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Leather fading


Tye Riverman, SASS #41433

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Anybody have a good method to freshening up leather?  My leather has faded and is looking rough.  Special dye and finish coat?

 

Mernickle leather, was a beautiful mahogany and would like to restore it.  Plenty of life left in the leather just the color fading.  

 

Thanks,

Tye

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I use Lexol on all my leather goods. The cleaner restores the proper ph level and the conditioner works wonders. It was recommended to me by an old gent that worked at Reagan's ranch in Santa Barbara and was in charge of all the tack. Works great on anything leather.th.jpeg-3.jpg.a3ffbfcd1319e7221b123d416e29197c.jpgth.jpeg-4.jpg.52545335f562a2de58ffd2a8fe3fae58.jpg

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If your Leather maker cannot help, for whatever reason, you might try stopping by a shoe repair store.  They usually have someone with expertise, the products needed and any equipment that might be needed (to deal with roughness, etc.)  They fix aged and damaged leather goods every day.

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1 hour ago, T.K. said:

I use Lexol on all my leather goods. The cleaner restores the proper ph level and the conditioner works wonders. It was recommended to me by an old gent that worked at Reagan's ranch in Santa Barbara and was in charge of all the tack. Works great on anything leather.th.jpeg-3.jpg.a3ffbfcd1319e7221b123d416e29197c.jpgth.jpeg-4.jpg.52545335f562a2de58ffd2a8fe3fae58.jpg

+1

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5 minutes ago, Tye Riverman, SASS #41433 said:

BTW, looks like deglaze, apply a coat of Fiebing's Pro dye, followed by a finish coat of Fiebing's Resolene and then a neutral shoe polish.  We shall see...

 

Tye


It sounds like you’re refinishing it not just renewing it.  Just to let you know that the color will probably be darker and Resolene will make it darker yet.  Most finish coats will darken the leather the only one that I’ve personally used that didn’t was SaddleLaq.  Here’s a video that may help 

 

 


 

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9 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:


It sounds like you’re refinishing it not just renewing it.  Just to let you know that the color will probably be darker and Resolene will make it darker yet.  Most finish coats will darken the leather the only one that I’ve personally used that didn’t was SaddleLaq.  Here’s a video that may help 

 

 

 


 

Yep, that is one of the ones I looked at.

Thanks,

Tye

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Do not use Saddle Lac for anything that flexes. The finish will most likely crack and cause the leather to crack with it. I use Saddle Lac on my rattlesnake buckles with no issues because they are rigid. I used it on other items that are not rigid and had to throw them away because the leather cracked.

A concern I would have with deglazing and refinishing. Leather can absorb dyes and finishes at different rates. Ad in removing a finish and then restoring it could cause the coloring to become varied.

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I use the old standby ..  Saddle Soap. Easily available and easy to apply. Refresh as needed. My leathers are black and have not faded, so I don’t know if it will help with the coloration, but it does seem to refresh the leather pretty well. 
 

Sam Sackett 

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Pecard leather dressing. 

It is what the Smithsonian uses on their antique leather. 

It moisturizes the leather fibers, and makes them swell, and keeps the leather supple.

 

If you use saddle soap, remember...it is just that...soap. Soap dries out the leather fibers. So apply a liberal amount of Pecard's after you use saddle soap, to remoisturize the leather fibers. 

 

Do not use butter, it will turn rancid. 

Do not use petroleum based oils.

Do not use vasoline.

Do not use neatsfoot oil. 

Do not use transmission oil, or motor oil.

Do not use Crisco, Mazola, corn oil, olive oil, Wesson oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, lard, bacon fat. 

 

Use a leather conditioner, specifically made for leather.

 

 

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On 11/25/2021 at 12:55 PM, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Call your leather maker and ask them

OLG 

My black chaps that I wear a LOT were kinda fading. @Bulldog Jackson, SASS # 40059 made

them. I asked him about it and he took them to his shop and dyed them… they are like new 6-7 years later! 
 

Hugs!

Scarlett

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