brianinc-ville

I've seen a lot of threads about lacing up old, swaybacked Brooks saddles, but they all seem to concern the narrower, sportier Brookses such as the B17.

I've got a couple of wider, sprung saddles, though -- a B72 and a B66 -- that could use a pick-me-up. Is there any reason to think it wouldn't work equally well, given the wider angle between the two sides of the saddle?

rhm

I collect ruined saddles, and have seen quite a few that had been laced; and it didn't do the trick. That's not to say there aren't thousands out there on which lacing did do the trick.

But with wide saddle like you describe, there's a better solution. Cut a piece of closed cell foam (the kind that's used for flotation is good) to the approx. triangular shape of the saddle, and squeeze it in between the leather and the top rails. Just enough foam to press the leather back up to its correct shape.

If you can't find a single piece of foam thick enough, you can take the thin foam sheet that's sometimes used as packing material esp. around electronics, and fold it up into a triangle. You want something about five or six inches on each side, and about an inch thick.

Once that's done, I don't think you can do any harm by lacing the skirts so they don't splay out too much.

brianinc-ville

Thanks, rhm. Is the purpose of the foam actually to give the saddle structure, or simply to give yourself something to land on, should the leather around the rivets fail?

I've got a new Brooks Imperial that came pre-laced, so I've at least got a template. I think I may try it.

Velognome 

If you lace, apply minimal pressure to the skirts, a little change feels huge when sat upon.

brianinc-ville

Thanks, VG. Noted.

rootboy 

That would make a good sig line….