Randochap

I recommend against Neatsfoot oil.

That's all.

skijor

Don't eat red meat, speed, or rub a dog the wrong way. And of course....believe everything on BF cuz we never blow smoke

skijor

I tried a 'horsey' product on my B17 called Stübben Hamanol. It's used on expensive horse saddles and doesn't darken the saddle. It's main component is bacon fat. Like Proofhide, it did nothing to help break in my Brooks. But conditioning leather never smelled so yummy

Al Downie

I gotta say I think you're all overstating the need to 'proof' a Brooks to an almost paranoid extent! I've been riding my B17 every day for three years now and, despite never being proofed and being soaked frequently, it's absolutely fine - no sign of stretching or cracking, just a little bit of wear around the nose and edges which I think looks quite cool and 'aged', and makes it less attractive to thieves. I do have a Brooks waterproof cover which fits under the saddle, but I mostly forget to put it on when I leave the bike anywhere.

In my opinion, if it was a cherished piece of my cycling heritage or made from the hide of some extinct species and I planned to hand it to my grandchildren from my deathbed, then maybe I'd be inclined to lovingly wax it every month. But it's neither of those things - it's a £35 saddle! Just ride it!

4000Miles

I'm afraid if I used this and hit the wall whilst riding, I'd attempt to eat my saddle. Oh dear...

Shimagnolo

We have bears and big cats in the mountains here.
I hope you'll understand if I decline to ride around with bacon fat rubbed into my backside.

Alox

I found this thread looking for ideas on how to waterproof my new Brooks saddle.

Suddenly it came to me: The underside has to be supple and flexible, but the top has to be sealed against the elements. I chose sno-seal for the bottom, and Mother's Carnuba Paste wax for the saddle top, buffed to a high shine. I figure that if it keeps water beading up on my car's paint, it'll do the same for the smooth leather.

quester

After 1500 miles my Brooks had yet to fully break in (as compared to old brooks you occasionally see), and I'm a clyde. I had applied proofhide a couple times.

One abysmal night we got to camp late, and when the rain hit I was busy putting up my tent, preparing dinner etc, and forgot entirely about the saddle. The next morning it looked fine, but by the end of the day it had taken a new and wonderfully blissful shape. *Much* easier on the tush now.

Alox

Interesting... instead of all the hocus-pocus lotions and potions, the simplest choice maight be none at all?

How has your saddle held up over time?

quester

Actually, kind of hard to tell. This was probably 300-400 miles from the end of that tour, and it was blissful the rest of the tour. Since then, I've probably only biked 200 miles total, plus I'm biking with regular clothes rather than bike shorts. The last time I was on it I felt a bit uncomfortable, but it could be because of the clothes and/or few miles issue.

The reason why I was hopeful after that night was that I'd actually read here on BF more than one person actually advocating exposing the saddle to water one time on purpose. Seemed crazed to me, but when it happened by accident I remembered those posts.

Machka 

Just ride the saddle.

Proofide does not help to break a Brooks saddle in, it just offers a small degree of protection from the elements (i.e. rain) ...... much the same way that chamois cream does not make for a cushier ride, it just offers a small degree of protection for your skin against the elements (i.e. rain and sweat).

When I got my Brooks, I applied a little bit of proofide ... remember, a tiny dab will do. About 6 months later, after riding through all sorts of weather conditions, I applied another tiny dab. Since then I have applied a tiny dab about once a year, and I've ridden that saddle year round through rain, slush, sleet, snow, sun ... you name it ... for 50,000+ km. I've still got about 80% of the tin of proofide that came with my saddle back in July of 2004.

More important than the proofide for protection is the plastic bag carried in the rails under the saddle. In that location it helps protect the saddle from spray coming up underneath, and then is used to cover the saddle to protect it from rain when the bicycle is parked outside a Tim Hortons or convenience store.

And if you want to break a Brooks in quickly .... simply ride it LOTS in all sorts of conditions.

Nota

Butt-sweat & smegma. Works great! YBSMV

[Your Bodily Secretions May Vary]

NoReg

Neatsfoot oil is redered from cow parts. It remains liquid at room temp, and is sold for it ability to soften leather, and kinda has a livestock smell. Leave it out and it goes rancid. On the positive is breaks down the scales on your butt.

I think it is a poor choice for a cycling seat, but then it also depends on what else is in the product you actually get. It can be modified by the seller, so have less undesireable features. And there is also the question of how much one uses. The saddle only needs a light coat for water protection, particularly if you use a cover for downpours or storage. A little dab of oil is not going to significantly change the seat.

I like beeseal. It is just another beeswax product that has something in it to make the beeswax chreamy without the bad effects of oil. I have old tubes of it, like 30 years. And it is still great. Anything similar sold for hiking boots should work. Snoseal was the product we replaced when we brought in beeseal. Snoseal should be fine for the seat, I just never liked it that much. It is based on beeswax, but it sure doesn't look like it. I have made beeswax furniture polish, and it looks yellow, just like beeseal, and smells very non-chemical. You ought to be able to eat it. Just melting the beeswax in the presence of some mineral oil makes a nice polish. Be careful not to set the stuff on fire!

