Leathers maintenance

[tod.branko_imp]

I was just enjoying my time cleaning and waxing my favorite leather jacket, got me thinking of other people would do it like this and how often, so I thought I'd collect some of your experiences and preferences when it comes to leather maintenance. You can imagine that desert riding is not very nice to the leather, sand in the air is abrasive and accumulates in all the little creases and stitches, leather dries out fast and get stiff, so having it always cleaned and protected goes a long way. I use different types of protection, from regular old shoe polish for my Stylmartin army style boots, to wax for the jackets and other leather shoes. I even use some automotive leather protectant sprays for my gloves because I found the gloves to be the toughest to maintain as they are very intricate in design and regular wax is difficult to spread and reach everywhere. I use a vynil/rubber/plastic spray for my dirt dime boots though because materials are perplexed throughout the boot, and I found that it does well with the leather parts of the boots too (it's the same thing I'd use for my motorcycles seat)

Any view and comments are appreciated, especially gloves maintenance ideas. Thank you!

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

 

[Cormanus]

I wear my leather jacket so seldom that it requires little maintenance. I wipe the bugs off occasionally and have cleaned it with ordinary shoe polish once. I think. My gloves mostly take their chances while I clean my boots regularly with who polish.

 

[tod.branko_imp]

That's interesting! What do you wear? Textile? I'm guessing if you are in a place where rain is likely perhaps gore-tex?

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

 

[Houtman_imp]

For my Daytona boots I use the Daytona Leather Polish which smells different but nice. For the zippers I use the Daytona Turbogrease , also an excellent product from the company making the great Daytona boots.

 

[max]

Initially i used "snowseal", it worked but i found it too stiff, then i found
some yamalube mink oil, it is a pleasant smelling white paste which i rub into my jacket with bare fingers when the jacket is warmed up in the sun.
Probably twice a year one light coat and my 40 year old jacket had leather wax ( it was all there was at the time ) applied several times a long time ago and recently got some mink oil treatment, it is still fine and supple.
Gloves get some mink oil from time to time and look as if they will last for years to come.

The Corbin seat gets snowseal on the leather part and that works fine, grip is what you would expect from leather, it's fine.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

(+1) on the mink oil, sans the yamalube.

 

[the Ferret]

The bugs just add legitimacy to a motorcyclist's jacket. I do Lexol my leather jackets (I have 3) once every couple of years to keep them soft and pliable, but truth is I wear mostly textile these days.

 

[Cormanus]

That's interesting! What do you wear? Textile? I'm guessing if you are in a place where rain is likely perhaps gore-tex?

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

Tod, when I got back into riding a decade ago, I looked longingly at leather jackets, thought about the heat of the summer where I live and bought an RST Ventilator III all-weather jacket. It's not as cool as leather, but I've never regretted it. The textile shell is as cool as anything can be in the heat of summer (not nearly as hot as the UAE, I'll grant) and the waterproof and thermal liners provide plenty of temperature control options. Hence the leather is a local-use winter option and doesn't get a lot of use. I need to get a better understanding of the layering options underneath it to make it more useful in the cold.

 

[tod.branko_imp]

It makes sense, and I agree that leather is not an option for the summer heat, it's a winter thing for me, too, when temperature goes up mesh is the only option. Or nothing. My problem with all weather jackets is that in the hot season once I remove the thermal and waterproof liners the jacket just hangs on me, and if I pick the size to fit me without liners then it's impossible to wear once they are on

'14 CB1100 STD 5 speed

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Triumph-branded textile used all seasons, however, I resist using in summer. The humidity is just too much. I use mesh textile instead. Otherwise, spring, fall and winter, down to -50F at freeway speeds is not a problem.

I think I dumped the leather back in early 2000s.

 

[4 Paws_imp]

I clean and oil my jackets, boots, and gloves at least once a year - I’m anal. Use something similar to mink oil, gloves get it several times a year. Touch up rough spots with Freibings (or something like that) to restore/repair color. Works well on boots. Polish them regularly.

 

[zirconxi_imp]

2 days ago I just took my jacket out from storage (been in storage for a year plus). Small mold had form on few spot, I wipe it off and wore it out these 2 days. I just wipe with slightly damp clothes and air dry using fan, after that rub with mink oil. I notice most leather jacket inner fabric will rot before the leather itself. Personally I felt taking care of the inner fabric is more difficult. As for wearing leather in hot weather, most rider I know wear perforated jacket, me included, or hybrid jacket with leather only on critical area. Personally I felt perforated jacket wouldn't be much different than Goretex jacket. Both are hot when not moving.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

2 days ago I just took my jacket out from storage (been in storage for a year plus). Small mold had form on few spot, I wipe it off and wore it out these 2 days. I just wipe with slightly damp clothes and air dry using fan, after that rub with mink oil. I notice most leather jacket inner fabric will rot before the leather itself. Personally I felt taking care of the inner fabric is more difficult. As for wearing leather in hot weather, most rider I know wear perforated jacket, me included, or hybrid jacket with leather only on critical area. Personally I felt perforated jacket wouldn't be much different than Goretex jacket. Both are hot when not moving.

RE leather jacket inner lining deterioration:

Agree on non-motorcycle leather jackets. Pretty pathetic in my experience, even some custom handmade stuff However, motorcycle gear that I have experienced did not shred. I think half decent motorcycle gear is well made enough not to shred inside.