Leather jacket care
Hi there. I recently got myself my first real leather jacket secondhand. (Aero Leather in Steerhide). I want to make sure that I treat it correctly. I know that ultimately leather jackets are nothing you should baby too much, but at the same time Im a bit afraid that I do inadvertendly damage it.
So here are a few questions:
1. How can I tell when the jacket needs some care? i.e. how will it feel/look when its time?
2. what kind of product should i use?
3. I wear the jacket when commuting to work with my bicycle, so it gets wet on occasion. Anything in particular i need to look out for in regard to it getting rained on?
thanks in advance!
5 Replies
I'd say less is more. I treat mine a couple times a year with Pecard's leather dressing. It's like a petroleum jelly type substance, I just rub a small amount in with my bare hands until I can feel it has absorbed, like you're putting a thin film of lotion on skin. To clean it I just wipe it down with a damp cloth, no cleaners. Outside of suede I don't think you have anything to worry about with rain.
Since you’re in Germany I recommend you call Burkhardt at Gasoline Alley in Munich about what product to use, he sells mainly Aero and he’ll know what you should use.
Re: the frequency I recommend regularly feeling the jacket. If it’s starts feeling like skin that’s about to crack (like on your hands in winter sometimes) it’s probably time for a conditioning!
Yeah it's really eye and feel. Also mine starts to creak when it's dry.
Moisturizing leather when it’s in a state where you’d moisturize your own skin is usually a sensible way to go about it.
So far only minor creaking when I put it on that quickly goes away once the jacket warms up a lil, so I guess I still have some time.