DO IT YOURSELF - SADDLE PIMPING
How to prepare your used real leather saddle quickly and easily.

If you own a bike with a natural leather saddle or are planning to buy one, you probably already know the advantages of such a saddle. Apart from the noble retro look, the leather adapts to the shape of the sit bone over time, which is why such a saddle is much more comfortable than a plastic saddle. Pressure points are almost impossible. The genuine leather saddle also wins in hot summer temperatures, as the material does not heat up and is breathable.

If you take care of your used real leather saddle 2-3 times a year and protect it from moisture when it is stationary, you will benefit from it for a long time. Nevertheless, traces of use can appear over the years. But they don't have to stay. In the spirit of sustainability, we will show you how you can quickly and easily prepare three of the most common signs of wear yourself.

rust

Rust on the underside of the metal construction and the springs is a sign of wear and tear that is typical of the weather and can easily be removed.

To do this, you need 600 or 800 grit sandpaper and sand off the rusted areas.

Use isopropanol or alcohol on a microfiber cloth to clean the relevant areas and remove the sanding dust.

Now you can use an anti-rust primer or a colored touch-up stick to seal the spots or restore the color if necessary. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

 

dirt and scratches

Over the years, body fat, sweat and dirt will change the appearance of your saddle. But scratches or notches can also have occurred. But you can lend a hand here too.

First, grab sandpaper again, preferably with a fine grain. We chose the 1500 grit for this. Use this to sand the leather surface in lengthwise and circular motions to remove dirt and grease and even out the areas around the scratch.

By removing the first layer, the differences in height between the scratch and the surrounding areas are leveled out.

Once this step is done, use a microfiber cloth moistened with alcohol to remove sanding residue and remove any remaining grease from the leather. If you are satisfied with your result, you let the leather dry, you can also help with a hair dryer.

Note: Use a new microfiber cloth for each step.

Then put a little leather care cream on the cloth and rub it on the saddle. The natural leather absorbs the moisture from the leather care and darkens.

This not only gives the saddle a more homogeneous color tone, the scratch also darkens and becomes less or no longer visible.

At the same time you achieve an even layer of fat, which should protect the leather from moisture.

Tip: If you don't have any leather care products at home, you can also use a standard moisturizing body lotion. But first check how the leather takes the lotion on a less visible area to avoid stains.
Such a lotion should only be used with natural outdoor leather, but not with furniture leather - no matter what kind.

We are very satisfied with the prepared saddle - the scratch is hardly visible and the leather shines in new splendor. How do you like the result?

Here you can find the video about it: