Applying Obenauf's Boot Preservative to a leather jacket

[Monitor]

Hi
What Walter Dyer Jacket do you own?
Do you know how heavy or thick the leather is?
Nice write up on the LP Conditioner.
Just used their oil on a black pair of Red Wing Boots. Great Result. Trick is don't over apply the products. pete

Pete, this is my Walter Dyer jacket. It's very heavy, 6-7 lbs and for a Walter Dyer, leather is very thick. Natal grade hide, though less spongy and with more character. Perfect jacket for me, really.

I have used Obenauf's only on cuffs, shoulder gussets and collar. Collar has been darkened since I got the jacket. I'm not sure whether it's been bought brown and dyed back or if it started off black.

 

[PeterRocco]

Pete, this is my Walter Dyer jacket. It's very heavy, 6-7 lbs and for a Walter Dyer, leather is very thick. Natal grade hide, though less spongy and with more character. Perfect jacket for me, really.

I have used Obenauf's only on cuffs, shoulder gussets and collar. Collar has been darkened since I got the jacket. I'm not sure whether it's been bought brown and dyed back or if it started off black.

Hi
Thanks for posting. I saw on eBay a Dryer for sale. Dryer selling off what he has left. But the leather he been using is not as heavy as yours. 1.2-1.4 or 3oz.
I like real heavy thick leather. But don't have the big $ for it. I constantly check eBay and other selling sites for good deals.
Your jacket looks so thick and heavy.
And in Great Condition. I have tried Pecards Conditioner but I think I like the way Obenauf's Makes the leather feel.
Thanks
Pete

 

[navetsea]

This is compilation from new, 3 months with mink oil, after 1st obenauf oil, and after 2nd obenauf (today)with more wear over a week.

I say it is not more flexing like mink oil does,but it is softer i can grab my sleeve and squeeze it in my hand, before i can not, the cuff was also like toilet paper's carton roll before, now i can dent it with my wrist movement, the sleeves are hanging more naturally now.

 

[PeterRocco]

Hi
I think it looks Much Better Now. Nice Job!
Pete

 

[navetsea]

Hi
I think it looks Much Better Now. Nice Job!
Pete

Thanks, i also agree with your previous comment, dont over apply this stuff. At least the oil is very tempting to just lather it, even obenauf videos show it. Perhaps you do that to 8oz leather boots and horseback riding stuff but obviously not on 3-4oz leather jacket. The softening effect also comes gradually later on ( days) after application.

 

[PeterRocco]

Here's another RRL jacket I bought last week. Unfortunately too big so I was planning on selling it on.

View attachment 311305 View attachment 311304

The jacket was in great condition but it had a few surface scratches here and there. Therefore I thought I'd use some leather lotion to take care of those before taking the pics for the listing.

The horror! I looked at the piece of cloth I used to apply the leather conditioner and saw its color changed from white to dark brown. I created a huge pale spot on the lower right front panel.

Obenauf's didn't help fixing the spot. I even tried brown shoe polish. To no avail. There was just one thing left to do: distress the whole thing.

It took an hour of hard buffing and a lot of conditioner and this is the end result.

View attachment 311310 View attachment 311309 View attachment 311311


Too be honest, I think the jacket now looks better than before. It's much more interesting. Also, it now looks exactly like a later RRL cafe racer version which was even pricier:
View attachment 311312

The jacket was picked up by its new owner this morning. He absolutely loved it and especially liked the distressing

I used this leather lotion on numerous jackets and never before did the dye come of. Lesson learned: ALWAYS try lotions/conditioners/waxes on some out of sight piece of leather first.

Hello
Try Pecards Brown Tinted Leather Conditioner. I had good results with it. Comes in Black too. Amazon Sells it.
Pete

 

[marker2037]

This is compilation from new, 3 months with mink oil, after 1st obenauf oil, and after 2nd obenauf (today)with more wear over a week.
View attachment 330226
I say it is not more flexing like mink oil does,but it is softer i can grab my sleeve and squeeze it in my hand, before i can not, the cuff was also like toilet paper's carton roll before, now i can dent it with my wrist movement, the sleeves are hanging more naturally now.

This looks incredible now. Well done, leave it alone for years haha.

