What Do I Use To Condition & Seal Suede?

[Newbee]

I made my Grandson a checker board for his birthday. It is Suede. What do I use to Condition & Seal it? Any suggestions would greatly appreciated. Learning Granny

Edited September 6, 2011 by Newbee

[TwinOaks]

Granny, suede leather is produced by chrome tanning (or chrome-oil tanning), which varies quite a bit from vegetable tanning. The leather we use for carvings, holsters, sheaths, saddles, etc. is veg-tan leather, and is subject to absorbing moisture, then drying out and getting very stiff. To prevent this, we condition and seal it. Chrome tanned leather won't get stiff like veg-tan because it was tanned in a different way. Though it might need to be cleaned periodically, using a suede cleaner, you don't need to worry about sealing it.

Also, most of the products we use as sealers ( like lacquer based, or wax based liquids) would cause the suede to lose it's soft feel.

[Newbee]

Granny, suede leather is produced by chrome tanning (or chrome-oil tanning), which varies quite a bit from vegetable tanning. The leather we use for carvings, holsters, sheaths, saddles, etc. is veg-tan leather, and is subject to absorbing moisture, then drying out and getting very stiff. To prevent this, we condition and seal it. Chrome tanned leather won't get stiff like veg-tan because it was tanned in a different way. Though it might need to be cleaned periodically, using a suede cleaner, you don't need to worry about sealing it.

Also, most of the products we use as sealers ( like lacquer based, or wax based liquids) would cause the suede to lose it's soft feel.

Thanks for your input!..Since my Grandson is 8yrs. old, I am trying to think of a way to protect it a little. Do you think if I sprayed it with Scotch Guard it would effect the stain or texture, or should I leave it alone?

[TwinOaks]

Honestly, I don't know.... I rarely use suede. There are several commercial products available, or you might call your local dry cleaner and see what they recommend.

[amuckart]

3M Make a product called Scotch Guard Protector that is advertised to be for suede. Anything that isn't waxy or oily and will dry and allow the suede to be slightly fuzzy should be fine.

Granny, suede leather is produced by chrome tanning (or chrome-oil tanning), which varies quite a bit from vegetable tanning.

Suede is mostly chrome tanned these days, but the word only describes the surface treatment, not the tannage, so you can have veg tanned suede. Most of what we think of as suede is really skivers, the leftover stuff from splitting chrome leathers down to thickness. As far as I know, true suede is a brushed finish on full-grain leather.

That was really an aside, the checkers board is almost certainly chrome tanned.

[Newbee]

3M Make a product called Scotch Guard Protector that is advertised to be for suede. Anything that isn't waxy or oily and will dry and allow the suede to be slightly fuzzy should be fine.

Suede is mostly chrome tanned these days, but the word only describes the surface treatment, not the tannage, so you can have veg tanned suede. Most of what we think of as suede is really skivers, the leftover stuff from splitting chrome leathers down to thickness. As far as I know, true suede is a brushed finish on full-grain leather.

That was really an aside, the checkers board is almost certainly chrome tanned.

Thanks!...I will certainly take a look at the Scotch Guard Protector. I appreciate everyone's input. I am glad I ask before I started trying something. I would have leaned toward something waxy! I am working on the checkers now. One set has crossed riffles stamp and the other a bow with arrows. My Grandson killed his first deer when he was six. He will be eight in Nov. He loves to play checkers and is very excited about his board.