Help with oiling old stiff saddle so I can use it again

[cmickey]

Good day to everyone, I have an old western saddle that sat in barn for years at my sisters farm until I found she still had it buried away. It was drying out, but not beyond re-use. I did some research at saddle places on line and think I even found some from members at this site.

I have called myself all sorts of names now and probably even found some new ones to call myself -- i put olive oil on it to revitalize the leather - my nice old 47 year old saddle (give or take a few years from when it may have been made - i turned a nice tanish colored leather to basically brownish-black -- YES, i am very upset with myself and continue to call myself names.

 

I know I can never undo my very big mistake and mess up - as saddle is still usable and more comfortable then newer one --

But is there anything I can do to bring out the fine tooling designs on my saddle? And what kind of sealing or wax can I use now to seal in the oil and make it at least somewhat more presentable.

Thank you to anyone a head of time for answers and help and please, I know I've made a grievous error and I cannot stop kicking myself in the butt for what I have done to a once very beautiful saddle. I just want to see if I can at least highlight the tooling. 

I am unable to upload my pictures (too big), if anyone would like to see them in order to help me, we may need to use another method.

Carol

 

 

 

[TSes]

Next time try Lexol conditioner on your old leather. It replenishes oils and only makes a slight change in color, if any. I don't know of any way to highlight the tooling. All the regular ways to do it make the leather darker. I've never used olive oil, so I don't know how it will react with standard waxes or finishes. 

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

First of all Carol, don't beat yourself up too badly. While I'm not a fan of olive oil (I use neatsfoot oil), no matter what you would have put on the saddle, it would have darkened it.  Oftentimes, the leather itself dictates how dark it will get after oiling.  Some leathers will darken more than others with the same amounts of oil used. There is no way that I know of, and I've been doing this nearly my entire life, and the last 25 of it as a business, that you can apply anything to leather to recondition it when it has been left dry for years that will soften and recondition without darkening.  Lexol has shown me nothing on a really dried out saddle. I tried it many years ago and was unimpressed.  I bought some a couple years ago for a couple saddles I really wanted to stay light, and was equally unimpressed. The reconditioning process takes many light applications over a period of time, even weeks. More light oilings will darken a little less than a few (or one) heavy application.  I will use water also at different points in the process to first clean the leather, and later possibly to try to even out and get the oil dispersed more evenly. It is a long and time consuming process.  Time may lessen the darkening effect somewhat and restore the color back to a more mellow tone as the oil continues to migrate throughout the leather fibers, although it will never be "light" again.  A finish coat also helps the color, and can make the leather look not quite so black.  On the restorations I often use Urad as a final step.  It adds a nice gloss, but is not permanent so won't interfere with later oilings/conditonings. A little of the Urad goes a long way.

[Diyer]

I had an old Western saddle that I reconditioned.The leather was cleaned with Oxalic acid.There was a small amount of tooling-nothing fancy. The leather came up a nice colour, which I did not want to darken. I used R.M.Williams saddle dressing, which is an Aussie product also available in the UK. There might have been a little darkening, but not much.

[MoonlightFarm]

Glycerin soap to clean and Lederbalsalm to restore. Leave the Lederbalsam on for at least 24 hours then wipe with a microfiber cloth. Repeat as needed. 

DO NOT USE ON SUEDE OR NUBUCK !! Will ruin and darken the leather