Leather restoration products that actually work?

[blacknight]

Silly question I know, but I am interested in the opinion of the masses on the multitude of products out there claiming to restore leather to its former glory.

I am not willing to part with my hard earned pennies for any old rubbish you see on a shopping chanel!

My interior does not have serious problems, it just needs freshening up!

As per usual, your advice is appreciated and opinions valued!

Cheers

Iain

[GeoffSmith]

Elanman and others recommended Liquid leather products. Although I got some, I haven't used it in anger but it smells pretty good!

Geoff

[blacknight]

Geoff

Thanks! I did wonder what the smell was!

Just checked their site, looks good, just got to work out what colouy my leather is now

Cheers

iain

[paza1]

I have used this http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Restoration.htm.
I used the grey no. 11 on lightly scuffed seat (half leather) and it worked really well.
Mark

[Rambo]

Iain,

I have used AutoGlym products for a no. of years with good results.

Use the spray on leather cleaner first if you haven't done anything for a while and this removes all the muck and grime that has built up over the years. Then rub in the leather care clean, leave for a few minutes to absorb into the leather, then buff to a shine with a duster. Your seats'll smell like a new sofa. Repeat the latter step a couple of times a year to keep the hide supple.

Both are available from Halfords for about £5-£6 - possibly cheaper if you have a local motor factor

Mark

[theelanman]

Iain
if youre on about recolouring then check out woolies
http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/
they do a dye kit to recolour faded leather
I just use the liquid leather stuff to clean and feed the leather and its spot on......
cheers
G

[lotuselan4455]

The only experience I have is with Gliptone Products, I did my Esprit years ago which was in very poor condition. I've just started on my elan but not sure how this'll turn out as the quality of the leather isn't the same and it's tri-coloured.

[Nige]

I can recomend both Gliptone Liquid Leather and the Autoglym equivalents. I've used both with good results and no problems. The Liquid leather probablt gets my preference because it smells good.

[max and andy]

We have been using Auto Glym leather care cream. The seats are in good shape and we just wanted to keep the leather fed. We found that the Auto Glym looked great soon after applying and we raved about it. But a couple of days later we found the black leather very dull. And hard to get much of a shine. We thought we would give it a chance and try again but use less. Still a day later back to dull grey looking. On close inspection it looks like the leather has faded a touch. Even though no black colour comes off on the polishing cloth. So we have stopped using it. Has anyone had any issues with Auto Glym? A&M

[nitroman]

Leave it on the animal so the natural sebaceous glands oil the dermis.

Failing that myself, and having tried MANY different leather products, my opinion is that loyal application of any DEDICATED leather cleaner/conditioner keeps the leather both clean & oiled. I try to do the seats every time I clean the fascia. You'd be surprised how much gunk will build up on top of your leather if you don't constantly wipe it off.

Here is my product of choice: http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_d ... MEG+G11210
I'm not gaga over any other Meguiar product. Consider this their finest acheivement, and something you can only get from online specialty shops, or directly from the source.

[max and andy]

We picked up some Meguiars Gold cleaner conditioner. From Halfords. We tried it on the couch first. It seams OK. At least we are getting a bit of a shine. While out we needed to pick a new dog collar up from the local saddlers. They advised Connolly Saddle conditioner. It looked the part. Looks a bit like a tub of Brill Cream. But 10 £ a pop. I was tempted but had just bought the Meguiars. Anyone tried it? Andy

[The Ref]

Do not use it, it is not to be used on this type of leather. Try and get hide connolly food or grison balm.

Billy

[tigerdog]

My current favourite is not a restorative for cracked or discoloured finishes, but a preservative called "Belvoir Leather Balsam". My brother found it at a local saddle and tack shop. Using the logic that they sell saddles that cost more than Elans and they recommend the stuff, he bought a tin. Works wonders! Makes the leather look shiny and more to the point, makes it soft and supple. We've used it on everything from leather sofas and chairs to aging hides in my Elan and 740i plus his S6 Avant. It even makes German leather feel supple. And it's made right in Merry Olde...

