Help with leather care and maintence needed!

[AviatorBRZ]

Hi, I just bought a new clothes cabinet and new hangers to store my leather jackets, and considering the summer is coming here in Brazil and we're expecting temperatures over 86°F I'm a little worried about my jackets.

I created this thread to ask opinions about how to care of my storaged jackets.
I've already bought a product who absorbs the humidity of the air to let inside the cabinet, but what most concern me are the high temperatures. I do not wanna let the leather dry or get too much dust.
The basic I already know, I will open the cabinet doors from time to time and will take the jackets off the cabinet to get some air. Obviously I will clean it frequently with a dry soft cloth to take of the dust.

I would appreciate opinions of how to clean and what kind of leather conditioner I should use in my vintage leather jackets.
I was planning to buy the LEXOL products, the cleaner and the conditioner, but I'm not sure if is safe to use it in very old jackets.

Anyone here collect vintage G-1 jackets too, or even other kind of vintage leather jackets of goatskin and cowhide? What do you use and recommend to clean and soften the leather?

I'll like to hear some experiences of you all, of products who are safe. I cant afford to ruin an jacket from 40's / 50's / 60's while I'm trying to care them.

I don't know if here's is the right place to post it, if it's not, I'm sorry.

P.S. "Professional care" are out of consideration because I don't trust them to treat this kind of jackets. I prefer DIY tips.

 

[Peacoat]

If the jacket is dry, most posters on this forum will recommend Pecard, but opinions vary on this topic. A new jacket needs nothing for years, unless it becomes dry as a result of exposure to the elements. But this is extremely rare, even if the jacket is worn every day.

The Smithsonian uses Pecard on it's vintage display jackets. I have used it on my leather jackets with good results.

 

[AviatorBRZ]

Peacoat, thank you, I'll try to find it to buy. And for cleaning before applying the conditioner? Maybe just and humid cloth?

 

[ButteMT61]

For light cleaning and conditioning. I use the Lexol pair. Works great. I also use Pecards for more demanding applications such as boots.
Totally different products really. I use Lexol more often for maintenance of jackets, FWIW.

 

[AviatorBRZ]

Hi ButteMT61, thanks. How different you would say!?

 

[ButteMT61]

One is more a deep treatment. Pecards. It's like "Sno-Seal", if you've ever used it. Lexol is what many use on car seats, furniture, etc. totally great for light use on jackets. I do it a couple times a year on the jackets. Pecards is really more hard core. No need on new jackets. Unless you want to waterproof them for more severe weather. My 2¢
Or, for motorcycling use in the elements. I have and use both, depending on what and why.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

I'll second what Butte said. I use Lexol's cleaner and their conditioner for routine treatment of newer leather jackets and even older ones that are still supple. I use Pecard's when I obtain jackets from the '40s and '50s that have become dry or neglected. Using too much Pecard's or using it too often can result in the Pecard's "bloom" which is a white residue on the surface of the leather that can be mistaken for mold. However, the bloom will come off when buffed with a soft cloth.
__________________________________________________
Tom

 

[OneEyeMan]

You might want to re-think hanging your leather jackets.
If they're really heavy, and you must hang them, make sure to use really wide (thick) hangers to distribute the weight better.
Otherwise, you could end up with stretched out shoulders.
Lenny

 

[rocketeer]

Pecards is one of many good quality leather dressings you could use. personally I have found that just as good leather dressings are available at your local saddlery stores for sometimes half the price.
I have had a couple of leather jackets for over 30 years, one, an original wartime A2, the other a 30 year old Aero, and have always used Ko Cho Line. It is available worldwide on Amazon.
I recommend this product simply because I have used it for 30 years, is generally cheaper and easier to find in the UK, and if its good enough for bridles etc covered in sweat and saliva it's good enough for a leather jacket. As mentioned in another post, applied to thickly and it will leave a white bloom similar to Pecards but this can be simply wiped off, I imagine most of these products contain similar ingredients.
Also as the above post, wrap you hangers in pipe lagging used for central heating pipes to prevent shoulder stretch then you can hang them up as a regular jacket. There are some posts on here somewhere about this.
J

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Concerning the white residue appearing with applying too much dressing..in some cases..it can be wiped off..but then wiped/rubbed off again and again since it will seep out and 'bloom' until finally it is depleted. I have found this condition on several vintage or used motorcycle jackets that had been 'overly protected' on probably a yearly basis.
HD

 

[rocketeer]

Concerning the white residue appearing with applying too much dressing..in some cases..it can be wiped off..but then wiped/rubbed off again and again since it will seep out and 'bloom' until finally it is depleted. I have found this condition on several vintage or used motorcycle jackets that had been 'overly protected' on probably a yearly basis.
HD

Agree with that, not all leather needs 'protecting year in year out. The 25 year old Highwayman I posted in the Show Patina thread has never been treated and is still supple.

 

[ButteMT61]

Yeah, I bought a HH wallet from someone here - still polishing the bloom off of that one. I think it took a Pecards bath lol

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Aero once had one of their used jackets as a trade-in on the sale page at deep discount. It was so sticky and gooped up with preserving lotion..that even they couldn't do anything with it. At the end of the discription was 'good luck'!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

....and that Aero jacket was only a few years old..!!!

 

[AviatorBRZ]

Peacoat, ButteMT61, GoodTimesGone, rocketeer, HoosierDaddy, OneEyeMan
Thank you all,

Well, I think I'll buy this two options, Pecard and Lexol and I'll test it in some pieces/samples of leather that I have here. I have different needs, some jackets are very old and are very dry, some are very old and very soft jackets but I want to prevent future cracking. And some jackets from the 70's who was never worn and are starting to get rigid.

You might want to re-think hanging your leather jackets.
If they're really heavy, and you must hang them, make sure to use really wide (thick) hangers to distribute the weight better.
Otherwise, you could end up with stretched out shoulders.
Lenny

...Also as the above post, wrap you hangers in pipe lagging used for central heating pipes to prevent shoulder stretch then you can hang them up as a regular jacket. There are some posts on here somewhere about this.
J

Thanks for the tips. Actually I was already warned about this and I've bought anatomic hangers, they're used to hang suits and jackets and are very wide.
P.S. I was not using that thin hanger in the picture to hang my jackets... I've put it together only for reference of size.

 

[ButteMT61]

I just soaked the 50's HBD in Oil-Pull HH in water and dumped 'er in the dryer. Time to get it sorted for fall