Leather sweat band care?

[Redfokker]

I don't know exactly what you're replying to, but I wholly endorse this post.

I heard they massage the Kobe beef that way. Sounds good to me.

 

[alanfgag]

Alan, it would though I have one that I had to remove from an old Stetson in an effort to preserve it. After wearing the hat a couple of times, the sweat began to come apart. Improper storage on the prior owners part, I suspect. Maybe just old? It seemed fine when I first received the hat.

A sweatband with The Fray oval mark is pushing a century or older. I have several and haven't been able to bust one up yet. This one was in an old well worn western that I got from Justin. It's been resewn and worn a ton but it is still in remarkable shape.

 

[mayserwegener]

I have my share of sweatband war stories. The picture below is of my hundred year old Buffalonian yeddo straw boater. (The liner stain is from a prior owner's hair pomade). It had a very soft and supple sweatband. I wore it once in 90+ degree heat on the fourth of July. I still wear it often. Not sure that any type of emollient would have helped. A waterproof coating, perhaps?

View attachment 86957

I wish I had a photo of an early 50s Borsalino sweatband that shriveled up under similar conditions. I have had a couple old sweatbands crack like your Buffalonian Yeddo.

 

[FedOregon]

The more I read about leather care the more confusing it gets. It's like you need to know how the leather was tanned and dyed to give it the proper care.... that is, IF you're going to use any kind of leather conditioner.

Pecards has one lotion for "antique" leather made before the 70's, another for general use, one for motorcycles, one for .... good grief.

None of them list their ingredients.

 

[RJR]

The more I read about leather care the more confusing it gets. It's like you need to know how the leather was tanned and dyed to give it the proper care.... that is, IF you're going to use any kind of leather conditioner.

Pecards has one lotion for "antique" leather made before the 70's, another for general use, one for motorcycles, one for .... good grief.

None of them list their ingredients.

Very true.Russell of moccasin fame have a discussion of leathers and treatments on their site;its worth reading.That said I don't remember anyone having issues with either Lexol or Bickford 4.

 

[alanfgag]

The more I read about leather care the more confusing it gets. It's like you need to know how the leather was tanned and dyed to give it the proper care.... that is, IF you're going to use any kind of leather conditioner.

Pecards has one lotion for "antique" leather made before the 70's, another for general use, one for motorcycles, one for .... good grief.

None of them list their ingredients.

I guess each must hoist with his own Pecard.

 

[alanfgag]

(I've wanted to use that for a long time).

 

[moehawk]

Wouldn't it be great to know the treatment that was applied to Stetson's Fray sweatband?!

Passenger pigeon oil. Or perhaps unicorn blood...

 

[KarlCrow]

I guess each must hoist with his own Pecard.

pecard

 

[Bamaboots]

All of the leather treatment companies ingredients are proprietary. I used Lexol for years on saddles and bridle leathers as well as Bickmore 4 without a noticeable difference between the two.

I think all of the companies have tried to reproduce one of the original tanning agents and leather treatments which are the brains from the animal the hide was taken from boiled in water.

 

[FedOregon]

(I've wanted to use that for a long time).

Well played, Sir, well played!

 

[FedOregon]

View attachment 87094 pecard

Zing!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I think all of the companies have tried to reproduce one of the original tanning agents and leather treatments which are the brains from the animal the hide was taken from boiled in water.

In some other countries leather is still being tanned in animal urine. It's a cheaper & speedier process.

 

[FedOregon]

Some conditioners make the point off saying their product is good for leathers tanned with a certain process, but not necessarily for others. Aren't most leathers tanned and/ or dyed with vegetable products now? Brent Black says as much on his website for Montecristi hats.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

 

[FedOregon]

Leather sweatbands are thin and have a life. When they dry and become brittle, their life is at an end. Moisturizing the leather will not bring it back. It might soften, but it will have the strength of a wet tissue. If retaining the original sweatband in a hat is important to you, pay close attention to the condition of the sweatband before you purchase a hat. Don't sweat a sweatband that has seen the end of its life. It can be replaced and the hat will wear as good as new.

For a sweatband in good supple condition, the oily moisture from your forehead will be a good conditioner. Other treatment is not necessary or helpful.

I have to say, I am now agreeing with you on this. I had a perfectly good sweatband on my 50's Stetson backbow fedora. In looking at the sweat, it appeared to be a little dry. So I applied Lexol deep conditioner to it. Now it's all wrinkled, the edges are flaking off and the sweat seems to have shrunk. This looks to have stretched the stitches on the back of the sweat enough to cause tearing of the leather ans now there is a wide split at the seam.

No telling how many years of use was left in that sweat before I got the itch to condition the leather...

Before pics:

After pics:

.

 

[alanfgag]

A painful illustration... sorry it worked out that way.

Virtually all of our hats have "a leather sweatband." We have to keep in mind that over the hundred or so years represented by our collection, materials changed and methods developed... sometimes to make a better product and sometimes because of material shortages or cost pressures of hard times or a declining market. Lexol or Pecards will not have the same effect on every sweatband. Best to tread carefully if you tread at all, I think.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Some conditioners make the point off saying their product is good for leathers tanned with a certain process, but not necessarily for others. Aren't most leathers tanned and/ or dyed with vegetable products now? Brent Black says as much on his website for Montecristi hats.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

I can't speak to sweats, but most shoe leather is chrome tanned these days.

 

[Just Daniel]

Amazing pun. Well done.

I guess each must hoist with his own Pecard.

 

[splintercellsz]

I've had great results with Natural Mink Oil.

Every hat in my collection has had it applied, and it works wonderfully.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I've had great results with Natural Mink Oil.

Every hat in my collection has had it applied, and it works wonderfully.

That’s all the endorsement I need. I’ll start using mink oil. Thanks Justin.