Saddle Soap

[Drew]

I honestly didn't know which Forum this should go in, but here it is.

A favored leather satchel/briefcase needed to come out tonight that will be used and enjoyed for the first time in years. It was a mess and needed help. I dusted and cleaned it as best I could.

An old jar of Saddle Soap was then opened. A damp (lint free) piece of cloth or a sponge may be used to rub the soap into a lather. Apply it liberally and rub hard into the leather. Then, use a clean piece of lint free cloth to rub it in further and remove excess soap.

The result is remarkable. It really puts moisture and life back into an old piece of leather. I'll need to do this more often.

Good old fashioned Saddle Soap is inexpensive and may be found of course at equestrian facilities, but also at a really, really good shoe store. Good luck and don't let nice old leather fade away!

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Great forum for it to go in! LOVE saddle soap, thanks for the reminder! Crazy the way you can dig out an ancient tin, it's still usable. Out here in the woods everything gets moldy- especially leather. We use a lot of saddle soap. There's a myth it will rot stitching? Do not listen to it- if your leather cracks, you'll throw the item away anyway. Use it on old leather coats, bags ( my great grandfather's satchel came back to life ), handbags, hiking boots- not suede you want to have look good although it'll preserve it.

Believe it or not, starting to find saddle soap at the most unexpected places now- picked up a tin at CVS not long ago, waiting for something. So funny! There it was hanging out with the shoelaces.

 

[MRB1863]

Now that you've mentioned it....I've seen saddle soap for sale at many retailers. I have two or three tins because sometimes when I misplace something, I tire of a brief hunt for the item and just go buy new. It comes in handy for many items including leather shoes and boots. Also use on my leather desk chair and leather knife sheaths with great results.

 

[Drew]

Now that you've mentioned it....I've seen saddle soap for sale at many retailers. I have two or three tins because sometimes when I misplace something, I tire of a brief hunt for the item and just go buy new. It comes in handy for many items including leather shoes and boots. Also use on my leather desk chair and leather knife sheaths with great results.

I honestly don't remember in which decade I bought my tin of saddle soap. It's great folks are finding it at run-of-the-mill retailers.

CVS, really?

Gives me hope sanity is returning to the world - tried and true methods crowding newfangled sprays off the store shelves! Anyway, it's really good old stuff and I'm glad it's getting re-discovered.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

While I reenact Artillery, we occasionally do Infantry. As such, once a year I always Saddle Soap my leather infantry gear. I get mine at Wal Mart!
Thanks for the post!