multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
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I agree with those who said: use the saddle as is, no proofide. Protect it from rain. A new saddle will not be in any danger of drying out.
If you buy a NOS saddle, I would recommend applying proofide or something, just to make sure. In such a case, spread a thick layer on the underside of the saddle, and rub some in from the top. A little heat, to make sure the proofide penetrates the fibers, is probably a good idea.
If for some reason your saddle gets a little wet, let it dry thoroughly before you ride on it. If it gets really soaked, some proofide would be a good idea after it dries out. If (god forbid) your brother in law borrows the bike and leaves out in the rain for a week and the saddle goes through several rains and dries out several times, this will dry out your saddle quickly. In such a case, apply proofide as described above.