How do saddle shops get a shine on a used saddle?

[kypeep]

Hey Guys,

Turning to the experts here to help me out (once again!). I've got a Sean Ryon 2004 model that I'm getting ready to sell. I've cleaned it with Fieblings soap, put a little neatsfoot oil on it, and buffed it up. Looks good but still doesn't have the "shine" that it would if I sent it back to Ryon's and had them clean it. So, how do the saddle shops and ya'll experts do it? And how do I get the conchos gleaming too?

Thanks in advance!

[whinewine]

Hey Guys,

Turning to the experts here to help me out (once again!). I've got a Sean Ryon 2004 model that I'm getting ready to sell. I've cleaned it with Fieblings soap, put a little neatsfoot oil on it, and buffed it up. Looks good but still doesn't have the "shine" that it would if I sent it back to Ryon's and had them clean it. So, how do the saddle shops and ya'll experts do it? And how do I get the conchos gleaming too?

Thanks in advance!

master's quick shine?

[Randy Cornelius]

personaly I am okay with the saddle soap but that is where I stop. I do not oil with neatsfoot any more because of the inconsistancy of the several manufactures of so called neetsfoot oil . I use only Wesson 100% pure vegatable oil now. Oil real good and let it set where it's warm for 24-48 hours it will return to the natural color, then come back with a coat of Fieblengs leather conditioner, rub in good with a scrap of sheeps wool and it will bring out a good shine. Also may want to follow up with a coat of Tan Kote. It will buff to a good shine if not satisfied with the other.

Randy

[heath]

In the shop I worked for all we ever used to clean was Lexol. First we went over it with Lexol PH leather cleaner and then with Lexol NF ( neatsfoot but a non-darkening formula). If you rub in the cleaner with a piece of wool, the used a toothbrush for the tooled areas it will get the dirt out that is what caused the most damage. We dealt with alot of show guys( ropers and pleasure) they were big on keeping there saddles as light as pssible and this combo left them shining and with as little darkening as possible. We oiled our new saddles and tack with olive oil, it gives a nice light honey color and goes on even. We never had to set stuff out side to even out the color, like I've read in several places on here.

Edited July 4, 2009 by heath

[rustyriggin]

Leather Sheen, or Saddle Lac is what some folks use, if your just looking for what the high shine is, a liquid aerosol spay wax

[Saddlebag]

I have pretty good luck with glycerin soap, golden for med. to dark leathers and a colorless for light leathers. I'll wet my hand and rub on the bar until it's quite tacky, then apply to the leather. When this is dry I use an old flannel rag and buff to a pretty good shine. I one time, and believe me it will be only once, did a spit and polish on the seat of an english saddle. With directions off the internet I started until my spit was depleted. Drank lots of water to replenish the spit. The entire time I'd dab a cloth to my tongue, then to the polish and apply in a circular motion. Three hours later the finish was still hazy. I think I'd drunk a gallon of water by this time. About the beginning of the 4th hour the haze began to disappear. Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel. Sweat running I soldiered on. Then it began to shine all over with a depth to the shine like I'd never seen. Four years later and plenty of use, the shine remains.

[secondcrk]

You can not, I repeat NOT. get Neatsfoot oil to shine. I don't know how many times I hear this again and again. Glycerin saddle soap can be buffed , but places like Mccall and Courts use Fiebings Bag Coat to give the saddles a shine. Yes you can use Saddle Lac or neat -Lac type of products, but they do seal the pores of the leather, but they shine!

[spur2009]

Everyone is pretty much right on. Ain't much I can add. In ref to Wesson oil. It's great and I have used it for yrs. However, you don't have

to buy the expensive stuff. You can do the same with generic oil as long as it is 100% veg oil. Also do not use neat lac or other laquer

type finishes as them cause way to many problems. Your silver conchos will shine right up with tooth paste. By the way, I really

like Black Rock for a final finish on saddles and othe leather grear.

[hidepounder]

.....apply LeatherNew (it has liquid glycerine). It cleans and refurbishes the leather and can be buffed to a nice shine. I think it is common for people to over oil. They apply it when all they needed was a little saddle soap. You can re-apply NeatLac if you need to, but be sure everything that was applied prior is thoroughly absorbed and dry first.

[jwwright]

I agree with Bob. Leather New is a great product for general cleaning and conditioning, and can be buffed to a mellow shine. Over oiling is a bigger problem that I see, rather than under oiling. If you want a nice shine beyond what you can get by buffing Leather New, I use Tan Cote on both new saddles and clean/refurbish jobs. JW