Starting with brand new leather

C

chris03tl

New member
Recently installed a Katzkin leather kit onto the seats for my RAM 1500. The seats have not been re-installed, they are sitting in my basement and probably will be for a while (freakin cold weather!)

While they sit there I was curious....now is probably as good a time as any to apply a product to them.

What does everyone suggest? I figure a quick wipedown with water just to make sure everything is off them (shouldnt be much, they came out of plastic and onto the seats). I haven`t verified but Im guessing they are coated, so we could fire up the great debate about "why even bother" all the way up to "Leatherique is the best".

My truck will be sitting outside 24/7 so I wanted to make sure the leather is protected from day 1.

Thanks!

-Chris
 
When I got a new car with leather interior, went over seats with Gyeon Leather Shield. 18 months/32k miles later have been pleased with its performance.
 
chris03tl- I`d apply the Leather Doctor`s Protection Cream if I bothered doing anything. Otherwise I`d just keep `em clean. I wouldn`t expect issues from being outside since the glass oughta block most of the UV, but it`s easy for *me* to say that since it`s not my leather.

If I really wanted to do something to protect them I`d just put on seat covers (which I do use on the dog-haulers in the summer when I`ll be wearing shorts).
 
I’m torn on this subject. Keeping them clean and applying some 303 Protectant should be enough, as I’m sure they have a plastic coating on them. But(always a but) with coating technology at the point it is I’m going to coat my vehicle’s leather with IGL Leather Coating. I want as much protection as technology will give me. I’ve seen enough cracked leather to know that sun does a number on leather and after it starts cracking you are just playing catch-up, so do it right the first time and don’t worry about it.

I do worry about coatings wearing off at different rates, based on wear, and you just can’t buff it off like it was on paint. Pluses and minuses.
 
Cleaning and protecting leather has been an oft-debated subject in this forum.
https://www.autopia.org/forums/interior-car-care/190266-audi-r8-interior-detailing.html

If you want a thought-provoking discussion and thorough analysis to leather care; please see the thread:
https://www.autopia.org/forums/car-d...ml#post2061677

Stokdgs reply for a leather-care suggestion (this one I highly respect, as I consider him an Autopian All-star):
https://www.autopia.org/forums/car-...tive-leather-reconditioner-2.html#post2076089
 
For the op I made my post on your autogeek thread.

BudgetPlan1 said:
When I got a new car with leather interior, went over seats with Gyeon Leather Shield. 18 months/32k miles later have been pleased with its performance.
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Good stuff for sure. Lasts a good amount of time and performs well.

SGM2008 said:
Do you use Q2M Leather Cleaner or Q2 Leather Coat as maintenance products?
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I have and they both work. In most cases a weekly wipedown with something similar to Meguiar`s Quik Interior Detailer is all that is needed for cleaning. Leather Coat just helps with the feeling. At least from my experience playing with the combo. A lot of it is repelled from the coating by noticing the hydrophobic properties when it is applied to the ceramic coated surface. I am not sure it actually extends the coatings performance any more than just having the coating on the seat. Abrasion is going to be the remover of both.

rlmccarty2000 said:
I’m torn on this subject. Keeping them clean and applying some 303 Protectant should be enough, as I’m sure they have a plastic coating on them. But(always a but) with coating technology at the point it is I’m going to coat my vehicle’s leather with IGL Leather Coating. I want as much protection as technology will give me. I’ve seen enough cracked leather to know that sun does a number on leather and after it starts cracking you are just playing catch-up, so do it right the first time and don’t worry about it.

I do worry about coatings wearing off at different rates, based on wear, and you just can’t buff it off like it was on paint. Pluses and minuses.
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I would not worry too much about it. At least I did not when I recoated two interiors with a reapplication of Gyeon Leather and the other with Cquartz Leather. Simply wipe clean and recoat and back in business. No worry whatsoever or over thinking.

303 is nice but it just seemed to attract more dirt. Sort of like CarPro Perl and other leather conditioners. The leather sealers do a better job of that.
 
The Guz said:
For the op I made my post on your autogeek thread.



Good stuff for sure. Lasts a good amount of time and performs well.



I have and they both work. In most cases a weekly wipedown with something similar to Meguiar`s Quik Interior Detailer is all that is needed for cleaning. Leather Coat just helps with the feeling. At least from my experience playing with the combo. A lot of it is repelled from the coating by noticing the hydrophobic properties when it is applied to the ceramic coated surface. I am not sure it actually extends the coatings performance any more than just having the coating on the seat. Abrasion is going to be the remover of both.



I would not worry too much about it. At least I did not when I recoated two interiors with a reapplication of Gyeon Leather and the other with Cquartz Leather. Simply wipe clean and recoat and back in business. No worry whatsoever or over thinking.

