Touring - Question about Brooks Saddle leather:

Is there any way to turn a saddle that looks like this:
(see attachment 1)

to something like this:
(see attachment 2)

in short, the answer is no.

the one on the left is stained with sweat any probably oil. even if it were sanded or scaped off the process would leave the surface rough, like suede.

the only part that could be made to resemble the one on the right would be the metal rivets. the easy way to do that is to ride it more often. looks like they have oxidized to some extent.

I prefer your first photo, though it could do with a little more riding. Mine has only the front tip that is anything like your second photo :)

z

I'm actually not convinced that the Brooks in the first photo isn't a 'brown' while the second isn't a 'honey'

If you want to turn photo one into photo two, you have a few options; Craigslist, Ebay, or the trade forums here.

You want an un ridden saddle , to just sit along side and Admire?

You need to go to a leatherworker... someone who takes hides and dyes them and finishes them.

It looks like a brown saddle to me, and the other is a honey. There might need to be a bleaching process, and finishing it so the surface is sealed might be another significant issue. Plus, you'd need to think hard about the type of dye to get the depth of colour and avoid streaking (I have a Brooks saddle that has streaks in the dye, so even the pros can make mistakes).

I suppose my photo is not very good - it was definitely at some point a honey saddle. The photo was taken by an old crappy cell phone, inside, at night... I put the photo on here really just to show the darkening in the middle of the seat. It sounds like this is pretty standard after a certain amount of use. I just wanted to make sure that the person who had it before me didn't negelect it or anything with this darkening as the outcome.

Thanks for your thoughts.

-koosk

Looks like someone applied too much neatsfoot oil.

Nope, it will get all nice and dark with more use :)

z

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/countrydirt/IMG_0135.jpg
Same saddle with flash
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/countrydirt/IMG_0136.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/countrydirt/IMG_0134.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/countrydirt/IMG_0137.jpg

5 years old, Proofhide, rain, neatsfoot oil, rain, sunshine, general abuse.

Same saddle with flash

5 years old, Proofhide, rain, neatsfoot oil, rain, sunshine, general abuse.

How many km on that saddle? It doesnt seem to have a lot of sweat staining?

z

Well if you want something to look the same as it does new you probably should have not gone with leather. There is no going back in time. I think that is one of the charms of a Brooks saddle. Now you didn't mention why you want to change it. Is it darker than you want? Is that it is now different colors? You can make it overall darker, but the dark areas may still be darker than the others. Never seen anyone make leather lighter.

I vastly prefer the used saddle look. Looks loved. I don't think it looks abused. Ride, enjoy, and take good care of it henceforth. If it starts to look dry or something, whatever, lube it a bit. Leather is pretty durable stuff. "Beausage" a la Grant Peterson

I'm just going to use this thread as an excuse to post a picture of my old friend.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/5789239386_e08aa236b2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/49518332@N08/5789239386/)
IMG_1757 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/49518332@N08/5789239386/) by Fletch521 (http://www.flickr.com/people/49518332@N08/), on Flickr

I don't understand this thread.... . The more aged and beat up a brooks gets, the more beautiful it becomes!

Yep. Gorgeous.

I can't wait for my brooks saddle to look like said picture.

I suppose my photo is not very good - it was definitely at some point a honey saddle. The photo was taken by an old crappy cell phone, inside, at night... I put the photo on here really just to show the darkening in the middle of the seat. It sounds like this is pretty standard after a certain amount of use. I just wanted to make sure that the person who had it before me didn't negelect it or anything with this darkening as the outcome.

Thanks for your thoughts.

-koosk
Ahhh... now that you say that... I had a honey Brooks Team Pro which I sold to a friend who rode it LOTS, and the next time I saw it, the saddle wasn't a honey colour anymore. So, that is what is going to happen.

Incidentally, I have a well-ridden B17 in black that also has lost its colour with sections going grey instead.

I just got an "aged" B17, primarily because I like the pebble grained surface. Brooks specifically says NOT to put Proofide on the top of the aged leather - is there anything I *can* put on there to give it a glossier finish?

I suppose I could just ask Brooks, but what fun would that be? :lol:

KeS

is there anything I *can* put on there to give it a glossier finish?

Mileage. That plus your sweat and the buffing from your riding gear will give it that nice leather sheen.

Mileage. That plus your sweat and the buffing from your riding gear will give it that nice leather sheen.

I dunno, when I first picked it up it sat in the back of the truck for several hundred miles, and it doesn't seem to have improved it a bit!

KeS

I dunno, when I first picked it up it sat in the back of the truck for several hundred miles, and it doesn't seem to have improved it a bit!

Hmmm, maybe you should have sat on it while driving, through humid country with no AC and the windows closed? :)

I just had a mental image of the B17 mounted on my BMW S1000RR. Umm, no. :)

Ok, I was just wondering because the "aged" really has a raw leather looking surface, very unlike the normal finish or even the finish on some of the special B67? utility saddles with pebbled surface.

KeS