Saddle Soap Question

[Timothy]

Howdy,

I have been doing some reading on the internet about the different types of saddle soaps available. I know some people that use it for everything: cleaning, conditioning, polishing, breaking in new boots, and everything else; and others who never use it at all while taking care of their leather goods just as well (or better.)

Here are the types of saddle soaps I have found so far:

1. Cream type- yellow and white, sold in cans.

2. Bar glycerin.

3. Lyquid glycerine- I think Leather New and Lexol pH leather cleaner fall into this category.

4. Conditioner sold as saddle soap that's not (more like a leather balm than anything else).

It seems that the canned saddle soap is highly alkaline and can "burn" or dry out leather if not rinsed off.

I sell boots for a living and have always recommended saddle soap as a cleaner for very dirty boots that should be lathered and rinsed off to get rid of the dirt, before applying the approppriate conditioner - and never on exotic leathers. I like the canned saddle soap for boots, but prefer the liquid (or bar glycerine dissolved in water) for cleaning saddles and other large, tooled articles, mostly for its ease of use.

So my question is what type(s) of saddle soap do you use and why? Also what about Murphy's Oil Soap? I've used it before too.

I figured the best people to ask were the craftsmen thierselves.

Thanks to all who reply. I'm hoping to learn something new here.

Timothy

[Hedge]

Hi Timothy,

I've used only 2 types of saddle soap, so I'm no expert but here's my experience.

My use has been for cleaning my tack and for moistening/lubricating my lace for braiding.

The yellow paste tends to color rawhide a bit and does darken my strings. The white seems

to be more moist and doesn't color the leather. I always wash off the soap when I'm done

and apply an oil or conditioner so, I haven't seen any detrimental effects on the leather. This

goes for 'roo leather, as well. Don't know if that's considered exotic, though.

[Timothy]

Thanks Hedge,

I figured if I washed it off I was O.K. I'm glad you told me you washed your braiding after you were done. One of the reasons I asked the question was because I have been reading about all of you using saddle soap for braiding, casing and edge slicking and no one ever said anything about rinsing it out, so I wondered what kind of soap you were using.

By the way, the reason I researched this was because a customer asked. He had been told to use saddle soap to preserve his fine handmade boots. He evidently used the canned type (without rinsing) and eventually ruined them.

Thanks Again,

Timothy

[Hedge]

Sorry to hear about your customer ruining his boots. Tough lesson.

About not hearing that the soap is rinsed out afterwards...I think it's one of those things that sorta gets

forgotten when passing on information. It seems obvious to some but one tends to forget that it's not

always the case when someone is learning new things.

[Randy Cornelius]

I use the yellow type in the can to slick my edges on projects.

The bar glysern type to burnish my saddle strings and the spray Lexol saddle soap to clean my saddles and tack.

[Rawhide]

I don't know what kind of boots your customer had, but I have a pair of Ostrich quilled boots and the salesman at the store told me NEVER put saddle soap on them (with a significant amount of emphasis on the NEVER).

The only place I ever used saddle soap on boots were work boots and I put it on the inside of the boot to "break" them and prevent chaffing.

Marlon

[ETW Grumpy]

I use the canned type to clean with and occasionally to slick edges. I was told a long time ago to rinse saddle soap off after the piece is clean or it will dry the leather out.

Edited April 26, 2008 by ETW Grumpy

[Timothy]

Once again, thank you all.

Personally, when cleaning I always rinse until my water comes off clean but that is to get all the dirt off. Cleaning leather I've been doing since I was old enough to use a boot brush (still learning though.) Its making stuff out of leather I'm still new at.

Rawhide,

Ostrich is considered an exotic, and they do not react the same as bovine and equine type leathers. The only cleaners/conditioners we reccomend are reptile cleaner and leather balm types that state that they are safe for use on all exotics. I was taught that heavy oils and waxes actually dries out exotics and will crack them. They seem to need to breathe more, and are much more prone to stains than cowhide. I have even seen heavy sweaters stain light colored ostrich boots.

