went to the shoe repair shop today to drop off some boots. saw the meltonian stuff but meltonian is a brand (i thought it was the product) and there was some mink oil by them and then some other stuff, saddle soap-type stuff. which is it that people use on their hermes? the guy working there said that the mink oil made stuff too greasy and he preferred this other stuff (looked like a tiny container of car oil - that's just what it reminded me of. it was liquid-y), but he didn't know that we weren't talking about hermes...i don't care what he recommends for shoes and such. he asked if it was for my bag and i said yes and he commented that it looked like it wouldn't need anything for a few years yet, but i would feel better if i could give it a little drink once in a while (it's already 3.5 years old and been in snow and rain, but it's had 2 treatments at hermes already). any advice would be appreciated - i go back to pick up the boots on wednesday.
oil? wax? what does it take?
- Thread starter HiHeels
- Start date
hiheels, that was probably neatsfoot oil or some other leather oil. there are three primary leathercare items: oil, soap (or other cleansing agent) and conditioner.
oil is used on saddles, baseball gloves and the like when new and then just a couple times a year after that. i did use oil on my hermes sac sellier, which is made of vache naturelle -- but that's essentially saddle leather, and so i treated it like a saddle. i wouldn't use this on any other hermes leather unless it was very old and dry. mink oil is just another leather oil, but it does have a waterproofing effect -- so people will apply it to shoes etc. to keep the water out.
saddle soap or other glycerine soap is used for cleaning, and while it does also condition the leather it's primary purpose is to remove dirt. your bags probably don't need this.
conditioners are applied on a periodic basis to keep leather soft and supple, and they can also help polish or develop a patina. if anything, this is what you want for routine bag care -- but be careful in what you select, as many of them will darken leather. hermes makes all of the above leather products (which smell DIVINE) for their saddles, and i do use them for my bags -- but there may be a reason they recommend meltonian over their own product for the purses. don't use a conditioner over spots or stains, as it can cause them to become embedded -- send it off to hermes and let the pros handle it!
HTH
oil is used on saddles, baseball gloves and the like when new and then just a couple times a year after that. i did use oil on my hermes sac sellier, which is made of vache naturelle -- but that's essentially saddle leather, and so i treated it like a saddle. i wouldn't use this on any other hermes leather unless it was very old and dry. mink oil is just another leather oil, but it does have a waterproofing effect -- so people will apply it to shoes etc. to keep the water out.
saddle soap or other glycerine soap is used for cleaning, and while it does also condition the leather it's primary purpose is to remove dirt. your bags probably don't need this.
conditioners are applied on a periodic basis to keep leather soft and supple, and they can also help polish or develop a patina. if anything, this is what you want for routine bag care -- but be careful in what you select, as many of them will darken leather. hermes makes all of the above leather products (which smell DIVINE) for their saddles, and i do use them for my bags -- but there may be a reason they recommend meltonian over their own product for the purses. don't use a conditioner over spots or stains, as it can cause them to become embedded -- send it off to hermes and let the pros handle it!
HTH
:shame:
avandome -- missed you at h today!
oil is good for dry leather. you apply it sparingly to the flesh side of the leather (the unfinished side) and it soaks in -- after a day (or even less) you should be able to touch the leather without getting oil on your fingers. follow oil with conditioner to both sides.
i can bring some next friday if you want to try it out -- i have lots left from when i bought my saddle.
oil is good for dry leather. you apply it sparingly to the flesh side of the leather (the unfinished side) and it soaks in -- after a day (or even less) you should be able to touch the leather without getting oil on your fingers. follow oil with conditioner to both sides.
i can bring some next friday if you want to try it out -- i have lots left from when i bought my saddle.
Hi, pm me next time you are local!
Would you recomend oil or cream for a originally soft and smooth,
now dry and flaky
leather sofa? I bought it because it made me think of barenia or almost a soft version of box calf,( 8 years ago)
Now it looks like a cow, with a bad sunburn that is pealing!ush: 
I tried some lotion that once it soaked in....it dried right up again!
Would you recomend oil or cream for a originally soft and smooth,
now dry and flaky leather sofa? I bought it because it made me think of barenia or almost a soft version of box calf,( 8 years ago) Now it looks like a cow, with a bad sunburn that is pealing!
ush: I tried some lotion that once it soaked in....it dried right up again!
see, i didn't see any shoe polish. maybe just this store didn't have it. they had 2 tins from meltonian, one was a saddle soap and one was mink oil (but it was in some solid form, not a bottle of liquid - in a shoe polish tin). i was soooo confused.
yikes, dressage queen - that is a LOT of information. wowee!
thank you.
okay, i hope to never ever need the oil or whatever. i will take my bags to hermes for lots of preventative visits. do you think a leather like clemence ever needs conditioner? i got so confused reading the info on the various products. my bag is totally fine, i just sort of wanted to give it a drink - i'm slightly obsessed with moisturizer, conditioner, etc. for myself.
thank you.
okay, i hope to never ever need the oil or whatever. i will take my bags to hermes for lots of preventative visits. do you think a leather like clemence ever needs conditioner? i got so confused reading the info on the various products. my bag is totally fine, i just sort of wanted to give it a drink - i'm slightly obsessed with moisturizer, conditioner, etc. for myself.
Meltonian leather cream. Comes in a jar or in a blue bottle. It is a neutral. Stay away from anything with oils.
thank you thank you. they just didn't have that then i guess. i will wait and look around somewhere else.