop. It's made in Germany and is really good stuff. I have been using it for 5 years now. I wouldn't guarantee it to be completely waterproof. But it does keep the damp out for a while. And you only have to use sparingly. Therefore it will last for yonks.

Now you say your leathers came from the Orient. So you will have either pig leather, Camel hyde, Goat hyde, or anything else they can catch to skin, but making soup out of the leather before it is split. The top grain goes into counterfeit Gucci hand bags, the ladies see on eBay. What's left gets PV coated, so that it looks a bit like a dull sheen you would perhaps see on a builders new boots after a 6degree frost in Gore in mid July.

The bottom line from my experience is that you can put a 209 litre of either Dubbin, Efax, Snow seal, Beeswax or anything else that springs to mind. But sadly they will remain on the stiffer side of stiff until you chuck them away. Oh yes try not to fall of whilst wearing them. Your hyde would be tougher than the hyde you bought to protect your hyde.