Bike Forums - Saving Leather Saddle?

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Hah, shows you how old my tins of Proofide are, there's NO ingredients listed on them...kind of makes you wonder where the Cod Oil is coming from, I've heard the cod fishery is practically extinct. Funny too that they use "paraffin wax", as that's strictly a US terminology, AFAIK...in the UK paraffin is kerosene.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirMike1983 (Post 4926643)

I've been trying to get proofhide for years, but have never seen it in any of the local shops.

It's easily obtained online. Some retailers such as Wallbike specialize in Brooks stuff, but even Nashbar has prrofide.

Ah- online it is then. I'm going to order some proofhide and give it a shot.

Is it worth getting the Brooks spanner too? Is anyone here getting use from them? Or are they somewhat of a dead end? I read somewhere (I think Sheldon Brown's site) that adjusting the nut is a bad idea for most people. Is this sort of thing hard to adjust properly to the point that I shouldn't try it?

How about online retailers- I see Wallbike, Harris, and Nashbar all have this stuff. Are any of them problematic to deal with, or faster and better service than the others?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirMike1983 (Post 4927981)

You are likely to lose the saddle tension nut spanner before you ever use it. In addition, I believe a lot of saddles have been ruined by improper over-tensioning of the saddle bolt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by andygates (Post 872092)

After turning a Brooks into evil cardboard through systematic abuse, I rescued it with ordinary dubbin. Generously covered it on both sides and put a plastic bag over it overnight, repeated the next night (the leather had "drunk" all the dubbin), and then buffed off the ast of the slime and finished with another overnight of Proofide. That did the job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike (Post 4913879)

... contrary to what you might think is common sense, dried out leather needs to be re-hydrated before oiling. Wrap the saddle in a damp towel for half a day. Then, let it dry for about an hour without the towel until it is moist like a fresh piece of Wonderbread. Then, oil and heat the oil in by putting in the sunshine OR using a hair dryer.

I have a dried-out leather saddle I think I'll try restoring using these two pieces of advice: rehydrate, then treat with dubbin/mink oil.

Question for the experts: since the saddle has shrunk a little, it will get re-stretched when it goes back on its rails ... when in the process is the best time to stretch it? When wet? when oiled?

Old post but a useful one. I like that there is no consensus on how to salvage a cracked leather saddle. . . . But at least there are some ideas to try out; I can't make it much worse than it already is, :).