Where can I buy Lexol or good leather conditioner in Sydney?

[tjoek]

Hi wonderful people,

I've done a research on leather conditioner based on the knowledge in this forum (I've been amazed on the knowledge sharing practice in this place) and from my limited understanding Lexol is a good non-petroleum leather condition thus I have decided to give a try (it's to treat my vintage horsehide leather jacket).

Some of the inquiries I'm having are:
- where could I find Lexol in Sydney Australia and how much would it cost?
- I'm also open to other brands should I could not get Lexol here or there is a better brand, thus would any of you to please advise me?
- lastly, could I apply the conditioner to my shoes as well or is it limited to leather jacket only?

Thanks very much. The kind responses are greatly appreciated.

 

[Southernwayfare]

What about Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil? Aero Leather sells it online and my guess is that if Aero sells it they must feel like its good stuff. Maybe you can get it locally (edit..looks like you can get it here. I haven't used it personally. I'd love to hear opinions about it or reqs on something better. Coincidentally, a friend of mine recently asked me if I could recommend something.

 

[Hopalong]

I collected WW II Aviation Flight Gear for 17 years over 16 years ago and not knowing for sure if it's true or not I was sure I heard back then that they found out that using Lexol on old leather like the WW II leather flight jackets and etc, that it was rotting the leather from the inside out. I use Lexol on my newer leather chairs and etc and it works great in conditioning them for me and my wife uses it on her horses saddles.

 

[Lone_Ranger]

I don't know about Australia, but in the US, just about any tack shop, or a few of the chain auto parts stores carry it. It's great stuff, has the proper Ph balance for the leather/

http://www.lexol.com/retailers.html

It can be ordered on-line, you'd have to see what the shipping would cost you. Or email the company, you may have a retailer close by.

From Dehner Boots, website.

One of the questions we get asked the most is how to properly clean a Dehner boot. The answer to this question can vary by leather type but there a few key points you always want to keep in mind.

Sometimes the simplest way really IS the best way. Plain tap water is ideal for everyday cleaning and is the easiest on the leather. DO NOT USE SADDLE SOAP! Now we know this may come as a shock to many but despite popular belief, the saddle soap can actually harm your boots.

The following exept is taken from an article titled "The Saddle Soap Myth" and it was written by Dr. Herndon Jenkins. It first appeared in the Carriage Journal, Summer 1983 Edition.

Saddle soap is a mixture of oil and soap. The soap's cleaning effectiveness is diminished by the need to dissolve its own oils, leaving little useful cleaning capacity to remove the dirty oils in the leather itself.

Soaps are inherently alkaline, but alkalinity is damaging to leather. The ability of soap to emulsify oils and release oil-entrapped dirt is inseparable from its alkalinity. Neutralize a soap solution and it becomes ineffective as a cleaning agent.

Most saddle soaps call for the user to work the lather into the leather but, since the dirt which has been loosened is suspended in the lather, it is pushed back into the leather and into the pores.



After so many years in the business, The Dehner Company has seen first-hand how continued use of such saddle soaps can actually decrease the life of a boot. A damp cloth with plain tap water should always be your first choice but if something more is needed or you have a really tough stain, try to find a pH-balanced cleaner and conditioner such as Lexol.

A dirty welt can eat away at the stitching of your sole. Clean this area often. Dirty Welting
Lexol, and other cleaners like it, have a pH-balanced formula which helps you avoid the damaging effects of alkaline-based soaps. Use these cleaners for the tough dirt and grime, but as with any chemical, use it sparingly and ALWAYS follow your cleaning with a conditioning. Most brands such as Lexol will also make a conditioning product as well. Conditioning helps replace the "good oils" that keep your boot breathing and soft.

 

[rgraham]

I used some Lexol on the leather inside a German helmet. Turned it into potato chips. It was stiff before the "treatment", but after, it was ruined.

 

[tjoek]

Thanks heaps for all the responses! Much appreciated.

In that case how would one treats a vintage leather jacket then if the conditioner root the inside? I'd love to treat my vintage jacket and shoes (not vintage) since I've never applied the conditioner since I got them.
From my understanding applying conditioner on shoes is recommended at least once a month while leather jacket can be longer, but is it the right way to treat them?

 

[Smithy]

Seeing as you are in Sydney, may I suggest that you forget Lexol and wander down to the nearest RM Williams shop and pick up some of their Saddle and Leather Dressing. It is simply brilliant stuff, I've been using it for years and it's the best I've found, I use it on boots, shoes, leather jackets, leather bags, you name it. I wouldn't use anything else.

 

[tjoek]

Thanks for the sound advise.
I'll give RM Williams store a visit then.

 

[dr greg]

the basics

As someone who has been wearing vintage leather jackets for nearly 30 years and still has the first one I ever bought, I strongly advise an equal mixture of beeswax/neatsfoot oil/lanolin melted together in a glass jar in boiling water and brushed on while warm, left overnight, then excess rubbed off with a clean cloth next day.
Trust me, I think I'm a doctor