I don't think Proofide caused that. I bought a B-17 that seemed extra hard (for a B-17), so for fun I heated it up in an oven, slopped Proofide on the underside until it wouldn't soak in anymore, slopped it on top several times, and repeated the process after a month or so. I used up at least half a can on that saddle in this "experiment". I now have about 500 miles on the saddle and it seems like it hasn't softened up a bit. In fact it looks like new compared to other saddle I bought at about the same time. I don't think Proofide does much to soften these things, which is probably why guys like Lon Haldeman soaked them in motor oil instead.

I've got a chemist friend in the cosmetic chemistry sector....the Proofide ingredients list is easy enough to come by

Tallow, Cod oil, Vegetable Oil, Parrafin wax, Beeswax, Citronella oil

see? no mosquitos on my saddle!


extra points!

So is the $10 to buy a 10 year supply of the stuff......

I use neutral shoe polish...it works well, a tin of Kiwi is $4, and in 700 miles, my B17 is a bit wrinkly on the top, but has no indication of stretching or sagging. Then again, the wrinkles are right at my butt bones, and I'm a fatty...

These "Brooks treatment" threads crack me up. Proofide is readily available, is a proven entity and recommended by Brooks, and costs less than a buck per year per saddle. Sure, on a per-ounce basis it's expensive, but I use just a few grams per application so don't feel too badly used when I do it. How much cheaper does an alternative treatment have to be to justify the risk of damage to a $100 saddle?

Having said that, I like mickey85's idea.

You can all just man up and break 'em in without help. Not a drop of anything but butt sweat.

I respect and attempt to follow Man Law.

This isn't for breaking it in, it's just sealing the leather. But yeah, I just bought some SnoSeal, so I'm good to go.

I'm not sure what you're on about but the rest of us are discussing bicycles.

I was recently in a drizzly climate and didn't have proofhide for my old saddle, so I put some NiKwax , not the spray on product, but the paste which comes in a tube or a can, which I use for my hiking boots, on it; not much, just enought to coat the surface to prevent the moisture from making the saddle wet.

I was all out of proofide, so for those that say it lasts them 10 years they probably haven't treated as many saddles as I have in the last 2. I don't use it too heavily or too frequently, but between my saddles, treating saddles for the coop, and lending some to friends mine was gone, and I had a 1970s vintage saddle in excellent condition, but that probably hadn't been treated with anything in over 30 years.

I also had a little tab of beeswax, an almost empty Mink oil tin, and a fully stocked kitchen, so I put the beeswax in the tin, and melted it on the stove, then added olive oil until the resulting mixture was soft enough to spread. The resulting paste is thicker than proofide by quite a bit, but when I rub it onto a cloth I can spread it thinly onto the saddle, or melt it onto a warmed saddle.

Olive oil is widely recommended in the maintenance of horse saddles which use similar hard leather, and beeswax is used in many of the products folks use on their brooks saddles including Proofide. The cost of a large shoe polish tin's worth is less than $2. The results speak for themselves.



70s Brooks Professional by mattface, on Flickr

How timely this forum is. I'll have some bike-y issue come up, formulate a question about it, and find that the very subject is being discussed. (Of course I only have these questions because I started reading C&V in the first place!)

So I just picked up a Wright's saddle for $8. Have to look hard at those pics on CL sometimes. It seems to be in good shape, the leather all intact and smooth, but it is hard as a rock. I did a light Proofide treatment on top and bottom and let it sit in the hot sun after doing so. It looks prettier now but still seems just as hard. I have to admit I have not ridden it yet; maybe that would help, but I'm leery of entrusting my hiney to the equivalent of a 2x4 for two hours. Any thoughts?

Did you also rub some garlic on it?

Mama mia! That's some tasty saddle....

I think you'll be fine. It's a hard leather saddle; it's supposed to be hard. It should be comfortable from the beginning. If it becomes more comfortable over time, it will be mostly from your getting accustomed to it; the saddle's shape may change a little over the years, which is fine, but not to be encouraged.

I'd love to pick up a rock-hard Wrights saddle for $8. They're great saddles.

Give it some time; if you don't like it, you can easily sell it again.

Thanks rhm. The Wright's wasn't advertised as such; a guy was selling off lots of parts, mostly crap, and had pictures of them by category; there were 6 or 7 vinyl saddles and this one in the photo at $8 each...I emailed immediately to ask if it was leather. I also have a Brooks Pro coming from a C&V trade. Between the two I will know for sure if this type of saddle is for me!

Sorry for the mini-thread-jack!

Someone here on the forum recomended Lansino breast feeding cream. It worked pretty good but I have to wonder if Udder Butter would work for those who haven't just weened their children.

I recently bought a tub of the V-O saddle conditioner but haven't used it yet. Has anyone else?

https://store.velo-orange.com/index.p...ddle-care.html

Neal

https://www.pecard.com/mm5/merchant.m...ode=leathdress

I've used Pecard's on Wright and Ideale saddles for years. Also works great on old camera leather.

Top

I should also add the the product I've used on completely dried out saddles is the horse tack treatment Ko-Cho-Line:

https://www.beval.com/Products/Ko-Cho-Line/5031001.aspx

It smells awful, but a layer slathered on the bottom of a dried out saddle, then leave the saddle in a big in a warm place until it absorbs, really works well.

Neal

Hi folks!

I know it's beaten subject but wanted to share what worked for me better than anything else. I ride about 30 miles of the Lake Shore Bike Trail almost daily, including winter. Chicago weather gets wet and the salty spray from the road hits the road bike saddle from beneath and above, so daily saddle care is a must. Here's what works for me better than Proofide: Weekly application of a thin layer of Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative (LP) for waterproofing and daily application of a very thin layer (a few drops) of Farnam "Leather New" Liquid Glycerin based soap for cleaning and brilliant, glossy shine. Both components are 100% natural and work like a charm keeping my saddle in a like-new condition, despite the harsh riding environment. I was using Proofide before but the two make my saddle feel and look better. Not to mention that the two components will probably last for life.. :-)

Happy riding!

HA! me too. a little goes a LONG way.

I use the sqeezins from the adrenal glands of adolescent ....

Oops.

I think the secret, which of course, there isn't one, is that both Proofide and Snoseal are waxes mixed with a little oil. Not much oil, but oils suspended in wax. I personally would never use an oil that might go rancid. Not sure if olive oil goes rancid, but I wouldn't use it myself. Snoseal and Proofide are relatively cheap.

Says so right on my tin...

You needed a chemist to figure out the mystery ingredients?