Stupid question, those with Albion Saddles

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Louby

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What do you clean the calf skin seat and knee rolls with?
Never give it much thought before and used whatever saddle soap I had at the time but when I bought it the saddler said to use Albion Swiss Formula Balsam on the seat and knee rolls and not saddle soap??? They only had free samples at the time and its ran out now.
Im only asking as my local saddlers dont sell it, the saddler who I got the saddle off is miles away and if I buy online its an extra £5 postage. Im buying something else at the moment online but they dont stock it but they do have a Passier lederbalsam.
Its a new saddle so I dont want to ruin it.
 
I bought the albion balm when i bought mine, you only need a little bit and lasts AGES!! I use it all over the saddle, and over all my tack and boots actually its great!
 
I have Albions too and i bought them new last year- I've used either the NAF leather Food, which is lovely for keeping the leather soft and supple and at the mo i have the NAF leather balm- which smells gorgeous and sickly sweet!- again is really good for the leather!- I've used the Albion balm a lot in the past and it's brilliant stuff- i tried out the NAF ones purely just out of interest as i was in a shop that doesn't sell the Albion stuff.

I've used the passier balm and it would do the same job as the albion one-do they sell the Effax one in the brown pot at your saddlers- if they do that one -its very similar as well.
 
Thanks for replying.
I dont mind buying the balsam, its just paying two lots of postage as Im wanting to buy something else from another online shop that doesnt sell the Albion stuff.

So does it have to be a balsam type leather care for the seat? The leather on the seat and rolls is different to the rest so I was worried normal soap would make it lose its 'stickiness' and make it go shiny???

I will see if the shop does the Effax one, Ive not used that before.

Thanks again. :)
 
Albion do a leather soap as well as the balm and it is recommended for all of their saddlework. It is basically a very natural type soap so I would say anything similar to that and not too heavy. It annoys the heck out of me that some saddlers preach about the balm being the only thing you can use and when you mention the fact Albion have a soap which Albion recommend you use before applying the balm to remove the dirt the saddlers have no idea - yet they are Albion retailers.

I buy mine from Ingatestone as they are far the cheapest around and I can usually find something else to purchase to help with delivery, or I just go there which is more dangerous lol!! http://www.ingatestonesaddlery.co.uk/Horse/Horse-Care/Leather-Care.aspx
 
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