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

[Big Dave]

Black Dubbin.

[blacksheep]

beeswax,works well

[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 ) 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.

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 Yet to convince him to do my jacket though ..

[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

[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