Beeswax is incredibly durable. I use it on the fixed center of my wood lathe. When you turn a piece at high speed the metal and wood interface heats up fast, and smoke starts to form. A dab of beeswax melted into the end will keep it running without recurance of overheating for a long time a 3000 rpm. Never had to suplement the dab of wax.

atman

What you need is some combination of beeswax and oil. The oil softens the beeswax and lubes the leather, the beeswax keeps the rain off.

The OP is in Japan. Assuming you can find none of the above mentioned products, melt some beeswax (candle stub is a-ok) and stir in a little mineral oil. It'll do you fine. There's also no need for this until you've ridden the saddle in for awhile.

vettefrc2000

Could not have said it better.

ChrisH120

Don't obsess too much: it's a saddle, and it will be fine.

On the Transam I treated mine OK, covered it whenever I thought it might rain and stuck a bit of proofide on there, but if it rained while I was riding I wouldn't stop to put a bag on it and when it did get wet I didn't fret. It still looks the same and was comfortable for all 5000 miles.

My mate treated his like crap; never covered it in the rain etc. but his... is fine as well. Still comfortable, looks a bit scuffed up but that's just because he used to always dump his bike on the ground at food stops.

A Brooks will take a hell of a beating, so don't worry about it. Try to cover it when it rains, but don't worry if you can't.

myheadsashed

https://www.shoeshinekit.com/chelleatfood.html

I've used this before, much cheaper and does a v.good job.

fuzz2050

when my brooks gets wet, I rub a little tri-flow into it. It seems to work well enough

sknhgy 

I bought a b17 and proofhided it well. The rain started early on our maiden 45 mile voyage. The saddle and I got soaked. Now it fits my butt like a glove.
I agree with the folks who say just ride it. If I didn't have proofhide I would put some kind of beeswax-based treatment on it. Just for looks if nothing else.
I have another b17 that has never gotten wet and it's taken much longer to break in, but it too has developed "dimples" in just the right places.
The nice thing about a Brooks is that once they are broken in you have a tendency to forget about them because your butt doesn't hurt anymore.

curbtender

I have a local boot dealer who will cover, in and out, my leather saddles with mink oil (as a favor). Good idea or not? Most are in dry/poor condition.

roadfix

Sheldon's break-in approach is way off base.

Machka 

Personally, I wouldn't do that but maybe if they are in really, really bad shape ..........

kaliayev

Mmmm bacon!

kaliayev

Kinda makes sense with the soaking rain. Way back in the day on my first day at boot camp our drill instructor thoroughly soaked everyone's boots. I hate wet feet, but it quickly broke in our boots.

goraman

There is a lot to be under stood about treating leather.
In a dehumidified museum or privet collection where leather is being carefully preserved for viewing, nothing is applied,no oils,balms or saves of any kind as it regenerates the natural rotting process.

But in the real world of working leather it needs lubrication and protection.
Water,U.V. light, dry wind, heat ect.. all do horrible damage to untreated leather over time with out some care.
An untreated saddle never having gotten soaked in water may last 10 years but properly treated and not abused or neglected will last a life time.

Do Not use mink oil it both molds and rots leather,it also stinks for days.
I used a very thin film of neatsfoot oil in the stress points but I do mean very thin film as you can quickly over soften leather that needs to be some what ridged as it has to support nearly 200 pounds of ars over a small steel frame with out over stretching.

There is nothing in Brooks proofide that will rot or harm you saddle over your life time if sparingly applied and will keep it supple so I highly recommend it.
That and a good bees wax to seal it from humidity or rain.
I use a thin film of neatsfoot oil just in the center of the saddle and I do mean very thin film!
Then I remove the frame and springs and use Doc Martins Boot dubbin a wax on the under side of the saddle and the outer edges as it will repel water and moisture while still letting the poors of the hide breath.
I then use a soft diaper rag with Brooks proofide over the whole top,just a dab will do it a dime size on a very large saddle. After everything has soaked in I then use a little boot dubbin rubbed over the top and sides to keep out moisture.
Last but not least a nice water proof cover should always be with you just in case as just one time letting the leather become soaked will shrink your saddles hide and stiffen it horribly when it drys out.
Leather and water = leather looses every time.
Snow seal as bees wax it's awesome, and boot dubbin has some in it too.
But more important than wax is a good rain proof cover,or even on very hot sunny days it will protect that all important hide.

There are probably other products that will work but I'd stay with the Brooks Profide because it's the best product for the job.
After break in never use the neatsfoot oil again, I would then use the Proofide once a year and wax 2 x a year.

There is no need to over do it.
Keep your butt clean and use saddle soap to clean it from time to time and you can pass it on to your kids.