 

[Orcinus]

I have used Obenauf's LP on leather jackets in the past with good results. It is really designed for boots and weatherproofing. Obenhauf's has an extensive website dedicated to leather care, and they offer 3 products, in a kit. I will be trying out their oil to restore a jacket I bought at an estate store shortly.
https://www.obenaufs.com/leather-care-combo-p/3120-package.htm

 

[hardlyworkingman]

Off topic, but, i absolutely love Obenauf's industrial strength boot laces. all my hiking and work boots have those.

 

[Trickster]

My experience with Obenauf's has ranged from amazing to meh, ok. On naked leather it soaks in and does magical things to the pliability and hand feel. On any treated leather that has marginal porosity, the surface remains greasy for days. It has been necessary to apply a fair amount of pressure to rub it in and make the leather take it in. I didn't think that the two Fox Creek leather motorcycle jackets needed treatment yet, until I purchased a third that is much newer (and more expensive). The two older jackets felt stiff and dry in comparison.

They got the Obenauf's treatment, and the "new to me" Fox Creek Classic II is in line to be treated as well. I noticed what can only be described as a "rubbery" feel to the leather right after the Obenauf's LP was applied. I have found that applying the paste with nitrile gloves keeps me from absorbing as much of the paste as my jacket. I use less and go slower to allow maximum absorption.

Which brings up an interesting point. I can't rush the process. I have to go "Zen" and let the leather dictate how fast I can apply the paste. It seems to go much better when I slow down the process and get into the ritual of the experience.

Nobody is going to take the kind of time and care for my jacket(s) that I am, and I couldn't afford it if they did. It's a labor intensive process to take proper care of my riding gear, so I just do it.

Doc Bailey's and Obenauf's LP and oil are my choices for leather care, be it boots, jackets or as mentioned before, dog collars and key fobs.

So that's my experience. I might try some bone marrow, but I'm not sure about the smell. Maybe blend it with some coconut oil, but that's a whole different topic.

 

[PeterRocco]

I recently acquired this Polo Ralph Lauren leather jacket. I think it's 15-20 years old but it might even be older.

View attachment 309839

It's hard to capture on photo but the jacket looked a bit pale. There were some scratches here and there but most of all it was a little bit flat looking overall.

@handymike suggestest to apply some Obenauf's to make the jacket a few shades darker. Obenauf's is a beeswax formula that was originally developed to restore and protect fire fighter boots. I did some internet searching and found testimonies of people successfully using it on their leather jackets too. Here's a guy who applied it to his RRL A2 jacket:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/obenaufs-lp-on-an-rrl-leather-jacket.286264/

@handymike shared a photo of a Hercules jacket which most likely served as the inspiration for this Ralph Lauren jacket. The darker color on the original looks much better than my pale / yellowish RL. I was hoping the end result after applying a couple of coats of Obenauf's would look more like the original.

View attachment 309848

I was a bit worried that applying the Obenauf's would be really messy and that it would be hard to spread the stuff evenly. I've read somewhere that people used hairdryers to melt the waxes into the leather. We have heated floors so I guessed simply laying the jacket on the floor might be helpful as well.

To my surprise applying the Obenauf's was really easy. No additional heat sources were needed. I just used my hands to 'massage' the waxes into the leather and the jacket soaked it all up without leaving any stains.

I was really happy with the result I got right after applying the Obenauf's. It had easily become three or four shades darker. However, after leaving the jacket to dry for a day it lightened up again, almost back to its original shade. A day after the first application, I applied a second coat which had a similar result. First dark, then light again.

Here's the result. From left to right: Before - after first application - after second application.
View attachment 309847

View attachment 309851

Looks
Although I didn't get the shade I was hoping for, the jacket does look much better now. Before the jacket had pale spots and looked flat overall, not much color dept. After the treatment the pale spots were gone and the color had gotten much more vibrant. It now shows great color depth. One of the best leathers, if not the best, I've seen on a fashion jacket.
View attachment 309849 View attachment 309850

The leather shows some beautiful subtle patina which has developed over decades and I was worried the Obenauf's would remove some of it. I'm glad it didn't. It might even have enhanced it a bit.

