Help with Old Leather

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imported_DennisH

New member
Here are some pictures of my seats and the picture makes them look good. They have small cracks with what I guess is dirt in them. I have tried Woolite, Pinnacle and Zaino and either one would do much to improve the look. I have read so review on Leatherique restoring leather – my question is what your guy’s best guess? Do you think it I have a chance with Leatherique?



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If you accept that the creases are gonna be there no matte what, I'd expect the Leatherique to work well (not that I've tried mine yet :o ).



The problem with light colored leather like that is that when the creases expose undyed leather they're gonna show and looks "dirty" because they're dark.



You could always redye with the Leatherique dye stuff. Sounds like a huge job to me but plenty of people say it works great.



So yeah, I'd try Leatherique. Check out their website (sorry, can't find my link to it) and look at the Jaguar XJS interior they redid.
 
Accumulator said:
If you accept that the creases are gonna be there no matte what, I'd expect the Leatherique to work well (not that I've tried mine yet :o ).



The problem with light colored leather like that is that when the creases expose undyed leather they're gonna show and looks "dirty" because they're dark.



You could always redye with the Leatherique dye stuff. Sounds like a huge job to me but plenty of people say it works great.



So yeah, I'd try Leatherique. Check out their website (sorry, can't find my link to it) and look at the Jaguar XJS interior they redid.
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One of the locals that I trust said they would lightly sand the surface and redye and it would look like new. Have you ever heard of that?
 
check out the leatherique site...its very good, it will clean and soften your leather, but it wont make it smooth and tight like a brand new seat...after all leather does have that used look!!



id try to hold off the sand and re color until youve cleaned and oiled them
 
DennisH said:
One of the locals that I trust said they would lightly sand the surface and redye and it would look like new...ever heard of that?
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That's the procedure used with the Leatherique redying process.
 
Redying -- that's the only way you're going to lessen the appearance of those cracks. The cracks now have dirt in them because the cracks exposed the "raw" leather to dirt and it soaked it up then stuck. You'll notice on a new car w/leather seats if u spill some water it doesnt absorb that's because the leather is treated. When cracks happen the leather splits then within the crack the raw leather is exposed - raw leather being WAY more absorbant than the treated side. So those greyish dirty cracks will only get worse as the raw leather gets more and more exposed.



The dying process will not eliminate the cracks but it will seal (and somewhat fill) that exposed leather so it is not as noticeable. To find a good dye person, check with your high end car lots (mercedes, lexus, bmw) ask their used car dept who they use to recondition or dye the leather seats on their used cars -- common practice with them since almost all leather seats crack after a few years.



hope this helps
 
Accumulator said:
If you accept that the creases are gonna be there no matte what, I'd expect the Leatherique to work well (not that I've tried mine yet :o ).



The problem with light colored leather like that is that when the creases expose undyed leather they're gonna show and looks "dirty" because they're dark.



You could always redye with the Leatherique dye stuff. Sounds like a huge job to me but plenty of people say it works great.



So yeah, I'd try Leatherique. Check out their website (sorry, can't find my link to it) and look at the Jaguar XJS interior they redid.
Click to expand...



Try to use the Leatherique rejuvinator oil and the pristine clean. It will get the dirt out of the creases but it will not make the seats smooth as somebody said in another post.



As far as the re-dye; it works great. It is a very time consuming process but worth the effort. I did the cushions on a large sectional sofa that we have. The little dogs that we have scratched the surface and it looked bad. I sanded first with 1000 grit paper, cleaned the surface with a prep and then applied the dye with bounty towels. The seats looked as good as new. One thing in advance before you do it----the dye is god awful expensive.
 
DennisH said:
Do you think it I have a chance with Leatherique?
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Dennis, I'd say Leatherique is likely your only chance. I'm also going to suggest you consult with George (owner) before jumping in. They have a whole bunch of un-documented secrets for dealing with tough conditions. You could also try Larry at Emmons Coachworks - - he is another excellent leather resource and leatherique dealer.



There are also some new dyes which you should investigate.
 
