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Leather care guide
Leather is a natural product and must be looked after, cleaned and kept 'fed' with balm, in order to retain its suppleness and elasticity. Without proper care, leather will dry out, become stiff, brittle, and perish.
Follow the guidelines below and your bespoke piece could last you a lifetime.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Glycerine Saddle Soap (Belvoir)
Sedgwick & Co Leather Balm
Glycerine saddle soap is a PH neutral product which is very gentle on leather. A sparing amount can help to lift grease and dirt off the surface of leather without damaging the PH balance.
The best leather balms contain only natural ingredients - fats and oils which occur naturally. For example:
TALLOW - which is used when the leather is tanned and finished at the tannery. It works into the fibres of the leather to keep it supple.
BEESWAX - which will helps enable leather balm to buff up to a shine and form a thin water resistant barrier on the surface of the leather.
'Do's and don'ts' guide
Clean and treat your leather every week when in everyday use. Take bridles apart for cleaning, check all stitching, holes and buckle turns for wear.
Follow the handy 'dos and don'ts' guide below, and please contact me for any repairs
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clean the dust, dirt and grease off the leather’s surface using a clean rag, wet and wrung out with luke warm water. Renew the water as it gets dirty, so as not to work dirt back into the leather.
use boiling hot water. This will dry out the leather by stripping out the good greases from within the leather.
soak or submerge the leather in water, as this will do the same.
do
do not
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run the straps through the rag, or use a gentle circular motion on the surface to lift the dirt.
scrub the leather with anything abrasive, as this will damage the surface and weaken the leather.
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do not
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use a sparing amount of saddle soap to help lift the dirt if it is particularly stubborn.
use washing up liquid or any harsh detergents, as these are very drying and will damage the leather beyond repair.
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do not
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allow the leather to dry naturally, slowly, and at an ambient room temperature. This allows it to stay supple, and for the fibres to retain their interlocking structure which gives leather a high tensile strength.
dry the leather next to an artificial heat source, such as a radiator. This will cause the water to evaporate too quickly, taking with it the natural oils held within the leather’s fibres. The leather will become dry, brittle, and likely to snap very easily.
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do not
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feed the leather (once dry) using balm. Apply a sparing coat of with a dry, clean rag and work in using the warmth of your hands. Let sit for 10 minutes before wiping any excess from the surface and buffing to a shine with a clean rag. Pay attention to the holes and stitching, as excess balm left behind will attract more dirt and dust.
use oil, as this soaks too far into the fibres of the leather, which then become over-saturated and swell up. The oil begins to loosen and separate the fibres, making the leather spongy and reducing its tensile strength, making it more prone to stretching and breaking.