View attachment 309854

Feel
I think I've used a quarter of the container's content which made the jacket feel noticeable heavier. It also made it slightly stiffer. Which is all good, it feels more substantial now. However, the jacket is also somewhat squeaky now. Buffing the leather with some cloth did help to tone down the squeaks but they're still there.

View attachment 309852

Final verdict
Although I didn't get the result I was hoping for, the jacket definitely looks much better now. Applying the Obenauf's was really easy and didn't take any skill or special technique. Would I use it on a top tier jacket? I don't think so. This jacket came out great but that's just n=1. It might not work as good on other leathers and since it's irreversible, there's definitely a risk to it.

I think it came out great. Obenouf’s is a Great Conditioner. You applied it the way I do very little and by my finger tips.

 

[Khilij]

I recently acquired this Polo Ralph Lauren leather jacket. I think it's 15-20 years old but it might even be older.

View attachment 309839

It's hard to capture on photo but the jacket looked a bit pale. There were some scratches here and there but most of all it was a little bit flat looking overall.

@handymike suggestest to apply some Obenauf's to make the jacket a few shades darker. Obenauf's is a beeswax formula that was originally developed to restore and protect fire fighter boots. I did some internet searching and found testimonies of people successfully using it on their leather jackets too. Here's a guy who applied it to his RRL A2 jacket:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/obenaufs-lp-on-an-rrl-leather-jacket.286264/

@handymike shared a photo of a Hercules jacket which most likely served as the inspiration for this Ralph Lauren jacket. The darker color on the original looks much better than my pale / yellowish RL. I was hoping the end result after applying a couple of coats of Obenauf's would look more like the original.

View attachment 309848

I was a bit worried that applying the Obenauf's would be really messy and that it would be hard to spread the stuff evenly. I've read somewhere that people used hairdryers to melt the waxes into the leather. We have heated floors so I guessed simply laying the jacket on the floor might be helpful as well.

To my surprise applying the Obenauf's was really easy. No additional heat sources were needed. I just used my hands to 'massage' the waxes into the leather and the jacket soaked it all up without leaving any stains.

I was really happy with the result I got right after applying the Obenauf's. It had easily become three or four shades darker. However, after leaving the jacket to dry for a day it lightened up again, almost back to its original shade. A day after the first application, I applied a second coat which had a similar result. First dark, then light again.

Here's the result. From left to right: Before - after first application - after second application.
View attachment 309847

View attachment 309851

Looks
Although I didn't get the shade I was hoping for, the jacket does look much better now. Before the jacket had pale spots and looked flat overall, not much color dept. After the treatment the pale spots were gone and the color had gotten much more vibrant. It now shows great color depth. One of the best leathers, if not the best, I've seen on a fashion jacket.
View attachment 309849 View attachment 309850

The leather shows some beautiful subtle patina which has developed over decades and I was worried the Obenauf's would remove some of it. I'm glad it didn't. It might even have enhanced it a bit.

View attachment 309854

Feel
I think I've used a quarter of the container's content which made the jacket feel noticeable heavier. It also made it slightly stiffer. Which is all good, it feels more substantial now. However, the jacket is also somewhat squeaky now. Buffing the leather with some cloth did help to tone down the squeaks but they're still there.

View attachment 309852

Final verdict
Although I didn't get the result I was hoping for, the jacket definitely looks much better now. Applying the Obenauf's was really easy and didn't take any skill or special technique. Would I use it on a top tier jacket? I don't think so. This jacket came out great but that's just n=1. It might not work as good on other leathers and since it's irreversible, there's definitely a risk to it.

Wow! This turned out fantastic! I've only ever used Obenauf's on my boots, but maybe it's worth giving this a try on an old cowhide mall jacket I have. Thank you for the inspiration.

 

[Marc mndt]

Wow! This turned out fantastic! I've only ever used Obenauf's on my boots, but maybe it's worth giving this a try on an old cowhide mall jacket I have. Thank you for the inspiration.

I've used it on a lot of jackets since. It has a more long lasting effect than Urad which wears off within a coupe of months.

 

[Al 916]

Sounds like the big O works well for you, both leather and mindfully (splitting logs works well for my calmness, I get pretty mellow with a splitting axe..)

Personally I avoid any organic fats on my jackets. I know there are views on this. Having a Doctor as a partner gives interesting insight into microbiology (sometimes a bit more than one would like).

