Saddle Soap

[Wink]

Hey all,

I have a tin of Feibing's Saddle Soap (can't remember why I bought it but probably because buying stuff is half the fun for a newbie). Anyway, I have read alot of articles on how saddle soap has a tendency to harm leather. My question is, when and why would I use saddle soap? Is it only harmful to already sealed leather or veg tanned leather? Should I just throw it out?

Thanks,

Wink

[DoubleC]

Wink, I use saddle soap on every project I make out of veg tanned to burnish my edges with. I'm not sure of what articles you are referring to. I've never seen it mentioned here that saddle soap may be harmful. Perhaps it would be to a rough out leather or suede but I don 't use it on those leathers. Cheryl

[Wink]

Oh, it wasn't here, Cheryl. Just on the most reliable source ever - the internet! Some talk of the ph level of it and how it degrades fibres - especially when used to try and restore and clean old leather.

And you reminded me of another question - edges seem to be a tricky thing and so far I've just been sanding, wetting, buffing, waxing, then buffing again my edges (all by hand). At what step would you apply saddle soap? and what function does that serve?

And thanks!!

[mikesmith648]

And let me guess..........Your BF you met on the internet.........and he is a French model???

[Cyberthrasher]

And you reminded me of another question - edges seem to be a tricky thing and so far I've just been sanding, wetting, buffing, waxing, then buffing again my edges (all by hand). At what step would you apply saddle soap? and what function does that serve?

Wink, please take a look at Hidepounder's tutorial on edge finishing. The saddles soap is used as a lubricant and slicking agent.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=18101

[Wink]

Great, thanks Cyber!

And Mike - my girlfriend isn't a French model, she's a Swedish model. Yeah, Swedish - that's it...

[oldtimer]

Swedish ? Lucky you!

[Slicknick]

Personally, I use the gum, with a burnisher to finish off my sides. I've heard that using saddle soap is really only good if you don't have any gum tragacanth around.

[Cyberthrasher]

I've heard that using saddle soap is really only good if you don't have any gum tragacanth around.

I don't know. Since the day I started working with leather, the one constant I hear from the experienced pros is that Gum Trag is nothing more than a crutch. I've never used it myself. I use the bar glycerin saddle soap and I get perfect durable edges in no time.