I have a used saddle on trial that, while it isn’t a perfect fit, my horse appears to like it so I think it’s going to stay.
Although it was sent to me as used it doesn’t even have marks on the billets and was probably ridden in only a handful of times and isn’t broken in.
What kind of oil should I use? I’d like to soften it up and darken it.
What to use depends on the type of leather.
Layered calfskin: Thick balms and creams, because oil breaks down the glue that bonds the 2 layers of leather Additionally, it encourages calfskin and other thin leathers to stretch, so you get bubbling, softening, stretching, premature wear, and holes.
You can oil the underside of the flaps of a layered leather saddle, but sparingly and not often.
Smooth bridle leather and pig imprint and all of that other stuff that is single thickness from pre-Mad-Cow in early to mid 2000s, can be oiled.
But thick balms like Oakwood conditioner and similar products will probably do most English leather saddles nowadays. Billets, maybe oil them once. Stirrup leathers, maybe once or maybe not at all b/c they stretch and/or might leave dark streaks on the saddle. I would not oil calfskin leathers. Actually, I’d probably use buffalo leathers and not those bulky calfskin wrapped things.
I agree that it depends on the leather. For most leather (all but fine French calf and buffalo), I like thin coats of pure neatsfoot oil applied to all surfaces with your bare hands.
The seat is pigskin and the rest is regular ol cow.
I use very warm oil (neatsfoot or otherwise) on new saddles. Sparingly on softer pieces. Unsparingly on billets and leathers–these are the most critical pieces to condition–your life literally depends on these.
After conditioning with oil, I rarely use much water on saddles (nothing like on bridle strapwork and girths, which are exposed directly to the horse’s sweat and need to be stripped with regularity). Instead, I use a conditioner and glycerine, making sure that all the places I have contact with are pliable and not slippery.
A pigskin seat? Oh, I am jealous. What type of saddle is it?
Huh, I’d never thought about oil vs. cream conditioner for the laminated leathers.
I don’t oil stirrup leathers or billets due to potential stretching, I just work a good bit of quality glycerine soap into them. I like Stubben glycerine best. I also agree with heating up a bit of oil at a time to work into the leather. It’s satisfying to have the saddle sitting at home and working a light layer in every few hours for a couple days. Makes your hands feel nice, too.
You’re in for a treat if it’s pigskin. Vastly underappreciated and underused: pigskin wears like iron, and while not the softest of leathers, holds its color and form very well.
It is harder to darken though; I would be using neatsfoot or olive oil, or a 50/50 concentration of both. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds or until very warm/close to hot, and layer on gently with either a basting brush or sponge. Light layers… set yourself up with Netflix or a show and on commercial breaks, reapply thin/light layers. Best way to darken pigskin in my experience.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8945269]
You’re in for a treat if it’s pigskin. Vastly underappreciated and underused: pigskin wears like iron, and while not the softest of leathers, holds its color and form very well.
It is harder to darken though; I would be using neatsfoot or olive oil, or a 50/50 concentration of both. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds or until very warm/close to hot, and layer on gently with either a basting brush or sponge. Light layers… set yourself up with Netflix or a show and on commercial breaks, reapply thin/light layers. Best way to darken pigskin in my experience.[/QUOTE]
And to add some info about the oiling process:
The idea is to put oil back into the center of the leather that which was taken out during the tanning process. That makes the leather supple and a bit stretchy–resilient as it was when it was part of a living animal. So, IMO, leather needs to be oiled from time to time, and it really needs that when brand new. Nothing else will help the center of the skin.
That said, the goal is to put in enough oil, but not too much. This is why you apply several thin coats, watching how each is absorbed before adding more. You want to stop when the leather is still matte… before it takes a long time to absorb the oil you applied. This means that different leathers and differently-tanned leather will absorb more and less oil. Just follow the rule about stopping when the leather feels flexible and looks darker but still matte and you won’t over oil.
The goal of replenishing the oil at the heart of the leather is also the reason that you oil all surfaces of the leather. You might find that the oil is still absorbed on the back side (the side facing the animal) of it, even after the leather won’t take more from the top, grained side. Same goes for oiling those “color corrected” tanned saddles that don’t readily absorb oil from the top surface.
Pig skin is great.
If you want dark leather, buy it dark to begin with.
Oiling for the purpose of darkening results in over-oiling which is bad for both the leather and your breeches. Let routine cleaning and use do it for you to allow the leather to develop a lovely patina vs a dull darker color.
Clean your tack after every ride, condition monthly and oil every 6 months and your leather will love you.
And make sure if you use neatsfoot, to use PURE neatsfoot and not compound, which contains petroleum distillates and/or silicones with are not good for leather.
[QUOTE=Due’s Mom;8945165]
A pigskin seat? Oh, I am jealous. What type of saddle is it?[/QUOTE]
It’s a Smith Worthington. Fingers crossed my fitter approves.
Be careful! Oil can also soak through and damage your flocking.
Heated hydrophane darkening oil. I love that stuff so much.
Pigskin seats maybe won’t darken enough with oiling. They just turn orange, sometimes. I dye those, but the danger of that is dye could rub off. How much dye and what color and even what type or brand is so situational that if you have no prior experience with it, I say have a pro do it.
Don’t oil soak the seat. It will break down the foam and get into the webbing underneath that.
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