How to restore an old saddle?

Question

I have this old saddle, and the leather is cracking. Is there anyway to restore the leather and get my saddle to look nice again? Any products?

Answer 1

A couple of simple steps

Is the leather looking baggy where the riders legs have been? If not it can be generously dressed (saddlers term for oiling) if it is showing signs of stretching just a light oiling.

First give the saddle a wipe over with a damp or wet cloth depending how dirty it is.

For a generous oil, put a table spoon of oil on your cloth rub over, add more oil to your cloth as it disapears. For a light oil use half the amount on oil and spread out more sparingly.

Next get some saddle soap - glycerine, rub this with a damp/wet cloth untill you get a build up of scum soap lather on the cloth (not wet sloppy big bubbles, just a dryish lather) and wipe this over the saddle. You'll have to re apply the lather to the cloth regularly as you go.

The oil gives the leather moisture and the glycerine soap holds the moister in.

The one a week wipe over with a damp cloth and reapply oil if very dry, alternatively just use the glycerine again.

Good luck - and no you don't need expensive stuff, good old fashioned oil and saddle soap works best.

Answer 2

I hate to tell you this, but if the leather is cracking, it is a lost cause. You will never bring it back to nice. You can get more use out of it though. I always wash mine with glycerin saddle soap. I then rinse off all of the saddle soap. I then let the saddle dry. Once it is dry, I spray saddle oil on the rough sides of the leather. If the saddle is really dry you may have to spray it again. Get some Neatsfoot oil and rub it into the smooth side of the leather. Don't get it so oily that the oil smears on the leather. You should barely be able to tell its there. This should bring your saddle back to the best that it can be brought back. Whenever you have a saddle, you should do this at least once a year. Once leather starts to crack it is too late to bring it back.

Answer 3

If you didn't get this saddle in that condition, sounds like you should have been taking care of this rig the whole time.

1.)  Clean the saddle thoroughly with liquid glycerin.  Bring to a foam, then wipe with a rag.

2.)  Once your saddle is clean, then lightly coat it with olive oil.   Allow to sit over night then clean any excess off with more liquid glycerin.

3.)  After all this, then go over it with some sort of conditioner like Horsemans's one step, etc.  Allow to dry then buff out to a sheen.

Answer 4

Saddle Soap and lots of "elbow grease". Once it's clean, soft and pliable, apply a light coat of Linseed Oil.

Answer 5

there are no way to repair the cracks but to put moisture back in your saddle you need some saddle soap.first wipe down your saddle with some clean water from a bucket and a cotton towel,make sure you get both sides of the leather,then take some saddle soap with some clean water and go over the saddle again,let it dry out of the sun on a saddle stand,after it has dried on the outside go over lightly with some neatsfoot oil,after the neatsfoot oil has soaked in use a beeswax conditioner over the saddle and buff to a shine with an old white t shirt.thats it other than you may want to sprinkle a little baby powder under the seat and fenders to keep them from squeeking.

Answer 6

buy a new one