Treating and Restoring Antique Leather

Many of us have leather items that are in bad shape or have deteriorated due to various reasons (prolonged storage, exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures and/or rain and humidity). Be careful when choosing products to treat this damaged leather.

Often times the leather is fragile, powdery to the touch (Red Rot) or cracked, dry, hard and stiff. Preservation Solutions offers products specially formulated to treat leather in this condition.

This is a before and after picture of a saddle restoration project using Preservation Solutions products done by Ann Boes of Sloan Saddlery and Leather Shop in Farmington, MO. Click here to see the complete process and the products used.

CLEANING

Dirty items should be cleaned prior to conditioning so the dirt will not be rubbed into the leather when the conditioner is applied. The Leather Cleaner will remove surface dirt and the Leather Detergent Concentrate is a stronger cleaner for "washing" leather that is heavily soiled or grimy. It is also good for removing wax-build up on the leather.

POWDERY LEATHER

If your leather is powdery or flakes when you touch it, it may have Red Rot which is a degradation of the leather caused by the reasons listed above. In most cases, the areas of your leather that are affected by Red Rot can be strengthened by applying Klucel G which is a leather consolidant. Avoid applying cleaners to these areas (or very gently wipe it down with a rag dampened with Leather Cleaner). The Klucel G is sold in a powder form and when mixed with isopropyl alcohol, forms a gel that is applied to the Red Rot area. Put just a thin layer on first, let it dry and then apply another coat if needed. If it is applied too thick, it will darken the leather. Once dry, the Klucel G will form a webbing to strengthen the leather.

CONDITIONING

Once your leather is cleaned, you are ready to apply a conditioner. If the leather is dry with minimal cracking or hard and stiff but otherwise in good condition (showing no signs of deterioration), you can use the Leather Saver. Apply it with a soft rag over the entire surface of the leather. For hard, stiff leather, apply the Leather Saver immediately after applying the Leather Cleaner (while the leather is still damp). Let this dry and apply other coats of the Leather Saver as needed, allowing it to dry for several hours or overnight between applications.

For thick, heavier leather items that are in good condition, use the Saddle & Tack Conditioner in place of the Leather Saver. This is formulated to penetrate and soften thicker leather.

When treating older, brittle leather, leather treated with Klucel G, or leather bound books, condition these items with the Restoration Leather Conditioner. This is a gentle conditioner developed for older leather that will not harm stitching. Avoid applying it to metal hardware on the leather and the paper pages of books.

Depending on how the leather is used and the climate in your area, we recommended conditioning your leather items every 2-6 months or as needed.