I just bought a used saddle that’s in great structural condition but its appearance could use some TLC.
Does anyone have suggestions on how to get some shine back in the seat or is there no going back from here?
Does anyone have suggestions on how to get some shine back in the seat or is there no going back from here?
My general recommendation would be a coat of neatsfoot oil, let it dry, maybe another coat of oil if the leather still seems thirsty, then glycerine saddle soap. But I’m pretty old school.
I might try the same approach with an old saddle I just found. 
1 Like
Is that how the saddle looks after you cleaned and conditioned?
There are products such as this that you can buy that will restore the shine at the cost of having leather that will no longer take oil.
1 Like
To me it looks dry. Also not sure if the seat is faded or that’s a shadow. I would just go with good conditioner like Passier and Belvoir. You don’t want a shiny slippery saddle anyhow.
2 Likes
Thanks, I’ll look into that one. Yes, it was cleaned & conditioned & still looks that way. You can feel the textural difference from the shiny part on the cantle to the faded looking seat.
My old but new to me saddle has a seat that looks similar to that. I think it’s rubbed from full seat britches, and so far nothing has made a difference. The color is different but I can get a bit of a shine on it (but who sees it when my butt is covering it).
1 Like
That’s what I was thinking, residue or reaction from some full-seat breeches. If that’s the case, maybe a full cleaning is in order, not just more products.
1 Like
