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Motorcycle Leather Care
by Bob Dolan
Leather Care
Now is the time of year you need to think about your leather both bags and clothing. Your bags will be taking a beating from the sun and your clothing will be going into storage. The bags on your bike should be done several times a year depending on how much you ride. If they are looking a little dry treat them.
Whether you have a fancy one-piece racing suit or a combination of jacket, boots, pants and gloves, leather is also expensive and worth taking care of so as to extend its life as long as possible.
What the Experts Say
My research has revealed that many of the products sold for leather care on the market today are not at all ideal. However, their brochures sound convincing, and as uninformed consumers we tend to buy the products without question. Brace yourself to learn some new tricks.
If you look at the typical car care center or furniture dealer that sells leather care products, you are likely to be as mystified at the dizzying array of creams and potions that are sold to clean and care for your leather garments. After interviewing many people in the motorcycle garment business, and often receiving a different opinion from each of them, I decided I needed an unbiased source of information.
So I turned to the Leather Apparel Association (LAA), an industry group that was founded by 40 retailers, tanners, producers and cleaners in 1990. They currently have more than 100 members, and one of their goals is to provide an authoritative source of information related to leather and its use and care. They also maintain an approved list of leather cleaners throughout the United States, which can be found on their website www.leatherassociation.com
Leather Care Tips
Leather ages gracefully and can last a lifetime with proper care right from the start.
Always hang leather garments on wide or padded hangers to maintain their shape. Use shoetrees in footwear and stuff empty handbags with tissue to help retain their shape.
Never store leather goods in plastic or other non-breathable covers. This will cause leather to become dry.
Allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any heat source. Leather can be treated with a conditioner to restore flexibility while suede can be brushed with a terry towel to restore its look.
In winter, promptly remove salt deposits from garments and footwear by sponging with clear water, then follow with the above treatment for wet or damp leather.
When storing avoid very humid and dry environments as well as direct sunlight.
Do not use waxes, silicone products or other leather preparations that impair a garment's ability to breathe.
Wrinkles should hang out. If ironing is desired, set iron on rayon setting, use heavy brown wrapping paper as a pressing cloth on right side of the garment and a quick hand to prevent overheating and shine.
Avoid spraying perfumes or hair sprays while wearing your garment and do not apply pins, adhesive badges or tape. Wearing a scarf at the neckline will help keep hair and body oil away from the collar.
Hems may be fixed with a tiny amount of rubber cement. For best results see a leather care professional.
All products designed to be used at home should be tested on an inconspicuous part of the garment.
Always hang leather garments on wide or padded hangers to maintain their shape. Use shoetrees in footwear and stuff empty handbags with tissue to help retain their shape. Never store leather goods in plastic or other non-breathable covers. This will cause leather to become dry.
All products designed to be used at home should be tested on an inconspicuous part of the garment.
How Often Do I Condition Leather?
This is very dependent on the frequency of use as well as the conditions of exposure. For example, a person that rides a few thousand miles a year in good weather may only have to clean and condition once or twice a year, while a rider constantly exposing leather garments to harsh conditions may have to clean and condition after every few rides. In fact, riders may even need to clean after every ride if the leather is exposed to lots of perspiration or road salts. Also properly conditioned leather tends to clean easier.
Without regular cleaning and conditioning, perspiration will draw the moisture right out of the leather, turn it hard, and eventually make it tear like paper. Once that occurs, no product will bring the leather back.
I have leather that is 40 years old and still in good condition.
A few tips to start the cold season:
Carefully go over your leather to see if any repairs are needed, broken zippers, seams giving out. Better to find out now than when you need it. Oil the zippers with sewing mach oil.
Water Proof - A spray water repellent will not hurt your leather. A water repellent will help any unfinished brushed or naked leather. However, if you get caught in a downpour, don't expect any water repellent to keep your leathers completely dry! Water will eventually soak into the leather.
I have never found a way to get that salt stain out of my boots once its there so using a good treatment like Obenauf's Lp. will help prevent this problem. Incidentally, it's not the water that spots leather, it's the minerals in the water that stay behind once the water evaporates
Many people swear by mink oil to condition and waterproof their motorcycle leather. There are really two fundamentally different approaches to motorcycle leather care: The way I describe mink oil vs. a oil-type leather conditioner, it's like putting Vaseline on your hands vs. Jergens lotion. Mink oil will clog the pores of your leather, just as Vaseline creates a barrier between your skin and the environment. That's why it will make your leather motorcycle accessories waterproof. It will also eventually dry out your leather because the pores are clogged. You will also notice your leather accessories may have a whitish haze to it. That's what happens when mink oil solidifies in cold weather. To answer the question, it makes more sense to put mink oil on your boots, if you so desire, and use a conditioner specifically designed for leather care and the conditioning of quality Deer, Elk, Buffalo , and Cow hide.
Tips for how to keep motorcycle leather from fading:
If left untreated, all leather is subject to fading from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. There is really only one leather care product that effectively prevents your leather from doing the slow-fade dance: 303 Aerospace Protectant. With regular use, this leather conditioning product prevents fading up to 100%. In addition, it conditions your motorcycle leather so that it is highly soil, oil, and water-resistant without clogging the pores of the leather or making them slick or sticky. An effective sunscreen for your leather will help ensure that your leather accessories will look better and last longer
About the Author
Bob is an online retailer of leather and textile motorcycle apparel selling wholesale to the rider. For more information you can visit his website at motorcycleleather.biz
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