My experience with Obenauf's has ranged from amazing to meh, ok. On naked leather it soaks in and does magical things to the pliability and hand feel. On any treated leather that has marginal porosity, the surface remains greasy for days. It has been necessary to apply a fair amount of pressure to rub it in and make the leather take it in. I didn't think that the two Fox Creek leather motorcycle jackets needed treatment yet, until I purchased a third that is much newer (and more expensive). The two older jackets felt stiff and dry in comparison.

They got the Obenauf's treatment, and the "new to me" Fox Creek Classic II is in line to be treated as well. I noticed what can only be described as a "rubbery" feel to the leather right after the Obenauf's LP was applied. I have found that applying the paste with nitrile gloves keeps me from absorbing as much of the paste as my jacket. I use less and go slower to allow maximum absorption.

Which brings up an interesting point. I can't rush the process. I have to go "Zen" and let the leather dictate how fast I can apply the paste. It seems to go much better when I slow down the process and get into the ritual of the experience.

Nobody is going to take the kind of time and care for my jacket(s) that I am, and I couldn't afford it if they did. It's a labor intensive process to take proper care of my riding gear, so I just do it.

Doc Bailey's and Obenauf's LP and oil are my choices for leather care, be it boots, jackets or as mentioned before, dog collars and key fobs.

So that's my experience. I might try some bone marrow, but I'm not sure about the smell. Maybe blend it with some coconut oil, but that's a whole different topic.

 

[PeterRocco]

I recently acquired this Polo Ralph Lauren leather jacket. I think it's 15-20 years old but it might even be older.

View attachment 309839

It's hard to capture on photo but the jacket looked a bit pale. There were some scratches here and there but most of all it was a little bit flat looking overall.

@handymike suggestest to apply some Obenauf's to make the jacket a few shades darker. Obenauf's is a beeswax formula that was originally developed to restore and protect fire fighter boots. I did some internet searching and found testimonies of people successfully using it on their leather jackets too. Here's a guy who applied it to his RRL A2 jacket:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/obenaufs-lp-on-an-rrl-leather-jacket.286264/

@handymike shared a photo of a Hercules jacket which most likely served as the inspiration for this Ralph Lauren jacket. The darker color on the original looks much better than my pale / yellowish RL. I was hoping the end result after applying a couple of coats of Obenauf's would look more like the original.

View attachment 309848

I was a bit worried that applying the Obenauf's would be really messy and that it would be hard to spread the stuff evenly. I've read somewhere that people used hairdryers to melt the waxes into the leather. We have heated floors so I guessed simply laying the jacket on the floor might be helpful as well.

To my surprise applying the Obenauf's was really easy. No additional heat sources were needed. I just used my hands to 'massage' the waxes into the leather and the jacket soaked it all up without leaving any stains.

I was really happy with the result I got right after applying the Obenauf's. It had easily become three or four shades darker. However, after leaving the jacket to dry for a day it lightened up again, almost back to its original shade. A day after the first application, I applied a second coat which had a similar result. First dark, then light again.

Here's the result. From left to right: Before - after first application - after second application.
View attachment 309847

View attachment 309851

Looks
Although I didn't get the shade I was hoping for, the jacket does look much better now. Before the jacket had pale spots and looked flat overall, not much color dept. After the treatment the pale spots were gone and the color had gotten much more vibrant. It now shows great color depth. One of the best leathers, if not the best, I've seen on a fashion jacket.
View attachment 309849 View attachment 309850

The leather shows some beautiful subtle patina which has developed over decades and I was worried the Obenauf's would remove some of it. I'm glad it didn't. It might even have enhanced it a bit.

View attachment 309854

Feel
I think I've used a quarter of the container's content which made the jacket feel noticeable heavier. It also made it slightly stiffer. Which is all good, it feels more substantial now. However, the jacket is also somewhat squeaky now. Buffing the leather with some cloth did help to tone down the squeaks but they're still there.

View attachment 309852

Final verdict
Although I didn't get the result I was hoping for, the jacket definitely looks much better now. Applying the Obenauf's was really easy and didn't take any skill or special technique. Would I use it on a top tier jacket? I don't think so. This jacket came out great but that's just n=1. It might not work as good on other leathers and since it's irreversible, there's definitely a risk to it.

