How to save a Brooks Saddle? Worth Saving?
01-12-16, 06:00 PM
#26
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I don't have the patience to read every suggestion here (some of them are downright bizarre...), but if nobody's mentioned this, Rivendell says that if a leather saddle is too stretched out for the adjusting nut to tighten it up, you can wedge pieces of (very) dense foam under it, between the leather and the frame. Just cut to fit and jam it in there. And the lacing that several people have mentioned is a time-honored fix. I wouldn't use a petroleum product on it (I know people do...). And I've treated all four of my B17s with obenauf's for years. I don't know if it's better than Proofhide, but it's no worse, and I have four big tubs of it.
10-31-21, 03:12 PM
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Mine is hard, not deformed. possibly had water damage, based on the bike's rust pattern, or maybe just moisture without actual wetting.
Just feels like a hard plastic saddle. No surface damage or "winging"
So is that Obenauf saddle treatment just the most favored approach?
"natural oils suspended in a Beeswax/Propolis* formula"
" These other so called "conditioners" contain harmful chemicals, mink oil, petroleum, pine tar, paraffin, or alcohol" per their Promotional text
It may not be salvagable beyond returning it to a "Brooks shaped saddle".
Hard , not conforming, but shiney.
The equestrian guys see this a lot , and are more comfortable with neatsfoot, but over softening is a problem with non compressive parts (reins)
Surface cracking may just be just the tip of the ice berg.
They use leather in lots of ways, but I was hoping to get bike saddle experience here.
Suggested from https://leatherworker.net/forum/topi...-dry-leather/:
Preservation Solutions. https://www.preservation-solutions.c...care-products/
"Whatever you do, don't just keep adding oil"
effax Leather-Balm (Beeswax, Lanolin and Avocado Oil)
The last post in their thread is telling. They been at it longer than us.
Just feels like a hard plastic saddle. No surface damage or "winging"
So is that Obenauf saddle treatment just the most favored approach?
"natural oils suspended in a Beeswax/Propolis* formula"
" These other so called "conditioners" contain harmful chemicals, mink oil, petroleum, pine tar, paraffin, or alcohol" per their Promotional text
It may not be salvagable beyond returning it to a "Brooks shaped saddle".
Hard , not conforming, but shiney.
The equestrian guys see this a lot , and are more comfortable with neatsfoot, but over softening is a problem with non compressive parts (reins)
Surface cracking may just be just the tip of the ice berg.
They use leather in lots of ways, but I was hoping to get bike saddle experience here.
Suggested from https://leatherworker.net/forum/topi...-dry-leather/:
Preservation Solutions. https://www.preservation-solutions.c...care-products/
"Whatever you do, don't just keep adding oil"
effax Leather-Balm (Beeswax, Lanolin and Avocado Oil)
The last post in their thread is telling. They been at it longer than us.
Last edited by bikebikebike; 10-31-21 at 03:41 PM.
10-31-21, 05:38 PM
#28
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I've been riding my '75 Fuji S-10S's Brooks-clone leather saddle for over 45 years now. Yes -- same bike, same saddle, and same rider!
It has only now been showing signs of 'age' -- from being too DRY while in storage. I have always been afraid to use any 'leather conditioning' product that would make it too soft/pliable. 45 years/55k-miles is a good run! I wonder how many hard leather saddles have gone longer/farther!
It has only now been showing signs of 'age' -- from being too DRY while in storage. I have always been afraid to use any 'leather conditioning' product that would make it too soft/pliable. 45 years/55k-miles is a good run! I wonder how many hard leather saddles have gone longer/farther!