Hedge,

Some bootmakers consider 'roo exotic, probably so they can charge more, and others don't. I have had good luck treating it like any calfskin or thin cowhide.

Thanks,

Timothy

[Knotnutz]

Ok - short question for you all. I use the white soap in a can, and after I bevel my lace, I run the flesh side through it - mainly to help soften it, and to make it a bit slicker to braid.

Reading earlier replies, I see that the 'theory' is that I should be washing it off afterward?????

I also have a tub of the Passier Lederbalsam conditioner, and am wondering if that would be a better product for a leave on conditioner/softener/slicker-er up product??

[Hedge]

Ok - short question for you all. I use the white soap in a can, and after I bevel my lace, I run the flesh side through it - mainly to help soften it, and to make it a bit slicker to braid.

Reading earlier replies, I see that the 'theory' is that I should be washing it off afterward?????

I also have a tub of the Passier Lederbalsam conditioner, and am wondering if that would be a better product for a leave on conditioner/softener/slicker-er up product??

I do exactly the same thing with the flesh side. And, yup, wash it off after I'm done.

As far as using a conditioner, instead, I find that saddle soap gives me the feel I want when braiding. So, I'd say it's a matter

of preference.

btw- when I first started braiding, I didn't wash off the soap. I'd had a work piece that had been lying around for awhile

and decided to unravel it. Wherever the soap was between overlays, the leather was dark and nasty looking. So, now

I wash until the water comes off clean. Then I air dry and condition the leather.

[Knotnutz]

Hmm - are you braiding colored lace or natural? I use a lot of colors - greens, blues, purples - and I also do multi color braids - so am a bit concerned about potential color runs, blending etc.

I'm also curious - how are you washing - just a 'rinse under the tap' or a soak in a basin?

[Hedge]

Hmm - are you braiding colored lace or natural? I use a lot of colors - greens, blues, purples - and I also do multi color braids - so am a bit concerned about potential color runs, blending etc.

I'm also curious - how are you washing - just a 'rinse under the tap' or a soak in a basin?

Colored and natural drum stuffed 'roo. I stick to earth tones and haven't worked with bright colors except red. Haven't gotten

any bleed with that.

I wash in distilled water to avoid possible chemical interaction. (my well water has iron in it...turns leather black.)

[roo4u]

knotnutz...

are you buying precut lace or cutting your own? i cut all my own lace for my leashes and never have to soften it. if you get your lace wet to wash off the saddle soap you then need to apply a conditioner.

[Knotnutz]

knotnutz...

are you buying precut lace or cutting your own? i cut all my own lace for my leashes and never have to soften it. if you get your lace wet to wash off the saddle soap you then need to apply a conditioner.

City girls KNOW that leather lace grows on trees and is carefully harvested onto spools at the crack of dawn.

Seriously - I tried cutting my own lace, and disaster doesn't even come close to describing the result. I would rather enhance the economy by paying for someone else's hard work (or abilty to run a cutting machine).

[rcsaddles]

I started making and braiding rawhide in "93". Mary Fields, who is in some of the Bruce Grant books was my teacher. I use white saddle soap on my rawhide while braiding and have not washed it off. My first reata is hanging in the shop and has had no ill effects of the saddle soap that I can see.

I started braiding roo lace belts while in Australia in "88". I also use the white saddle soap on the strings while braiding. Again, no ill effects that I can see in any of the belts I have made.

I use the yellow saddle soap to "wash and clean" saddles and tack and plenty of water to rinse. Then I let the item dry and oil.

As a side question, what do you all use for oil? I keep hearing to use olive oil as it will not darken leather or come off on your clother like neatsfoot. I have used both and have not noticed a lot of difference other than the neatsfoot darkens the leather a bit.

Just a little food for thought.

Via con Dios

Joe