How to lube your leathers?

[ArcticTiger]

I use a 2-piece leather outfit for Tiger riding. It does hold the rain out for awhile, but could be better. The leather has over time become a little "dry" and stiff.
Does any of you have some good advice on how to treat it to be more waterproof and soft again, and witch good products to use?
 
I asked my local mc-dealer if he had any good product for leather lubing, but he said he had not. He told me I was old-fashioned (outdated) :D , and that  everybody was using goretex blablabla outfits now

[Mustang]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mink_oil

http://www.shopwiki.com/mink+oil

lots of places sell it online ....................

[Bixxer Bob]

In the UK a product called Renapur is very popular.

http://www.renapur.com/ (http://www.renapur.com/)

I use the balsam - a mix of beeswax and other natural waxes - I've had one tub for a long time now and it still works a treat.  Just remember to work it deep into the stitching.

[HockleyBoy]

I have been using this stuff on my two peice suit for a few years and it seems to keep it supple and in nice condition.

http://www.rev-it.co.uk/item3790.htm

Nice and easy to use and not too messy.

[tazshido]

If you have a farm and ranch store near your domicile look there for good quality leather care products.

I clean mine with saddlesoap (not really a soap) and I use a good black leather dye to touch up the worn spots. For weather resistance and to keep leather super supple, I recommend neatsfoot oil. I have no idea what it actually is but it works wonders on old leather. It's what pro baseball players use to help break in a new glove and keep them crack free and water resistant. It is a bit greasy feeling and I wouldn't use it on an automotive interior but it has helped me keep almost totally dry in a downpour wearing just my leather.

[Mustang]

For weather resistance and to keep leather super supple, I recommend neatsfoot oil. I have no idea what it actually is but it works wonders on old leather. ..................

mink oil is what it is ........

[Sin_Tiger]

mink oil is what it is ........

If that's the same stuff "Red Wings" sell in their own branded tin then i'll vouch for it keeping leather supple, 20 yr old pair of rig boots I use in hte garage are smooth soled now but too comfy to throw.

[daveb]

In the UK a product called Renapur is very popular.

http://www.renapur.com/ (http://www.renapur.com/)

I use the balsam - a mix of beeswax and other natural waxes - I've had one tub for a long time now and it still works a treat.  Just remember to work it deep into the stitching.

Same here I use Renapur on leathers, gloves, boots. really good to protecting and treating leather

[ArcticTiger]

Thanks for your advice guys ; I orderd my bucket with renapur balsam today, and are looking forward to get my leathers soft and nice again!

[Colonel Nikolai]

Tazshido is right. Saddle soap and ONLY saddle soap on quality leather that you want to keep and wear for many years. It will return suppleness and maintain the leather's water resistance too.

When I was a kid I used to handle horses as my summer / after school job. One thing you have to learn when taking care of horses is how to take care of the leather stuff the horses wear: the horse tac. And one thing you learn about good horse tac is that you never put oil on it. Especially oil derived from animal fat, such as mink oil or "bear grease".

Oils are problematic with leather. While they do return suppleness back to drying leather, the do so at a cost. If they are animal derived they will change the pH of the leather to acidic over time and start to break down the leather itself and especially the stitching of the leather. Beeswax is a little better because they tend to be more pH stable, but both types of oil rob leather of its ability to breathe.

Leather that has never been polished or coated with oil or beeswax and only treated with saddle soap will keep you cooler in the summer and dryer in the winter and will last longer. In normal climates this means treating them every 6 months. In dryer climates every 3-4 months.

Hope this helps.

[ArcticTiger]

Due to the Iceland ash clouds it took a while for the Renapur to arrive, but, as the Arctic spring hasnt been much inviting to Tiger riding yet ( +2C and snowshowers almost every day!), it was no hurry though.

It arrived a few days ago, so I went down to the Tiger barn today, and treated my 2-piece leather riding outfit with the Renapur balsam, and it seems to be good!
The leather softened up imediately, and is now so Smooth, Nice and Shiny that I think I better have to watchup and keep  a steady speed forward when passing by "The Blue Oyster Bar" :mrgreen:

[ArcticTiger]

I have now been riding some 5000 km  wearing the  Renapur treated leather suit. It has good water repellant if the rainshowers isnt too severe, but didnt manage to hold the water out when once driving in heavy rain for 2-3 hours. (Maybe it was because I was riding on the Multistrada :roll: ?)
The Renapur booklet advices to "apply it sparsely", maybe I was too sparsely the first time??
So today I gave it a second treatment, this time beeing more plentifull. Especialy to the seams.
It makes the leather very soft and gentle, and the suit more comfortable to wear, and hopefully more watertight now too!

[Bixxer Bob]

Nothing's going to keep prolonged heavy rain out of leather, ao Renapur's as good as anything, but it's important to work it well into the seam stitching as that's the first place the water gets in.

[Birdy68]

I'm just wondering why nobody has mentioned Dubbin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubbin)?  :?

I use it on my leathers - especially the boots. It's great stuff - I swear by it!
Does no one else us it?
If not - why?

[Bixxer Bob]

I was going to use dubbin (because as a youngster I had what we called a "Casey", a leather case football, and we used dubbin to care for that) but the shop that sold me the bike leathers said clothing has a different sort of stitching and the dubbin woould rot the thread.  Maybe another of those old wive's tales, but I've used Renapur ever since.