I am looking at buying a dressage saddle made from Buffalo leather. It is a used Custom Saddle. Claims to be 2yrs old but there are no stamps or model/serial numbers on it to verify.
The saddle looks like it has never seen cleaner or conditioner in its life. The leather off the pommel that covers the stirrup bar is speckled with ‘white’ and also areas of the flap as well. My concern is mold/mildew. How can I tell what it is and if this saddle will ‘come back to life’ with some TLC?
Is it kind of waxy? If so, probably bloom - not mold, and not a big deal. If that’s what it is, it will disappear when you clean and condition the saddle.
Also, if you are looking for a date or info stamp, look in the slot where the billets come out of the flap. I have an older CS Icon Flight, and that’s where I found the stamp with the serial number, date of manufacture and size info. YMMV.
It could be bloom or the residue from some conditioners. One Step leaves a white residue. It could also be mold.
I had a buffalo leather saddle years ago. It would get that often, it’s bloom or fats from the leather that make the buffalo leather so soft and pliable. Take a soft brush and brush the leather, do this often it really helps. There used to be a product to spray on to help with it, don’t remember what it was though.
some info I found on google: Powdery bloom can be caused by either the natural fat of the hide or fatty materials applied to the leather. A number of variables are implicated in the formation of powdery bloom. These include: temperature, humidity, acidity of the leather, or materials used during the tanning process. Sticky or gummy bloom is believed to be caused by oils that are highly oxidizable, such as fish oils. If these kinds of oils were used during processing (and incompletely removed) or applied later, then they may cause sticky white bloom. High temperatures and humid environments, as well as exposure to air and light can accelerate these formations.
