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deborah195412

Leather Smell

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I have 2 questions.

1 ) Why do some leathers have a distinct leather smell and other leathers not have much smell at all.

2 ) Can a leather scent be restored once the smell has become weak.

These probably sound like stupid questions, but I have had customers ask me these questions and I would like to be able to provide answers when asked.

Edited by deborah195412

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I have 2 questions.

1 ) Why do some leathers have a distinct leather smell and other leathers not have much smell at all.

2 ) Can a leather scent be restored once the smell has become weak.

These probably sound like stupid questions, but I have had customers ask me these questions and I would like to be able to provide answers when asked.

Nope ! Perfectly good questions.

1. Leather itself really doesn't have much of a smell unless it's rotting. What you are associating with leather, as an odor, is due to the oils, waxes, finishes, etc that are used to preserve the leather. The smell of leather, like any odor, is due to the receptors in your nose picking up on the volatiles that are released from the leather. The smell is usually going to be more obvious in vegtable tanned leathers, and particularly in those that are heavily oiled like latigos, and perhaps some bridle leathers.. That, of course, will depend on the age of the leather, it's amount of exposure to circulating air, sunlight, heat, etc. Or perhaps, just how recently it was reoiled.

Chromium salt tanned leathers have very little smell compared to veg-tan and oiled leathers. That is because the chemicals simly do not release much in the way of volatiles for your nose to pick up on.

2. Sure you can restore the smell. There are many leather conditioners/restorers that are scented to smell like new leather. A Google search should turn up a multitude of hits. I believe I have even seen aerosol sprays advertised to make your car smell like new again. I guess that would be a leather like smell. LOL perhaps they even have one to smell like new plastic.

Edited by WyomingSlick

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