Restoring old bag

[Bodra]

Hello, i've got myself a nice catch on flee market ... an old leather messengers bag and it has a beautifll patina all over it. Now... what I am looking for is to clean it up and restore oils and fats to it. Since I have on experience on this matter at all I though I'd ask you guys what to do ? I plan to salvage leather and use it to make minimalist wallets or some other small leather goods. Edges can be nicely burnished but when I try to fold leather it starts to crack.

I though I'll start with saddle soap to clean it up and let it try before applying oil or fat. Will Mink Oil or Neetsfoot Oil help here? Or something else?

Any help is appriciated.

 

P.S. I'll post pictures of bag later this day.

Edited September 22, 2018 by Bodra

[Sheilajeanne]

The leather may be beyond saving, but neatsfoot oil is my go-to remedy for restoring dried out leather. It will darken the leather, though. I'd apply it on both the flesh and grain side to get good penetration.

[Riem]

I've used a combination of neatsfoot oil, leather balm and in one case a stick of fresh very soft beeswax rubbed on and heated slightly with a hair dryer to revive the leather, although it is not a quick and easy process. To restore the look, I've dyed over scuff marks once the treatment of the leather is properly absorbed, and then added another light coat of neatsfoot oil once the dye has dried.

In my experience, worn out stitching presents as great a challenge as the esthetic aspects. One sometimes have to almost deconstruct the item and then restitch by hand to get it into a usable state. This can be a pain as the leather between the stitch holes can tear through if you pull the thread too tight.