Calling all tack-cleaning gurus! I have a question...

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Ridingondreams

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Right, so I got a new bridle yesterday... :D :D
This one in fact, in black: http://www.robinsonsequestrian.com/saddles-tack/briddlework/bridles/hunt-cavesson-bridle.html

Now, as this is a totally gorgeous bridle and I want to keep it in tip-top condition, can anyone recommend any products/ techniques to keep it looking good? Also, when I clean it what order should I do stuff in?

I feel so dumb, but her previous bridle was 2nd hand and really horrible so I used to just put on some soap and wipe it off again - I'm a terrible tack cleaner, thank the Lord for Wintec!! But seriously - I need help from the amazing HHO tack cleaners! Please? :o
 
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I swear by Carr & Day& Martin stuff. I use their soap to clean (or washing up liquid when the leather is really greasy) and then use the leather balm. Gets my leather looking new every time and it's really inexpensive. :)
 
Wipe off dirt and grease with a damp cloth using warm water or something like Effax leather combi, then use a good product with natural fats and oils in like Jeffires Leathercare, Effax balsam or Cremedemonthe on here sells his own product which looks good. :)

I also use Kocholine for tack that is dry or being stored.

I won't use the glycerine products as they can be drying and can leave tack sticky.
 
I love the amerigo leather balm -smells nice and brings tack up really well. Often I cheat and use a 2 in 1 product for a quick clean - horsemans one step leather cleaner and conditioner. I really like their spray its handy and works well - removes scurf from girth straps (monoflap saddle) better and quicker than any other product Ive tried. However I found it more fiddly with bridle as you have to spray it onto rag to apply or waste loads, so Ive just bought their 1 step cream to try :).
 
I wash with warm water to remove dirt/grit and sweat, then work Gold Label hide Food in with my fingers. Leather comes up beautifully supple and new- one of my friends recently borrowed it then when straight out and bought some herself! I use it on everything- shoes/chaps/boots anything that is leather!:D
 
Leather is skin and you look after it like your own skin. In dry conditions you need to add a moisturiser, my favorite is Stubben because its light and not too greasey and if it gets wet or over moistureised you have to dry it out slowly and add very liitle conditioner. Little and often.
Day to day care, wring out a microfibre cloth and use on the greasey parts, but be warned it will strip the grease from your hands to, if its really greasey the water should be has hot as you can stand. I then use a light spray glycerine spray soap, some people will go oh no but its stops the leather from going floppy but adds oils.
I have tack that is 40 plus years old and still in good condition.
 
touchstone said:
Wipe off dirt and grease with a damp cloth using warm water or something like Effax leather combi, then use a good product with natural fats and oils in like Jeffires Leathercare, Effax balsam or Cremedemonthe on here sells his own product which looks good. :)

I also use Kocholine for tack that is dry or being stored.

I won't use the glycerine products as they can be drying and can leave tack sticky.
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and NO OIL.

Thanks :o
 
Not looked at the link but if the bridle is English made with Sedgwick leather (Jeffries use it) then you can buy their own leather feed. It's all v natural products. We sell the Sedgwick branded stuff but the Jeffries stuff is exactly the same with a diff label in.
 
Custard Cream said:
Not looked at the link but if the bridle is English made with Sedgwick leather (Jeffries use it) then you can buy their own leather feed. It's all v natural products. We sell the Sedgwick branded stuff but the Jeffries stuff is exactly the same with a diff label in.
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Some bridlework using English leather (Sedgewicks) is made in India using exported English leather, with Indian fittings and "craftsmanship"
The Heritage label that Snowhill saddlery make is one for starters, a lot of the larger wholesalers sell this type of saddlery.
 
cremedemonthe said:
If oil is used it tends to make the fibres of the leather go soggy, it can rot out certain types of thread used in stitching too.
Leather that is oiled stretches more quickly.
Oil will not condition leather, fats,grease and waxes will.
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I'm confused now. Oils and fats are just part of the same chemical family just with different fatty acid chain lengths making oils liquid and fats not so. Is it just the high degree of penetration then?
 
I know CdeM - that's why I said 'English made' rather than 'English imported'.

We deal directly with Sedgwicks and have specific leathers made and tanned for us, so we know it's all done in this country....but then we don't make bridles ;)
 
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