Dennis, Leatherique RO will diminish those cracks without needing to go to their filling/dying process. The RO will make the leather swell and help close the cracks. After the RO treatment, you can evaluate whether they've closed to your satisfaction or whether you need to fill/dye them. Both those are performed after the RO treatment.



Note the pictures on this page: http://www.leatherique.com.au/results.php

Someare just treated and dyed, without sanding/filling.
 
Amazing fotos! I had not seen those before. I am in the midst of the multi-step process to clean up and condition my fronts seats.
 
Great Information. Went to a car show and talk with a lot other streetrodders this weekend and decided to do go with the Leatherique route. The interior is outdated and really needs to be updated with some of the new materials and looks. We are going to live with the results of Leatherque till fall then do a complete update the interior. I will try to get some good before and after photos and my thoughts on the product. Thanks to everyone.
 
DennisH- That oughta be a good test of the Leatherique, especially as you're not already familiar with it. I'll be looking forward to your findings.
 
OK, I’ve had Leatherique in action for about 8 days now. It's a true restoration type of product. It goes far beyond any other leather treatment that I've worked with in the past. With that said, it's far more effort - >> it's clearly a "project".



I've got the rear seats to perfection, front passengers seat is excellent. I am still working the driver's seat but it's now cleaner and the cracks on the side bolster are starting to close up and disappear.



Short version: Larry Emmons says apply 4 oz/seat and let it sit in the heat. Cover up with garbage in an attempt to "steam" the seat with the oil. It hasn't been very warm here so I applied the oil last weekend, covered with clean garbage bags and let it sit all week. I haven't used close to 4oz per seat. I'll try to get the car in the sun and continue to apply oil (gradually) to the front seat.



Once seats are to satisfaction, the recommended maintenance application is 3 or 4 times per year.



Their leather strategy: Condition followed by cleaning. A soft, matte appearance is the desired result (per George).
 
tom p. said:
OK, I’ve had Leatherique in action for about 8 days now. It's a true restoration type of product. It goes far beyond any other leather treatment that I've worked with in the past. With that said, it's far more effort - >> it's clearly a "project".
Click to expand...



We are going to start this weekend - lucky the car is not a daily driver so time isn't really a issue. I will post the my results..
 
I have had our 7 series BMW sitting out in the hot sun here in Altanta about 3 hours thursday and all day yesterday. I have applied the RO about 3 times as it keeps getting sucked in by the seats. I have used leatherique before and having the car out on the hot sun is the key. Don't be afraid to apply it multi times and leave it on for even a week like Tom said. Just put it on thick and keep reapplying. It will float all the dirt out. I apply RO by hand but I do wear some medical type gloves.



When you use the Prestine clean. Apply it one section at a time and work it in with your hands. Then have a bucket with warm water and a decent size hand towel. Wipe the cleaner off and keep turning the towel. Change out the water in the bucket often. Buff each seat with a dry cotton towel when done.
 
Guys, glad to hear I'm not on my own with this project! I think it's a lot of work but the result will speak for itself. I haven't seen another product that could begin to compare. This stuff is serious.
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Larry recommends installing a spray head on the Prestine [SIC] Clean and using it @ 100%. That's what I've been doing over the past 24 hrs. It's a mild and effective cleaner and seems to relieving the "tackiness" I find throughout this car.



I am waiting for warmer weather when I can stick the car out in the sun for the day and really get crazy with the driver's seat - - it needs more attention. I want to soak the seat with RO.



Anecdotal reference: our kitchen chairs have a very thick/heavy leather covering and I've treated it many times in the past with the various leather products we all have. I treated the seat covers with RO and let it sit overnight. The seats were softened like I could NOT believe. The leather covering was far softer than I've ever seen. This seems to prove the RO really is a cut above the other mainstream products. I did this same test on a wallet and had an identical result: leather was soft and compliant like I've never seen.



Guys, lets keep updating as we have new results to share.



Thx.
 
Great responses and results! :bigups



Keep the updates coming. Leatherique is trully King of Leathercare. :bow
 
It's hot here today. I've got the beast parked in the sun, I've attached a spray head to the RO !
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