AngelGendy

I'm not new to leather work or rivets, but I'm wondering if anyone here has changed the rivets on a Leather saddle?

I have a couple standard models with the steel rivets, and I'm thinking of changing them to copper.

Does anyone have any tricks they'd like to share?

Thanks!

iab

I paid the local shoe/leather repairman $20 to repair a tear in the leather and put on new rivots.

Amesja

Could you give us a close-up of the tear/repair iab? How did they repair it?

garage sale GT

You might be able to find a decorative cap at the hardware store. You could epoxy them over the rivets, maybe.

:andrew

+1 I have a ripped Ideale saddle I would love to get repaired.

Amesja

I wonder if it was a structural repair or if it was just cosmetic. Those shoe cobblers from "the old country" could fix just about anything though. Too bad everyone buys disposable shoes these days and they are a dying breed.

Doohickie

I had a Brooks repaired by a shoe repair place. He bonded a leather patch onto the bottom side of the ripped leather. It didn't hold up long so I replaced the whole saddle (just put it on yesterday and rode it the first time today).

AngelGendy

There's a waxed cotton material that could be used for a structural repair but I doubt it would be pretty.

iab

It was your typical tear at the nose of the saddle.

I had the repairmair line the entire bottom of the original leather with a new piece of leather. The two pieces are bonded with adhesive. Rivet holes were put through the new leather. Essentially, the new leather on the bottom now carries the entire load. The original leather is merely a "fascade".

I did mount it and it did work for a ride around the block. The saddle is now in storage waiting for the correct frame.

iab

Amesja

Wow, you got a good deal on that work! Some of those shoe guys work cheap. Just the materials seem like they should cost more than that.

Which shoe place did you go to? I'm in the city but if I need a good deal on a saddle (or shoe for that matter) repair I think I want to go to your shop!

iab

I supplied the rivets. He also stuck to his original quote although he implied he underestimated the time needed. I was his first saddle repair. I don't know if he will let the low price happen again.

I used Angelos' Shoe Repair.

Amesja

I might have to find a fresh victim then if I ever need to do a seat. But it sounds like he is underestimating repairs a bit so maybe his shoe/boot prices are really cheap. I'll still keep him in mind -thanks.

:andrew

That looks great. I'm headed to my local shoe repair shop tomorrow!

bikamper

Not a Brooks, a Middlemores.

I replaced rivets in this twice. First time was to repair the rear of the frame. I used plated brass rivets from the local mom and pop hardware store.
Second time was when this happened.

Used copper rivets on that repair and fillet brazed the frame together this time instead of sweating it. It's held together for four years.(fingers crossed)
Got Dunelt branded B66 in the wings waiting for new copper rivets but the mom and pop hardware store closed.

AngelGendy

A package arrived today.....

AngelGendy

fast forward 10 minutes...

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

AngelGendy

As suspected the nose was a HUGE PITA! Now the wife is making me eat dinner.....

rootboy 

Well. That looks fantastic. No fast forwarding! For those of us interested, can you tell more? What did you use for an anvil in the nose? Where'd you get those classy rivets? How the heck'd you do that!?
You're own deep blue B-seventeen team pro,

Nice...

a77impala

I have replaced the leather on a few Brooks and you need to make sure the rivits are peened to be flush with the surface of the leather.
If not you will feel them, first peen the underside so the rivit is tight then the top, be careful not to strike the leather. Copper is pretty soft
so you don't need to hit them very hard. Just finesse them to flush.

AngelGendy

I tried a couple things in the side rivets on the nose, but I ended up starting them with a punch, and finishing them with..... a big old pair of vice grips.

I'm still working on the finesse part but it looks like I can have a saddle on my bike when I ride to work tomorrow...

AngelGendy

One if the rivets needs to be replaced because I worked it a little too much, and it's not holding well but so far it's not too bad of a job, and it wasn't too hard to do.

3speed

I was hoping you could expand on this a little. I have a Brooks seat that is ripped, and plan on replacing the leather. I do have some leather that's about the same thickness, but not quite smooth and slick on top like a Brooks. Also unsure of how to get it to contour to the frame. ...Or did you just order new leather from Brooks(Can you do that?)?

dokydoky

I'm also interested in this- I have a nose-ripped Brooks and I'm curious about my options too.