Leather Care.

Well maintained leather is leather that gets more beautiful as it ages and lasts for generations. If you want your leather to last and look good while doing so, you are going to need to do a bit of basic maintenance.

But don't worry. I'm going to show you how.

The first step to maintaining your leather is to treat it well. Don't over-stuff it. Don't let it get soaked. If you get something on it take a second and wipe it off.

The next thing you need to do is condition it. Leather is a porous, natural material. Over time and use the oils and fats in the leather will dry out. This is bad because it's those oils and fats that keep the leather strong and prevent it from cracking. Once those oils are gone it is very difficult to get them back into the deepest parts of the leather.

So how do you prevent this?

Leather conditioner applied every six months.

I like to do my conditioning with the changing of the seasons. Once in the Spring and once in the Fall. When the sweaters come out so does the conditioner.

Start with a natural conditioner. Avoid anything that comes in a spray, smells like alcohol, has mineral oil or petroleum jelly in it. A good conditioner smells like beeswax. I have used Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP and Skidmore's Leather Cream in the past and have been pleased with both.

How To Condition Your Leather

To condition your leather:

Take a soft cloth (an old t-shirt works great) or saddle brush and brush off any surface dirt or grime.
Get a little conditioner on your fingers or a soft cloth if doing a large area. Your hands work best for this as the warmth from your hands will help melt the wax as you apply it. You don't need much. Make sure to take off any jewelry that might leave scratches on the leather.
Gently rub the conditioner onto the surface of the leather.
Pay close attention to getting into high wear areas. Like along any stitching and where the leather bends.
Once the leather item is covered in a light coating let it rest for 3-5 minutes.
Take a soft cloth and buff off any conditioner that is still on the surface.

Depending on the oil vs. wax content of your conditioner the surface of your leather may have a dull finish. This will go away with a few days of use as the oil penetrates deeper into the hide.

I find treating leather to be very relaxing. It's pretty straight forward and once you are done the difference is pretty clear. Not many tasks like that around. Enjoy and happy conditioning.