[nitroman]

We picked up some Meguiars Gold cleaner conditioner. From Halfords. We tried it on the couch first. It seams OK. At least we are getting a bit of a shine. While out we needed to pick a new dog collar up from the local saddlers. They advised Connolly Saddle conditioner. It looked the part. Looks a bit like a tub of Brill Cream. But 10 £ a pop. I was tempted but had just bought the Meguiars. Anyone tried it? Andy

Note that the liquid doesn't work as well as the foam. Don't know why but that's how it is. The foam soaks immediately into the leather whilst the liquid tends to sit on the surface.

[GeoffSmith]

According to Nick Fulcher over on LEF who is Lotus' trim consultant:

"Hide food is a lanolin based cream supplied Connolly Bros and is made for cellulose based leather but Cellulose based leather was phased out about 1988 - 1990, there is not a defined cut off date and it depends upon what stocks and colours of leather Lotus had in stock as to what year the change over happened.

If you try and feed water based leather it will not soak in and will remain sticky until you decide to buff it all off, even some of the so called renovation and colour kits will remain sticky as the colour has to be sealed after the colour has been applied, we have tried a few of them and put them all in the bin.

We are now testing some leather pigment and special transparent sealer from the Leather Federation Tech Dept and will let you know of our findings later."

This might explain some of the issues people have had. I will get in touch with Nick and see if he will keep us updated, but keep an eye on the LEF thread.

[Doug]

Leave it on the animal so the natural sebaceous glands oil the dermis.

Failing that myself, and having tried MANY different leather products, my opinion is that loyal application of any DEDICATED leather cleaner/conditioner keeps the leather both clean & oiled. I try to do the seats every time I clean the fascia. You'd be surprised how much gunk will build up on top of your leather if you don't constantly wipe it off.

Here is my product of choice: http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_d ... MEG+G11210
I'm not gaga over any other Meguiar product. Consider this their finest acheivement, and something you can only get from online specialty shops, or directly from the source.

knowing that Matt's recommendations are always poignently good, I just did a little point, click, and ship on his link above. Viola! Got me 2 cans of the stuff yesterday; haven't been able to stop applying it to both my cars until I covered every spot on them! This stuff is nice! No stickiness; no residue; just smooth clean leather = yum. Haven't felt the leather this good for who knows how long.

Thanks for the rec, Matt

[Enright]

Moved in order to delete a duplicate thread:

Hi,

Id be interested to hear from anyone who has had there seats re-dyed by using one of the kits that are available, such as those produced by woolies?

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-117-lea ... ation.aspx

or have used the colour specific re-conditioning balms such as:

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leathe ... ration.htm

Ive seen them mentioned several time on this forum but haven heard any reviews or found pictures of the results. How good are the results and how long does it take? My seats arnt bad, ive got blue s2 seats with only 62K on the clock but the color has rubbed off in places along the centerline piping and it looks like something has been spilled on a small area which has removed the color from the seat.. If these kits give good results i may give them a go.

Cheers,

Marcus

[GeoffSmith]

Hi,

Id be interested to hear from anyone who has had there seats re-dyed by using one of the kits that are available, such as those produced by woolies?

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-117-lea ... ation.aspx

or have used the colour specific re-conditioning balms such as:

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leathe ... ration.htm

Ive seen them mentioned several time on this forum but haven heard any reviews or found pictures of the results. How good are the results and how long does it take? My seats arnt bad, ive got blue s2 seats with only 62K on the clock but the color has rubbed off in places along the centerline piping and it looks like something has been spilled on a small area which has removed the color from the seat.. If these kits give good results i may give them a go.

Cheers,

Marcus

DON'T!

Nick Fulcher (see above) has confirmed that the S2 seats will be water based and sealed for life. Wait for news of his investigations with the Leather Federation Tech Dept.

[Marcus_uk]

DON'T!

Nick Fulcher (see above) has confirmed that the S2 seats will be water based and sealed for life. Wait for news of his investigations with the Leather Federation Tech Dept.

Has anyone actualy tried the woolies scuffmaster stuff... its the only one that I have come accross that is water based.

[whippit]

iv'e got a 91 se with half leather and nothing touches them, iv'e tried most products and they just sit on the surface of the leather,
it looks like a cellulose paint or pigment to me , iv'e give up on them , there not in bad condition but the leather feels like cardboard,