Treating leather jacket

[Stanley Doble]

I have a good black leather jacket about 10 years old I wear every day when weather is suitable. Just had new zipper and pockets installed. Wonder if I should do anything to treat or preserve the leather. What do you guys do?

 

[mowgli222]

I do not have any suggestions on the treatment, but I would love to see some pictures of your jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

Do nothing unless the leather is dry. After just 10 years it probably won't be. You ought to get 20 years out of it before it needs a treatment.

If you do a search there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of posts on this topic.

 

[Fanch]

Do nothing unless the leather is dry. After just 10 years it probably won't be. You ought to get 20 years out of it before it needs a treatment.

Great advice from @Peacoat and best leave well enough alone.

 

[CBI]

if dry or wanting to get some luster back.......Pecards..........always the best for leather! Others will chime in with other options but I think Pecards may have the best overall track record. You can buy on Amazon

 

[Seb Lucas]

Not sure dressings actually do anything except cosmetically enhance the appearance for a few weeks or months before they fade and dry away, leaving no structural change to the leather. Hasn't stopped me using them. Cheap leather is certainly improved visually every few years by it.

 

[CBI]

Pecards has really helped restore my ww2 jackets and held that restoration for years. Museums use their stuff to restore old leather.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Museums use their stuff to restore old leather.

Not sure that's accurate. I contacted the head of conservation at the Smithonian Institution a couple of years ago about this claim. She advised me that Pecards had no place in their work on leather and that a museum would not use a conditioner on old leather full stop. Maybe the security guard used it on his belt? Maybe it was used for a time in the 1960's before the science of restoration developed. I think the stuff is used by collectors and dilettantes (and, sometimes, by me).

 

[CBI]

I think a lot of places/museums use it. One could get more info from them. I was actually not thinking about the Smithsonian claim but that is interesting.

 

[CBI]

you goy me curious so I asked them at Pecards. Lets see what they say/claim?

 

[Peacoat]

Not sure that's accurate. I contacted the head of conservation at the Smithonian Institution a couple of years ago about this claim. She advised me that Pecards had no place in their work on leather and that a museum would not use a conditioner on old leather full stop. Maybe the security guard used it on his belt? Maybe it was used for a time in the 1960's before the science of restoration developed. I think the stuff is used by collectors and dilettantes (and, sometimes, by me).

Oh, come on Seb, don't burst the bubble. We all know the Smithsonian uses Pecard on its vintage and historical jackets. Well, we knew that until you checked into it, and the Smithsonian denied it. Heresy.

Not sure I believe the denial. If the leather is dry, it needs to be hydrated before it cracks. If not Pecard, then what does the Smithsonian use? If nothing is used, then the leather will eventually degenerate and turn to dust. I have seen that happen to leather horse tack left uncared for and untreated for 60 or 70 years.

So here we go again, off to yet another discussion about leather, leather conditioners and the need, or the lack thereof, for them.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I believe the denial I have checked with other less august curators since here in Melbourne. Sometimes they will make their own chemical treatment stabilisers from scratch but generally with no UV light, and no humidity the leather will be good for centuries. Remember it isn't going to be worn around the barn.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/conservationmanual/File7.htm
Greetings All:
I think this ref has the “Smithsonian Recipe”. It’s a pretty good read if i recall.
I recall a distinction between leather restoration and leather preservation requiring different treatments based on whether a piece is used or just looked at. Two different animals completely. My 2 cents.
Be well. Bowen

 

[Seb Lucas]

It's interesting information ADDH. I suspect that what the Smithsonian has used at time is very different to what is used or done today. And it will be different again in 10 years, most likely. I remember making up a leather conservation recipe back in the early 1980's using some kind of oils and glycerine - it came out of a 1920's restoration guidebook now long lost. I'm sure the recipe did absolutely no good. But it probably did no harm.

Yes, they don't generally use the word restoration - they use the word conservation.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

It's interesting information ADDH. I suspect that what the Smithsonian has used at time is very different to what is used or done today. And it will be different again in 10 years, most likely. I remember making up a leather conservation recipe back in the early 1980's using some kind of oils and glycerine - it came out of a 1920's restoration guidebook now long lost. I'm sure the recipe did absolutely no good. But it probably did no harm.

Yes, they don't generally use the word restoration - they use the word conservation.

Hey Seb:
I may have been premature in posting that ref. I’m not sure that’s the one i was thinking of. Can’t seem to locate the other ones. Thanks for the input.
Be well. Bowen

 

[dan_t]

Back to the OP, @Stanley Doble , you claim to have a ‘good’ quality jacket.
Could you elaborate further?
One persons ‘good’ is another’s mall jacket.

Some further information about the hide type, weight, age etc is essential to provide you with information that could be advantageous.

 

[navetsea]

comparing what museum treat their leather to our practice is not very useful isn't it, in museum their leathers don't need to be supple to be worn and exposed to the elements. I just use whatever brand really and mink oil too, because they make the leather more supple and drape nicer, and somewhat resist water better. and just by having 5 leathers now with rotation I'm confident they would outlast me.... whatever happened to them after I'm dead I don't really benefit of

 

[CBI]

paraphrasing of Phil Wadzinski, CEO of Pecards who emailed me today:

Don't shoot the messenger...........

Says the Smithsonian reference is not something they use or know the origin of. They have no museum endorsements however they have sold to many museums and c/o people at museums. These are not endorsements but museums are at least buying the product.......

 

[El Marro]

If I keep buying leather jackets at the rate that I have been, my collection may eclipse that of the Smithsonian someday.
I use Pecards on my vintage jackets and I have been quite happy with the results thus far.