leather seats - any suggestions to improve cracks/scuffs?

[HangOver]

I have had a read from several posts and it appears there are cleaners and creams you can get that help, not sure if I'm just flogging a dead horse or will this stuff help?
Any ideas on how to improve the surface?

Should I just be looking at replacing the leather?
Don't really want to I imagine it would cost a lot.

leather pictures by downundersteve - Photobucket (http://s237.photobucket.com/albums/ff213/downundersteve/leather/'start=all)

[Sue]

Most of the cleaners and creams on the market are more for either 'cleaning' or 'conditioning' in order to slow down the degradation of the leather; so I doubt that anything on the market is going to bring back the area's that are already cracked.. although it may assist a little with slowing down the progress...

New leather will be as you said expensive but there are some decent leatherettes (fake leathers) on the market now days (not like how they used to be) it might be worth getting a quote from an upholsterer... or have you thought of just covering them with seat covers? :)

[101RRS]

That leather needs lots of feeding to keep it supple. It is not so much that the leather has cracked but the paint they use to colour the leather has cracked.

There are leather repair/restoration kits and there are professionals that can bring your leather back - try googling car leather repair or restoration and plenty of options should come up.

Seats that are being used (like the drivers) should be cleaned and fed once a month and seats that are not used at the send of autumn (so the seats are supple for winter) and at the start of summer so they have oils in them which slowly evaporates in the heat and sun.

Garry

[superquag]

Connoly Hide Conditioner, a.k.a. Hide FOOD, is supposed to be the ants-pants & bees knees...

Try this link to see what it looks like...

Connolly Hide Care Leather Conditioner - NEW!!!!! | eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Connolly-Hide-Care-Leather-Conditioner-NEW-/270794687186)

Dunno if it really IS that good, but I've ordered a jar of it. - My leather is so sun-damaged that the piping is wrinkled and the leather is hard as an old saddle.:(

By the way, the American Food & Drug Admin. has kicked up about leather foods.... so they can't be called 'food', even if its (dead) leather that consumes it... Gotta be named 'Conditioner' or 'Treatment'

[UncleHo]

Any good saddlery shop should be able to supply you with leather dressing, Joseph Luddy products is one that comes to mind :)

[bob10]

Joseph Lyddy's " neatsfoot oil ", part of Lyddy's horse care products. Will restore pliability to dried out leather, does tend to make the leather a bit darker, but doesn't leave a greasy residue. Bit of a satin finish. Bob

[101RRS]

I am not sure horse products are suitable for car leather - very different products. Car leather is painted where saddle products tend to be more natural.

There are plenty of dedicated car products and I am not sure I would risk my car leather using other products.

Garry

[mike 90 RR]

Don't really want to I imagine it would cost a lot.

Neither do I .........

Highway Motor Trimmers - Motor Body Trimmers - Midvale, WA - Yellow Pages® (http://www.yellowpages.com.au/wa/midvale/highway-motor-trimmers-12020228-listing.html)

Old school boys,


Cheers
Mike

[superquag]

I am not sure horse products are suitable for car leather - very different products. Car leather is painted where saddle products tend to be more natural.

Garry

Basically you're correct, the surface is a polyurethane and its intimately bonded to/in the leather surface. Its contains colouring.

(not just LR, but nearly all leather-trimmed vehicles, the exceptions will be clearly advertised and priced accordingly)


From an hour or so on Google, its clear that saddle-soap is a Bad Idea, as is the use of products with oils or solvents, as they either damage the surface or sit on top of it.

Water-based products can permeate the poly, and moisturise the underlying leather. - The oily molecules are much larger.

And theres a good chance that I've wasted $30 on the Connolly's. Ah well, I blew more on the RR, and the Connolly's can be used elsewhere in the house. :wasntme:

Here's one site that is mentioned regularly.

Home Page | Leatherique Restoration Products (http://www.leatherique.com/)

Seems we need to do the hard (research) yards... or find a REAL leather expert...

