The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-26 19:09:03
leatherlou 400cc Rider
Joined:
Monday, July 23, 2007
Posts: 70
Location:
Youngstown
United States
Hello Everyone, I'm passing on this info as a person who not only has done leather work for 30 plus years but also because i grew up with a father who did it as well.
Do Not use Mink oil on your leathers. Sorry everyone one but the oil is good for the leathers but it will eat your threads apart I suggest using Neatsfoot oil or Saddle Soap on your leathers. They tend not to eat your threads apart and will cost you less in repairs in the long run.
Now to the Do's of leathers;
1) Make sure you always oil your leathers down, at least once a month. Not just when you ride in the rain.
2) Always put a drop of oil in the inside of your snaps then snap them together. The oil will prevent the rusting and it will make the life of your snap last longer.
3) Zip up your zippers up and take some wax to them. Yes you heard me wax as in bees wax or even candle wax. Then put the leather in the sunlight or take a hair drier to the zippers. The heat of the sun or the heat of a hair drier will let the wax melt into the zippers teeth. You see the teeth of the zippers are factory done and can not be replaced but the zipper pulls can be replaced and on the arm sleeves both of the stops the top & bottom stop can be replaced as well. The wax makes the pull slide easier for you.
If a leather is a little to big or small for you and you want to to fit you you, do this because it will work. Wet the lether down or ride it into a rain storm. But ride with the leather on because it will shrink some as well. But try to ride it dry in the sun. Hint, be preparded to have your shirt & body died the color of the leather. So take a shower afterwards.
If it is to small for you the leather will streach some as well.
The best way to break in a new leather & make it soft as a baby's bottom. Now you may think i'm going to sound a bit nuts for saying this but it does work & it works well. First thing is oil down your leather really good. the second thing is to put it in a black trash bag and tie it up good. Now go dig a whole in the back yard & burry it for about 1 week. What happens is that the sun heats up the ground which heats up the bag with your leather in it & at night the dew sets in and will dampen the ground as well. so the leather will turn out as soft as a babys bottom.
I hope you all get something out of this. Lou
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Take care & ride safe, Lou
Replies
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-26 21:16:41
gixxer 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Posts: 1563
Location:
sheffield
United Kingdom
gixxers leather tips:-
buy leather , wear till f****d , buy another leather.....wear till........
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'it wasnt me! i only just got here!'
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-27 09:14:49
smileysal 750cc Boy Racer
Joined:
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Posts: 167
Location:
Shrewsbury
United Kingdom
If you did that last one in the uk they would either come out mouldy or be floating downstream in the next flood!
--
If a smiley just passed you.........it's me!!!!
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-27 10:46:01
gixxer 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Posts: 1563
Location:
sheffield
United Kingdom
AND dainese's dont need softening either!
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'it wasnt me! i only just got here!'
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-31 19:58:37
leatherlou 400cc Rider
Joined:
Monday, July 23, 2007
Posts: 70
Location:
Youngstown
United States
Right now alot of Tx is under water as well. But there is 1 very important thing i fogot to tell ya about the kinds of leathers you buy that will make you both :( and upset. Sorry but i'll be honest with you.
Please do not " Do Not buy the Harley leathers & this is why". Harley has come out with there own type of snaps. You see i can replace a line 24, a line 20, as well as a baby dot snap. but Harley snaps i can not replace & you can only buy them from harly but they will not sell you the tool to set the snaps with. Figure that one out now. It's all about the money with harley, but i'm being honest with you all.
If i can not even find the tool to set there snaps with how will you all? I thought i'd pass it on as well.
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Take care & ride safe, Lou
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-31 20:15:11
the_ox 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Posts: 8803
Location:
London
United Kingdom
Centre punch and hammer, works every time........
--
Try being truthful, its the thing to do
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-31 21:30:56
Martin 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Posts: 3628
Location:
Kent
United Kingdom
eer sorry to be ignorant here but ...
what is a snap ?
--
Martin :o)
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-01 02:54:58
leatherlou 400cc Rider
Joined:
Monday, July 23, 2007
Posts: 70
Location:
Youngstown
United States
Sorry but an anvill won't work on harley snaps :(
As for what a snap is it is most of the time silver or black in color and is on vests as well as most jackets. Some pants also have a snap on them or a button. The snap will go snap when it is snaped. But the harley snaps have 4 prongs in them that even i can't set. Sorry but that is harley doing there thing all about money people.
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Take care & ride safe, Lou
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-01 20:41:50
miss_behave 600cc Boy Racer
Joined:
Friday, January 14, 2005
Posts: 122
Location:
dajekopjqkl;j
United Kingdom
So what happens if it snaps?
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Du bist was du isst......
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-01 20:56:53
Martin 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Posts: 3628
Location:
Kent
United Kingdom
errrrrrr would i assume we are talking 'zip's here ???
IE zip fasteners ? so but im English
Having said that i thought the term zip fastener was american anyway ?
Think i'll just stick to my cheap old leathers anyway! who needs a name on em ?
soz but i dont go a lot on 'wearing name's for the sake of it!
Mind you i'd look even stranger on a Suzuki with a Harley jacket! lol
--
Martin :o)
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-02 00:01:24
leatherlou 400cc Rider
Joined:
Monday, July 23, 2007
Posts: 70
Location:
Youngstown
United States
Re: If it snaps, un-snap it then put a drop of oil in the snap head & snap it back together so they won't rust. The main problem with snaps is that they rust because people don't oil the inside of the snaps & snap them together.
Re: the zippers & zipper pulls make sure you zip up the zipper & wax the zipper really good. Then take a hair drier or put the leather in sunlight so the wax will melt into the zipper teeth. The zipper pulls can be replaced with no problem but the teeth can not be.
--
Take care & ride safe, Lou
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-02 17:37:08
Martin 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Posts: 3628
Location:
Kent
United Kingdom
errrrrrrr ?
'snap' ???
huh ?
popper maybe ? pmsl !
i give up ...
beter still snap ...
crackle n pop !?
--
Martin :o)
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-08-02 18:00:35
the_ox 1300cc Superstar
Joined:
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Posts: 8803
Location:
London
United Kingdom
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-26 19:09:03
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-26 21:16:41
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-27 09:14:49
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-31 19:58:37
The Do's & Don't of taking care of leathers - Posted on 2007-07-31 20:15:11
