Saddle care...to polish or not to polish?

[Jussa]

Anyone considered taking it to a cobblers and having him work on it to repolish the leather as thats what they do all day :?

Good call, however you dont get the satisfaction of doing it ones self, and at the end of the day its no different to polishing your shoes

Indeed nice to have done yourself
However
With shoes you arent polishing the leather but adding a layer of coloured wax and polishing that .
The leather itself has become roughened and has lost some of its staining. The colour is a stain, its not boot polish giving you that colour, and as such you address that and to do so a cobbler would be best. He's probably give it a wipe over with the stain then buff it with a highspeed wheel.
I cant say i really know what they use to impart a high gloss ,i doubt it would rub off on clothing though. Might just be down to the buffing :?

Agreed, I have the unfortunate (or fortunate) position of spending the last 26 years polishing my boots and shoes to a high gloss finish, however I do treat my shoes with dubbing in order to give them maximum protection from moisture, then the top coat is black polish and lots of spit, oh and elbow grease. Sadly the polish can come off and chip hence look at our shoes before a parade and they are immaculate, look at them afterwards and its a different kettle of fish. The saddle soap did make the world of difference to my saddles and also to the leasther seats in my Ford Kuga, It does appear to stop the drying out and whilst it is colourless it does seem to eliminate the white wearing you can get on saddles. But best of all once applied and worked in it doesnt migrate onto clothing.

Anyway on that note, and bearing in mind i am seeing HRH HM the Queen in a month or so I best make sure my shoes are up to muster..............

 

[dyna-ti]

There are other leather care products other than soap. Must be some sort of preparation that colours and polishes :? The place where you bought the saddle soap, did you see any or did they suggest anything like the above :? Cream or paste type of thing.
The leather saddle(horseys) trade is big and has been around for a very very long time. I'd be very surprised if they didnt have something to deal with scuffed or damaged saddles and takc :?
We all use saddles and quite a lot are leather and i would think most of us could recover it and do most of the other bike related jobs .
Leather is somebody elses trade and i just think to look in that direction to find advice and or a solution :?

Ive an Orange Endro saddle thats a bit scuffed at the corners. Its one of my favourites and i think ill try and follow my own advice and take it to the cobblers to see what he says at least :?

 

[Jussa]

There are other leather care products other than soap. Must be some sort of preparation that colours and polishes :? The place where you bought the saddle soap, did you see any or did they suggest anything like the above :? Cream or paste type of thing.
The leather saddle(horseys) trade is big and has been around for a very very long time. I'd be very surprised if they didnt have something to deal with scuffed or damaged saddles and takc :?
We all use saddles and quite a lot are leather and i would think most of us could recover it and do most of the other bike related jobs .
Leather is somebody elses trade and i just think to look in that direction to find advice and or a solution :?

Ive an Orange Endro saddle thats a bit scuffed at the corners. Its one of my favourites and i think ill try and follow my own advice and take it to the cobblers to see what he says at least :?

I've got 3 Enduro Saddles, great saddle indeed, running one on my Clockwork right now. With regards to the soap, as mentioned earlier in the thread, this was given to me by a collegue who rides horses for the RAF, both ceremonial and equestrian events, it's not expensive to buy, yet it is highly regarded by the Military horsey fraternity. So far seems to work great, and has solved my drying out saddle problems. anyway let us know how you get on with the Cobbler, some before and after pics would be great

 

[SWIFTYOHNO]

Re:

I have had a black Flite Titanium for years and I brush black Dubbin into it. Leave it for 24 hours then give it a buff with a soft cloth,doesn't shine but does remove any excess so as not to get it on your clothes.