The strange case of the changing saddle!

Crazydancer said:
My ex-OH had a Xenophon, we picked it up 2nd hand very cheap as I don't think anyone had noticed the make, it did look very scruffy - but I have to say it was the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in!
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It is lovely! I'd prefer larger blocks, but apart from that, its gorgeous!
 
cremedemonthe said:
Regarding the leather conditioner :
It is unadvisable to oil tack.
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather. 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. IF you must use oil (very lightly), then use it VERY sparingly on the flesh side of the leather (under side) here the fibres of the hide are much more open, allowing the oil to soak in far better than the grain side. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.
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I was racking my brains to remember the name of the resident saddler!! Glad you turned up! I'm using beeswax based balsam at the moment - not going to use oil on it. I'm too worried about the stitching, and the webbing the girth straps are attached to, which comes down far more than on any other saddle I've seen.
Tempted to order some of this leather gloss that people are recommending further up, but is there anything in particular you recommend. I know you said tallow, lanolin or beeswax - but wondered if there was a specific brand?
 
cremedemonthe said:
Regarding the leather conditioner :
It is unadvisable to oil tack.
Any substance/product (leather conditioner/food) with tallow, beeswax or lanolin or all 3 if possible is by far the best thing for leather. 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. IF you must use oil (very lightly), then use it VERY sparingly on the flesh side of the leather (under side) here the fibres of the hide are much more open, allowing the oil to soak in far better than the grain side. Oil will not conditioner leather either, fat does.
Oil tends to darken leather too, another reason you shouldn't use it if you have a lighter coloured leather.
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I shall tell the friend! He literally dunks it in a vat of the stuff and leaves it there for a week :eek:

Aus - sounds like you have the info you need now to rescue your saddle :D. Hopefully you'll have many happy years with it :D :D
 
Auslander said:
I was racking my brains to remember the name of the resident saddler!! Glad you turned up! I'm using beeswax based balsam at the moment - not going to use oil on it. I'm too worried about the stitching, and the webbing the girth straps are attached to, which comes down far more than on any other saddle I've seen.
Tempted to order some of this leather gloss that people are recommending further up, but is there anything in particular you recommend. I know you said tallow, lanolin or beeswax - but wondered if there was a specific brand?
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I have used Aussies by Fiebings in the past which is good but now tend to make my own as I use loads and dress all my own hides.
 
For what it's worth, saddles can look totally different when old and tired compared to cleaned and fed!
Years ago I had a lady who's saddle was in for some remedial work on it and as it was dry and tired looking (bit like me!) I thoroughly cleaned it and dressed the leather (all part of the service and if I see dry leather I simply can't help myself, I have to restore it)
She was going to refuse it when I took it back to her at the stables as she thought I had given her someone elses saddle by accident, she thought it was a new one!
Another time I repaired a long leather riding boot and again it was dry looking so cleaned and fed it, the customer was annoyed as it now didn't match the other one at all and she had to clean that too!
Oz :)
 
Stubben Hammenol, I just bought a 2nd hand saddle and it was looking dire but a bit of cleaning and several coats of Hammenol and it's good as new ....:D
 
Looking better already!
IMAG0533.jpg
 
dafthoss said:
The suede is salvageable from that condition, my dressage saddle looked worse than that when I got it and with some wire brushes they came up really well. I tried with a proper suede brush but it was to soft so found some stiffer ones and they worked brilliantly even under the stirupps.
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get some white spirit, and a lint free cloth, work the white spirit into the suede bit, the cloth will come off manky and it stinks to heaven high, one you have the thick off lrt it dry and then buff as above
 
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