303 is nice but it just seemed to attract more dirt. Sort of like CarPro Perl and other leather conditioners. The leather sealers do a better job of that.
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Guz ... how much slickness does Gyeon Shield add to the leather seats?
 
Some all around Leather Cleaners and Protector for me has always been Zaino Z9 Leather Soft Spray Cleaner and Zaino Z-10 Leather in a Bottle or Duragloss leather care products. I been using / trying Colourlock Protector products for awhile on Leather and Non Leather and they work very well.
 
SGM2008 said:
Guz ... how much slickness does Gyeon Shield add to the leather seats?
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I would say as slick as when a typical leather conditioner is applied but the effects just last longer. I can feel it when I get out of the car but not so much while I am driving.
 
IGL leather works great. I have used it on multiple occasions.

As for redoing it we suggest using IGL multi diluted a bit to wipe it down. I`m sure a diluted APC would work if needed to get it ready to recoat before using the standard IGL Precoat wipe down.
 
Justins00ss said:
IGL leather works great. I have used it on multiple occasions.

As for redoing it we suggest using IGL multi diluted a bit to wipe it down. I`m sure a diluted APC would work if needed to get it ready to recoat before using the standard IGL Precoat wipe down.
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I`d sure use something acidic after any APC, since most of `em are alkaline and that`s really bad for leather.
 
Thanks everyone!

I went ahead and ordered up some of the Gyeon Leather Shield and cleaner.

I did see the page on Katzkin`s website about "just wipe it down", but I still always wonder....is whatever they used really going to hold up for 5+ years? The leather has a 3 year warranty, and even though they seem like a good company to deal with, I always question the "just wipe it off and thats it!" because after 3 years from now if the leather starts fading, cracking, etc....was it because all I did was "wipe it down"? Could I have taken better care of it that whole time?

I will reach out to Katzkin directly some time this week....if they tell me absolutely not for the leather shield, I will just use it for one my cars that came with leather from the factory (which oddly enough tell me in the manual to do more than just wipe it down...)

I will also be ordering up some of the Spinneybeck stuff that Stokdgs mentioned in the linked post. I have 2 other cars I can use it on, so it will be nice to see how it works in comparison to the Gyeon coating. I have used a leather coating before (CQuartz Leather) and I think it worked well but have a tough time being able to tell if its time to replace it or not. I might just start using a traditional product (like Spinneybeck) at regular intervals and leave the coatings for my truck since it will be outside 24/7.

Thanks again.

-Chris
 
chris03tl said:
I have used a leather coating before (CQuartz Leather) and I think it worked well but have a tough time being able to tell if its time to replace it or not. I might just start using a traditional product (like Spinneybeck) at regular intervals and leave the coatings for my truck since it will be outside 24/7.

Thanks again.

-Chris
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The easiest way to determine if the coating is in the seat besides the way it feels is to clean the leather seat and then take an eye dropper and drop water on the surface. If it is hydrophobic the water will bead tightly. If the coating is worn then the water will lay flat and look like it’s about to be absorbed into the leather.

Simply recoat after the initial cleaning to prep the surface. It’s not that difficult.

The abrasion is going to do a lot of the removal depending on how often the seat is sat in.

I posted this in one of my videos on the review links I posted on your Autogeek thread. I think it was the Leather Shield review.

Also Gyeon Leather Shield is very similar to Cquartz Leather in terms of performance. The only difference is in the application where Gyeon self levels.
 
In my experiences with Detailing all types of leather in vehicles, from the exotic Italian, German, English, Swedish, Japanese, and American, the most important thing one can do is to keep the leather clean from dirt.

Dirt is what actually causes cracks in leather, because it can have abrasives in it, and as they rub back and forth across the leather in - creases ,- these abrasives cut, and keep cutting in there and eventually you have cracks in the leather top layer..

So, just keeping the leather surfaces wiped off alone, will help extend their lives..

The best products I have always found predictable, and proven, from my own experiences to clean, protect, and condition, are still the Old School Favorites, Zaino Z9, Z10, and Spinneybeck Finished Leather Cleaner, Conditioner, & Protector.. I sometimes use Leather Master products as well..

None of the products I use provide - "magic, amazing, leather changes, coatings, etc..", but they do provide and have provided decades of consistent, perfect, leather conditioning and protection..

Lots of great choices out there..
Dan F
 
While I`m extrapolating from leather footwear/clothing, IME leather will often crack at the creases due to flexing even when it`s kept spotlessly clean. I have cracked leather that`s simply *NEVER* been dirty, not even the slightest dust. The places where it creases eventually cracked but that`s never caused any kind of actual problem. I figure it`s a matter of how the leather is finished during the items` manufacture.
 
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