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

This mob in the UK actually has Land Rover colour dyes and restoration kits. They will post to OZ.
I am going to give it a go once I find out what my leather colour is
Leather Colour Charts (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Colour_Charts.php)

Car Interiors Leather Repair & Restoration (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Car_Interior_Repair_Restoration.php)

[PhilipA]

Geez, you must have plenty of money.
There are leather reconditioning guys that visit motor trimmers who can revitalise leather to look young again.
Basically they fill in the cracks with spackle and repaint the leather in its original colour.
To me the cracks and scuffing on your seats are not bad and should come up well.
Regards Philip A

[87County]

a furniture recovering guy that I know swears by beeswax for lounges - & I've found subsequently that it works well on knife pouches and binocular cases - I'll have to ask him about car trim

[roverfan]

Check out bowdens own leather love for keeping your leather clean, great Aussie company developing awesome products.

I use their stuff exclusively on my cars, including my in the build drag/show piece.

[bob10]

[

Seems we need to do the hard (research) yards... or find a REAL leather expert...[/QUOTE]

Ummmm, scrooge, got the leather, afford the " expert".

[superquag]

....Ummmm, scrooge, got the leather, afford the " expert".....

- Hoping one will crawl out of the woodwork ! :arms:

Thanks Roverfan, here's the address for Bowdens:- http://www.bowdensown.com.au/leather-care-blog

The leather love he mentioned is $23 for a spray bottle , or $144 for 5 litres

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

This mob in the UK actually has Land Rover colour dyes and restoration kits. They will post to OZ.
I am going to give it a go once I find out what my leather colour is
Leather Colour Charts (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Colour_Charts.php)

Car Interiors Leather Repair & Restoration (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Car_Interior_Repair_Restoration.php)

i just placed an online order, 250ml of leather colourant is is 14GBP and 6.40GBP airmail 5-7 days. The payment system automatically charged me 2.33GBP VAT included in the above prices, sent them an email ,will see if the refund the 2.33GBP?

[HangOver]

let us know how it looks when done, maybe a pic??

[DiscoMick]

Another vote for beeswax which actually conditions leather, unlike many products which merely colour it. Basically, smother it in beeswax, let it soak in for a couple of days, and then smother it again. I use it regularly on leather shoes and on leather in the Disco. Previously cracked areas may lose much of their cracking with regular treatment.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

let us know how it looks when done, maybe a pic??
yep will do,

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

This mob in the UK actually has Land Rover colour dyes and restoration kits. They will post to OZ.
I am going to give it a go once I find out what my leather colour is
Leather Colour Charts (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Colour_Charts.php)

Car Interiors Leather Repair & Restoration (http://furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Car_Interior_Repair_Restoration.php)

The leather dye arrived today.
I'm pretty impressed in the end result. I only purchased the 250ml bottle, and only used a couple of drops of it, so it will last for years of scuff repairs.
They also have restoration kits for badly broken leather.
Pic #1 THE SEAT BEFORE DYE.
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7861/s6300174y.jpg

PIC #2 Dye applied and dried with Hair dryer as recommended.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/228/s6300175.jpg

PIC #3
after dye has dried and some Mcguires leather treatment applied to nourish leather.

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6374/s6300176n.jpg

PIC #4 The Dye used & purchased for UK site I mentioned..
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/6138/s6300177.jpg

[sheerluck]

That's an impressive difference. I've got a little Renault Scenic that I'm in the process of repairing to sell that has leather that looks slightly worse than your "before" shot.

Worth a try!

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

That's an impressive difference. I've got a little Renault Scenic that I'm in the process of repairing to sell that has leather that looks slightly worse than your "before" shot.

Worth a try!
I don't know if there is an Aussie place that custom makes dyes, but the UK mob will if you send them a small sample of the colour they can custom mix it.

[DiscoMick]

Or you could just soak it in something clear like lanolin.