Advice on how to restore this old harness please - have a look at this...

[Ravenwood]

In what were originally the old stalls on OH's farm is a load of harness still hanging on the walls exactly as they were left over 40 yrs ago.

I brought this one bridle home to see if I can restore it. Obviously not to the condition where it will ever be used again but would look great hanging on the farmhouse wall somewhere (when we eventually finish it!)

There is another identical bridle and lots of other bits of harness which, I ashamedly admit, I don't know the names for

So can anyone suggest please how would you clean up not only the leatherwork but the iron work too - if thats even possible.

Thank you

Fascinating isn't it?

 

[cremedemonthe]

Don't soak it in oil whatever you do, some will tell you too, you can bet on that. Sponge any muck, mould etc off with a damp sponge, let it dry naturally then try a gentle leather conditioner, any product that has lanolin, tallow and beeswax is good, don't go mad with it though, try a little at a time, ease some moisture back into it slowly.
Careful around the stitches, they would have been handwaxed orignally and will have dried out, if you go too mad with any moisture they will rot out. Very gentle is the key.
You want just enough conditioner to preserve what's left not restore it to it's former glory as it's beyond that by the looks of it.
The lorrinery can be cleaned with brasso and then a cloth wiped over to coat it with a thin film, use a light oil like wd40 or sewing machine oil, again not too much.

 

[Ravenwood]

Thanks Oz

Would Kao Cho Line be a good product to use?

 

[cremedemonthe]

Thanks Oz

Would Kao Cho Line be a good product to use?

Yes that would do it

 

[Ravenwood]

Thats great thanks again

I have lots of KCL - Love the stuff!

 

[Maesfen]

You could try vinegar on the metal work too (not as daft as it sounds as it brings copper and brass up beautifully. If they're only going for show now you could do as suggested before and then use a good quality shoe polish.
Can you imagine all the stories that harness could tell you, magic and well worth restoring.

 

[lucy007]

I was told by a saddler I used to work for that the best thing to start getting moisture back into dry leather is warm Neatsfoot oil, rubbed in with a sponge.

Gel type products are great, but are too 'thick' to be absorbed effectively to start with.

Have fun it looks like it will turn out to be a nice piece.

 

[ex racer rider]

Ooh, I do love looking at all of the old stuff. Its soo much better quality it makes the 'modern' stuff look rubbish!
But piccies when they are jazzed up?
sorry I couldnt help but I would have no idea tbh.
leah.

 

[cremedemonthe]

You could try vinegar on the metal work too (not as daft as it sounds as it brings copper and brass up beautifully. If they're only going for show now you could do as suggested before and then use a good quality shoe polish.
Can you imagine all the stories that harness could tell you, magic and well worth restoring.

Shoe polish is not good for veg tanned leather, it is designed for chrome tanned shoe leather which doesn't need feeding like veg tanned. It dries veg tanned out by sealing the leather (to make it water resistant as in shoe leather) but then you find as the leather dries out you can't get any moisture back in it, never use shoe polish on veg tanned saddlery for this reason.

 

[cremedemonthe]

It looks like a everyday plough/work bridle with Wilson snaffle (very popular for that type of bridle) here's a heavy horse show ploughing bridle, which is the tarted up version of what you have, the brass takes ages to clean and the leather takes alot of conditioner!

 

[Ravenwood]

Thanks for all the replies - It's like a museum at the farm

I was really surprised at how the browband and throatlash are one piece running through a keeper. The other bridle's stitching is in better condition.

There are also traces (I think) some metal, some wooden - all hanging on the original racks.

If I can successfully clean up this bridle to make it worth displaying then I will eventually work my way through the rest of it - such a shame not to show it some care and as Maesfen says - imagine the history behind it. The farm is a hill farm on Exmoor, all the ground is extremely steep (not a flat field there) so can you imagine how hard those horses worked.

PS - I'll post some pics when I've finished with it - I do love a project