Newbie Saddlebag Project

[Rumblestiltskin]

Hi All, utter newbie here. I have been lurking on this forum trying to educate myself a little, really good site!! Leather work has always fasinated me, and I now find myself with time on my hands to actually get involved and start doing some of my own stuff to dress up my motorcycle.

My first project is the restoration of a pair of really old and abused Leather motorcycle saddlebags, so i am looking for advice on best methods to bring the leather back to life, and to reform/shape the bags.

I found these bags squished under a pile of old tyres in the back of a small Harley workshop. They had had a pretty hard life before being cast aside for about 2 years. Fortunately they have always been dry so there is no mould, leather itself is sound. There are some marks and scratches but that doesn't worry me too much as they are part of the bag's character. Some of the stitching needs to be redone as well, i may even invest the time and re do all the stitching.

I know there are plenty of good restoration products out there, more interested in any tried and tested techniques or process for restoring.

Also, how can I go about reshaping the leather to its former bag shape? Like i said, they have been squished under tyres for about 2 years and are more pancake than bag Would i warm them a little to make the leather pliable? Wetting them and letting then dry over some kind of frame or shaped form perhaps? Is there a specific product or process i should be using to reshape? This area is something that I have to admit i know next to nothing about...

Appreciate any and all advice :D

[rdb]

Welcome! Plenty of bike stuff here, so read as much as you can.

I would suggest wetting the leather, and stuffing with something to shape 'em up. Maybe a weight on the flap areas to get out curl. After drying, apply light coats of oil, letting it dry thoroughly between coats so as not to over oil. Pick up Al Stohlman's book on stitching, and you should be good to go.