# thin leather on saddle on saddles



## SJ_BIKER (Apr 12, 2014)

Any tips for refurbishing thin leather on saddles/especially if holes are present....I once tried to refurbish a pphantom saddle and in my polishing I ended up making the leather brittle and weak on what looked like good solid leather.....errr


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## jpromo (Apr 12, 2014)

SJ_BIKER said:


> Any tips for refurbishing thin leather on saddles/especially if holes are present....I once tried to refurbish a pphantom saddle and in my polishing I ended up making the leather brittle and weak on what looked like good solid leather.....errr




It will never feel like new, but it can be brought back to where it is more supple and doesn't crumble as you ride the bike. I'm still working this out myself, but it's all about time and reapplication.  The leather has been slowly drying out with the fibers stiffening for 50 years, so it can't be tackled all at once with a heavy hand. I've used a method with Lexol in the past that seemed to do pretty well. I took aluminum foil and made it into a basin around the upside-down seat, then filled the foil with lexol conditioner and let it all soak in. A couple days later, reapply. I did this a handful of times, checking it in between. That was with an old Brooks about the same age as a Phantom saddle would be. Worked well and rides well now.

Right now, I'm working a very old 1908 saddle with hopes of restitching it and riding. I looked around a lot more and found Pecard's antique leather dressing. It's called a dressing but it saps right into the leather, bringing the original color back as well as softening it. Same thing, reapply the first couple days, then every week over the course of a month or more.

Nothing is without its fault but that old saddle changed dramatically after the first application. Good luck.


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