Is there any particular product you stand by for keeping your leathers in good nick?

[Cruisin' Craig]

Or do you reckon one leather treatment is as good as another?

And how often do you normally treat your stuff?

[Romeo]

<a href="http://www.leathertec.co.nz/care-guide.php#preserving">Elephant Leather Preserver</a> is pretty good. I put a coat on Quasi's old Speedster jacket and it came out like brand new! (or maybe that's just Quasimoto quality for you ;s)


Waterproofs and protects semi-aniline leather (expensive bags, garments, shoes, boat shoes).
Very effective in preventing salt damage to leather. (Used by Peter Blake and Team New Zealand).
Revives faded colours.
Preserves leather and threads. (Used by museums in conservation and preservation).
Inhibits mildew growth.

[Blossom]

I use dubbin.. get it from the local shoe maker type shop. Works a treat, helps makes em waterproof again and brings them up to a nice shine.

[325rocket]

I use dubbin.. get it from the local shoe maker type shop. Works a treat, helps makes em waterproof again and brings them up to a nice shine.

i use dubbin as well, but i have heard it can rot stitching. i havent had any problems yet

[Henk]

I use replacement. Wear it until it's shot and then get new stuff. If you buy quality it lasts years with little or no help in my experience.

[Jantar]

I use Effax leather balsm. It conditions and waterproofs the leather without any risk of rotting the stitching. Its main ingredient is Bees Wax.

[MSTRS]

Dubbin will rot (cotton?) stitching. Not recommended. I have used SnoSeal. It stinks when applying, but works well. Lately I have been using beeswax in a vegetable oil-base emulsion. Very easy to use, waterproofs and makes leathers look like new, without the typical wax-squeak.

[Dodger]

I use Dubbin on my boots (just finished applying it) had no problems.

[BiK3RChiK]

I use dubbin.. get it from the local shoe maker type shop. Works a treat, helps makes em waterproof again and brings them up to a nice shine.

One of the guys in our local motorcycle shop recommended Dubbin for waterproofing my boots as well as other leather. I'm going to give it a go... Interestingly, he said SnoSeal would wreck leather boots.

It is interesting to read pro's and con's...

[scumdog]

i use dubbin as well, but i have heard it can rot stitching. i havent had any problems yet

Never had a problem with the stitching rotting - maybe all my gear (over 10yrs old) has nylon threads?

Has anybody actually had first hand experience of stitching rottingout AND it being definitely been as a result of using dubbin?

[MIXONE]

I've used dubbin for over 30 years and my stuff wears out from old age.Never had a problem with stitching yet.

[Trudes]

Mothers leather conditioner.

[WarlockNZ]

Sno Seal. water proofs and protects.

It's good shit

[pritch]

Has anybody actually had first hand experience of stitching rottingout AND it being definitely been as a result of using dubbin?

Not me, but there was an importer of of top end tramping boots used to constantly rail against Kiwis and their habit of drenching everything in Dubbin.

I wouldn't touch the stuff now.

SnoSeal is good but a bit "industrial", it makes yer gear feel greasy.
The Nikwax (?sp) is easy to apply and doesn't make your gear greasy but seems to work well enough, if not quite the same protection level as Sno Seal.

There are other products available from the people that sell ski equipment which should work well, but again would tend industrial.

[HenryDorsetCase]

my partner used to have a horse, and kept all her leather stuff in top condition using Joseph Lyddy products.. they make a soap, and a beeswax based leather conditioner. It smells good, works well and is easy to apply. A tip though, do it on a warm (not hot) day.

[Big Dave]

Black Dubbin.

[blacksheep]

beeswax,works well:2thumbsup

[huck farley]

I use Effax leather balsm. It conditions and waterproofs the leather without any risk of rotting the stitching. Its main ingredient is Bees Wax.

I agree you can buy two types in one pound tubs. Black effax for black leathers. It contains Vaseline, beeswax and avocado oil.

Also as mentioned Effax Lederbalsam (German name for leather) It contains lanolin Avocado oil and beeswax. This product is clear and ideal for multi coloured jackets, or race leathers.

It makes the leather incredibly tear resistant. Both products are made in Germany. Also they both are water resistant. They both leave your leathers soft and supple.

I sell this product and am awaiting a shipment from Germany. I can give you a bell when It arrives. Just PM me. Shouldn't be to much longer now.
Cheers

[vifferman]

I'm a lazy arse (and my arse is lazy too :blink: ) so I want summat that's easy to apply. I've got lots of leather conditioners in the cupboard (including SnoSeal, Renapur Balsam, saddle polish, and some other stuff I can't remember), but my current favourite is Nikwax - it's so easy to put on! Just squirt it on, and wipe it in. I'm really impressed. The bottle's supposed to treat two garments (or one garment twice), but I did my jacket and gloves and haven't used more'n a quarter of it. :niceone:

But if this Elfwax stuff you've got is easy to use, I'll give that a go too.

[Biggles2000]

Dont think I have cleaned my leathers for 15 years. Still seem to be going strong.

[Hailwood]

The elephant stuff mentioned earlier rocks..wipe it on every 6 months takes about 10minutes to do the jacket properly...makes the leather soft and seems to help with keeping water out....

[Joliet]

+1 for the Elephant Leather Preserver. My guy put some on my boots and it made them lovely and soft :yes: Yet to convince him to do my jacket though .. :whistle:

[YellowDog]

I find dubbin to be bery good and also very cheap. But if you go to a horsey shop, the stuff they put on saddles is far better at pentrating and rejuvinating the leather (that's if it is real leather). It is incredibly smelly though, but does a great job.

[yungatart]

...Lately I have been using beeswax in a vegetable oil-base emulsion. Very easy to use, waterproofs and makes leathers look like new, without the typical wax-squeak.

It is available from a guy at the Sunday market on Marine Parade!
Works great on all leather goods....including your handbag :gob:

[Blackbird]

Renapur Balsam,

Hi Ian

Where do you get the Renapur from? They rave about that product in the UK mags. Apparently doesn't block the pores like some of the other products and keeps the leathers really supple. Not worried about them being highly waterproof, that's what my overgarments are for!

Cheers

Geoff

[vifferman]

Where do you get the Renapur from? They rave about that product in the UK mags.
I bought some (10?) years ago, at a home show in Tauranga.
Can't say I'm overly impressed with it. I reckon it's mostly petroleum jelly - it seems to have the same consistency. Still use it on my shoes occasionally, and it's good on gloves (not as waxy as SnoSeal).
I'll have a look tonight and see if it still has the distributor's name on it.

[Pumba]

Mothers leather conditioner.

+1, probally should give them a condition inthe near future

[Naki Rat]

Sno Seal did the job on my mountaineering gear many years ago and does the job on my leathers and boots now.

The trick is to pick a sunny day to warm the leather before application and help it soak in further after application. Don't be tempted to use a heater to cook the leather however. If the heat is enough to burn your skin then it is damaging the leather (which is skin too).
A couple of times a year serves the purpose but if the rain is soaking into your leathers then it's time to give them another dose.

Boots in particular also benefit from a coat of black shoe polish before the Sno Seal, just to keep them presentable for when I want to keep my feet warm in the office :cold: