treatment for aged campy brake hoods
01-22-21, 04:10 PM
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Myrtle Beach Crab
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treatment for aged campy brake hoods
i have i nicely aged dark brown set of hoods... they aren't cracked yet, but a bit hard and no longer supple. i'd like to keep on using them as they look wonderfully vintage, so my question here is ... is there some sort of product or nondestructive treatment i can employ?
01-22-21, 04:50 PM
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señor miembro
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From my last bike purchase, a '72 Torpado, I placed the old, nearly cracked, brownish hoods in near boiling dish detergent soapy water for a few minutes until the awful brown color dissipated and left only the gum color showing. They became much more supple. I let them dry and then applied leather conditioner, which hopefully helps keep them from cracking. So far, so good. 
01-22-21, 04:57 PM
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Myrtle Beach Crab
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From my last bike purchase, a '72 Torpado, I placed the old, nearly cracked, brownish hoods in near boiling dish detergent soapy water for a few minutes until the awful brown color dissipated and left only the gum color showing. They became much more supple. I let them dry and then applied leather conditioner, which hopefully helps keep them from cracking. So far, so good.
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01-23-21, 12:48 AM
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I have tried this and that and I am convinced of one thing. Get a new set for thirty bucks and Bob's your uncle. Ebay has many sets to choose from...
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
01-23-21, 06:12 AM
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Rubber Renue may work; I think that's the stuff I used a while ago on some carb boots and it softened them up enough to get them seated properly. They were a different rubber from brake hoods though.
It smells (the stuff I used) like wintergreen.
It smells (the stuff I used) like wintergreen.
01-23-21, 08:19 AM
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I use Aerospace Protectant 303 and am happy with the results.