Hi
Came out Great!
Do you think it’s good to use on a B3 Sheepskin Jacket?

 

[Al 916]

I recently acquired this Polo Ralph Lauren leather jacket. I think it's 15-20 years old but it might even be older.

View attachment 309839

It's hard to capture on photo but the jacket looked a bit pale. There were some scratches here and there but most of all it was a little bit flat looking overall.

@handymike suggestest to apply some Obenauf's to make the jacket a few shades darker. Obenauf's is a beeswax formula that was originally developed to restore and protect fire fighter boots. I did some internet searching and found testimonies of people successfully using it on their leather jackets too. Here's a guy who applied it to his RRL A2 jacket:

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/obenaufs-lp-on-an-rrl-leather-jacket.286264/

@handymike shared a photo of a Hercules jacket which most likely served as the inspiration for this Ralph Lauren jacket. The darker color on the original looks much better than my pale / yellowish RL. I was hoping the end result after applying a couple of coats of Obenauf's would look more like the original.

View attachment 309848

I was a bit worried that applying the Obenauf's would be really messy and that it would be hard to spread the stuff evenly. I've read somewhere that people used hairdryers to melt the waxes into the leather. We have heated floors so I guessed simply laying the jacket on the floor might be helpful as well.

To my surprise applying the Obenauf's was really easy. No additional heat sources were needed. I just used my hands to 'massage' the waxes into the leather and the jacket soaked it all up without leaving any stains.

I was really happy with the result I got right after applying the Obenauf's. It had easily become three or four shades darker. However, after leaving the jacket to dry for a day it lightened up again, almost back to its original shade. A day after the first application, I applied a second coat which had a similar result. First dark, then light again.

Here's the result. From left to right: Before - after first application - after second application.
View attachment 309847

View attachment 309851

Looks
Although I didn't get the shade I was hoping for, the jacket does look much better now. Before the jacket had pale spots and looked flat overall, not much color dept. After the treatment the pale spots were gone and the color had gotten much more vibrant. It now shows great color depth. One of the best leathers, if not the best, I've seen on a fashion jacket.
View attachment 309849 View attachment 309850

The leather shows some beautiful subtle patina which has developed over decades and I was worried the Obenauf's would remove some of it. I'm glad it didn't. It might even have enhanced it a bit.

View attachment 309854

Feel
I think I've used a quarter of the container's content which made the jacket feel noticeable heavier. It also made it slightly stiffer. Which is all good, it feels more substantial now. However, the jacket is also somewhat squeaky now. Buffing the leather with some cloth did help to tone down the squeaks but they're still there.

View attachment 309852

Final verdict
Although I didn't get the result I was hoping for, the jacket definitely looks much better now. Applying the Obenauf's was really easy and didn't take any skill or special technique. Would I use it on a top tier jacket? I don't think so. This jacket came out great but that's just n=1. It might not work as good on other leathers and since it's irreversible, there's definitely a risk to it.

A lounger suggested (sorry I cannot recall who) buffing with a microfibre cloth.

Seems to work

 

[Marc mndt]

A lounger suggested (sorry I cannot recall who) buffing with a microfibre cloth.

Good one. Since I started this thread I've used Obenaufs on a bunch of jackets, new and vintage. Some jackets soak the stuff up and feel completely dry within minutes, other jackets (those with a thicker topcoat) take much longer. It can take up to a week for those jackets to lose the stickiness. If still sticky I buff them with a microfiber cloth like suggested.

 

[PeterRocco]

Looks Great!

 

[Jonanah]

Greed is part of it, sir. But in the US we have a huge shortage of tradespeople. If I opened a leather jacket factory next year, I would struggle mightily to find people to work there. We Americans bitch about things made in China, but the reality is that most young people today have no interest in working in factories.

Very interesting to look at the country’s shift from a manufacturing to a service-based economy over several decades due to neoliberal policies such as NAFTA incentivizing the outsourcing of US textile production, and simply call it the result of “young people today” having “no interest in working in factories”

 

[Will Zach]

^^
Dude, I clicked on this thread because of Obenauf's in the title only to find out you responded to an unrelated post that is almost four years old by a poster who was last seen here a year ago.