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Hello All. Crazy me again. Too many projects at once.
I feel like I'm going to come to the forum for a cookie recipe next... The internet,,, when seeking info,,, will drive ya nutts. So will the drive to get me to consume and buy...
I just recovered my seats... So far so good. Some puckering where I don't want or need but I am pleased with myself.
Q: seat leather is pretty raw, black, and doesn't feel like the producer (LSeat) "finished" them. I don't know if that is normal, or what. Anyways, it's my first time doing this (and 1000 other things with a Jaguar XJS) and I was wondering what you alls suggestions are about prepping or conditioning a new seat...
Off the top of my head I don't know of a final 'production level' last phase product applied before say...selling mass produced seats but as for conditioning I just slather on a good brand like chemical guys or something proven and then wrap the seats in garbage bags to encase it, let sit somewhere hot for a few days to really soak it up.
The above method took some very deep creases out of my 30 yr old driver seat.
Hello All. Crazy me again. Too many projects at once.
I feel like I'm going to come to the forum for a cookie recipe next... The internet,,, when seeking info,,, will drive ya nutts. So will the drive to get me to consume and buy...
I just recovered my seats... So far so good. Some puckering where I don't want or need but I am pleased with myself.
Q: seat leather is pretty raw, black, and doesn't feel like the producer (LSeat) "finished" them. I don't know if that is normal, or what. Anyways, it's my first time doing this (and 1000 other things with a Jaguar XJS) and I was wondering what you alls suggestions are about prepping or conditioning a new seat...
Super grateful for all and any input...
Thanks
Jay Old pic. Still not buttoned up
Its new leather. Just go with something simple like griots leather care or lexol. As long as you take care of it from day one, it will remain in good shape
I agree. Since you're starting off with fresh, soft, I think any of the 'usual' brand name conditioners will be just fine.
A pal used to tease me about my 'boutique' leather conditioners, claiming that the off-the-shelf Meguiers he gets for $7.95 is just as good. He used it 2-3 times a year since day one and, I'll have to admit, the leather in his car still feels like butter 19 years on, and nary a crack in sight.
As you probably know, pre-80s leather seats tended to be unlacquered, and therefore often respond well to conditioning creams which often include lanolin that is absorbed and softens leather.
All modern leather car seats are dyed / painted and lacquered on top to fix the colour and protect the seat. Therefore, the ability of a modern seat to absorb anything is very limited. As mentioned, what you really need is a leather protection cream, applied every 3 months. There are many good ones on the market. I use one from Furniture Clinic who also have a US outlet https://www.furnitureclinic.com/
Thank you all so much! I've looked at a few products, reasonable. Looks like I'll go with a conditioner and I like the sound of the bag trick. I have a few days before I can reinstall the seats and a window that gets good sun during the day. All makes sense to me.
My brain trust!
Last edited by JayJagJay; Aug 22, 2019 at 03:43 PM.
As you probably know, pre-80s leather seats tended to be unlacquered, and therefore often respond well to conditioning creams which often include lanolin that is absorbed and softens leather.
All modern leather car seats are dyed / painted and lacquered on top to fix the colour and protect the seat. Therefore, the ability of a modern seat to absorb anything is very limited. As mentioned, what you really need is a leather protection cream, applied every 3 months. There are many good ones on the market. I use one from Furniture Clinic who also have a US outlet https://www.furnitureclinic.com/
Good luck
Paul
Paul, I am going to have to strongly disagree with you here.
In almost every online car care forum it has become the norm to say that all auto leathers post 1989 or 199x are coated with an impenetrable lacquer/polyurethane/plastic which renders most leather care products formerly used completely useless, and that all that is required is a “damp cloth”, unless you you have a Rolls Royce with fully aniline leather.....This is not true. Leather coatings, specially for at the very least the leathers used in Jaguars are flexible, breathable coatings that absorb moisturizers and leather care products.... At no point ever was Connolly coating the Autocalf or Autolux leathers found in our cars with thick, impenetrable coatings. This Is only true of the leather found in “high end” Accords and Tauruses which is low grade and coated with a non-breathable product. The thickest coated car leather that I have is found is in my daily driver X type- and even that leather will absorb traditional leather moisturizer products (absorb, not dry on) - it takes a while longer, but it still absorbs.
The only thing that would require a simple wipe is the Ambla (plastic) extensively found in some models according to the year.
Please forgive the rant, but the entire “impenetrable plastic coating” on leather narrative is one that seems too have taken of like wild-fire.
No offence taken at all. I do partially agree with you. The surface is not impenetrable on modern leather but the construction of modern leather seats does have protective lacquer based sealant coats that didn't exist many years ago. I'm sure that there's an element of breathability but they don't absorb leather creams in quite the same way that did the seats in my old 1962 Vauxhall Victor, which just soaked up Connolly leather cream like a sponge.
As regards the original post; if it's a brand new seat cover, I can't see how it would need to be conditioned like an old hardened leather seat. The key thing is to get some protection cream on it to preclude staining / abrasion etc.
No offence taken at all. I do partially agree with you. The surface is not impenetrable on modern leather but the construction of modern leather seats does have protective lacquer based sealant coats that didn't exist many years ago. I'm sure that there's an element of breathability but they don't absorb leather creams in quite the same way that did the seats in my old 1962 Vauxhall Victor, which just soaked up Connolly leather cream like a sponge.
As regards the original post; if it's a brand new seat cover, I can't see how it would need to be conditioned like an old hardened leather seat. The key thing is to get some protection cream on it to preclude staining / abrasion etc.
Cheers Mark
Paul
Oh, certainly. The older the leather, the easier it absorbs. The vaumol Connolly leather in my E type absorbs much faster than the XJS leather..... and the XJS leather absorbs much faster than the X type leather.
I would also point out that in the X type, the front seats seem to take longer to absorb than the rear seats. I suspect that may be because Jaguar adds their own coating treatment to the seats that will get the most wear.
I know this is somewhat irrelevant to the OP question, but my point is that traditional conditioner formulas should certainly still be used and are beneficial, whichever your favorite brand happens to be.
As you probably know, pre-80s leather seats tended to be unlacquered, and therefore often respond well to conditioning creams which often include lanolin that is absorbed and softens leather.
All modern leather car seats are dyed / painted and lacquered on top to fix the colour and protect the seat. Therefore, the ability of a modern seat to absorb anything is very limited. As mentioned, what you really need is a leather protection cream, applied every 3 months. There are many good ones on the market. I use one from Furniture Clinic who also have a US outlet https://www.furnitureclinic.com/
Good luck
Paul
Correct! If its not absorbed by the leather, it will be absorbed by your body, and it could have some impact on your health. Such as low testosterone, and wild mood swings😛. Careful with what you use
Correct! If its not absorbed by the leather, it will be absorbed by your body, and it could have some impact on your health. Such as low testosterone, and wild mood swings😛. Careful with what you use
Hmm. Perhaps I should stop driving naked, then. Let my clothing absorb it instead. I don't really mind if my jeans have low testosterone.
Hmm. Perhaps I should stop driving naked, then. Let my clothing absorb it instead. I don't really mind if my jeans have low testosterone.
Ahhh I see, you wear absorbent clothing, that also float on your body. The perfect barrier from your sweat and chemicals. Got a link to this barrier brand? 🙄 I may sound like Im joking but my lab is finding that exposure to chemicals in everyday life are affecting good strong men in negative ways. Just my .02, carry on.
Last edited by Brewtech; Aug 23, 2019 at 06:02 PM.
So, I searcher Amazon and a "Lexol" product came up. Great reviews. Came with a cleaner (didn't need so much as the seat covers are just installed) and a conditioner... Put a little on a microfiber cloth,,, and BAM!!!!,,, black seats that almost seemed a dark deep charcoal grey turned and remained a daaark soft black... I went to town rubbing it in and in and in... Amazing results...
Thanks everyone...
Imma keep my eye on it and see about a "sealer" or something down the line. The leather does seem thirsty...
What I've noticed, even with the conditioner, is that when a drop of water hits the leather, it spreads and absorbs quite readily into the leather material... I know that folks can't see and touch the leather to get a better sense of what I mean but I think that what have here is a crafted, dyed leather, that was shipped unsealed... Does SEALING the leather make sense?
I was looking at this product and just want to get a sense of what people think...
Maybe you should have gone for the pleather? I think leather should be absorbing water?
You can possibly apply a Scotchguard kind of product?
Hmm... When I say absorbs,,, it's kinda like a piece of cloth or how a paper towel would, absorb... In my mind, that can't be good. I have seen treated leather repell water (liquids), where it beads and rolls. I wouldn't want my seats to absorb coffee, soda, juice or,,, tea...
I like Scotch Guard and 3M products. Maybe...
Thanks.
Conditioning New Leather Seats
