Brooks saddle, but no proofide

Don't do anything - just ride it. Eventually you will find some in a bike shop, anyway.

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

From a quick bit of googling I find that Brooks recommends only Proofide, and that oil-based
treatment is bad because it allows the leather to stretch and also reduces breathability. I've
also come across some mention of Dubbin (which I don't think I can get here), and Snoseal (which I
might be able to get).

So what should I do? I have some water-based Nikwax, so it would be great if that was suitable,
but the wateriness of it makes me a little concerned.
--
"Naturally, the common people don't want war. But, after all, it is the leaders of a country who
determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along. All you have to do is
tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and
exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
- Hermann Goering

You can buy Proofide at www.permaco.com and www.rivendellbicycles.com.

Leather 101:

Keep it clean and lubricated and it will last a long time.

Clean it with saddle soap and water or, in desperate cases (such as after exposure to lots of horse
sweat), with detergent and a garden hose. After leather goods have been washed (or accidentally
soaked in water), they need to be relubricated with your favorite leather conditioner (best done
before they're completely dry). Too much lubrication and the leather will go slack and saggy. If
this happens, wash out some of the oil. Too little lube and the leather will crack or tear with
use---disaster! I assume Brooks doesn't like Neats-foot oil because it's easy to overdo it, and then
the seat will go slack and stretch when ridden on.

So, since Proofide is hard to get, visit your nearest shoe repair or equestrian tack shop, and
choose a leather cleaner and a leather conditioner (WITHOUT SILICONE) and use them as
necessary. I like to use Kiwi saddle soap and either Smiling Mink mink oil or Fiebing's Aussie
Leather Conditioner with beeswax. There are many similar products, and I'm sure some of them
are sold in Japan.

Marian

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

From a quick bit of googling I find that Brooks recommends only Proofide, and that oil-based
treatment is bad because it allows the leather to stretch and also reduces breathability. I've
also come across some mention of Dubbin (which I don't think I can get here), and Snoseal (which I
might be able to get).

So what should I do? I have some water-based Nikwax, so it would be great if that was suitable,
but the wateriness of it makes me a little concerned.
--
"Naturally, the common people don't want war. But, after all, it is the leaders of a country who
determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along. All you have to do is
tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and
exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
- Hermann Goering

Snoseal works fine. I've used it on numerous Brooks saddles.

Nick

"Baka Dasai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

From a quick bit of googling I find that Brooks recommends only Proofide, and that oil-based
treatment is bad because it allows the leather to stretch and also reduces breathability. I've
also come across some mention of Dubbin (which I don't think I can get here), and Snoseal (which I
might be able to get).

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without getting
it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

I never used Proofhide and got the job done fine. I have been successul with "SnoPruf" which is used
to waterproof leather boots and mink oil. My most successul project was a Brooks Countess for my
wife. I smeared the SnoPruf on the underside of the saddle and then used a hair dryer to melt it in.
I did this multiple times over about 10 days and the top of the saddle developed a darker brown
color. She's been using it for a year now and the leather is a chestnut brown and shining. It's
beautiful and flexible too.

RE/

Quoted message said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without getting
it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

For what it's worth, I rode a B72 for about five years, not even knowing there was such a thing as
Proofide....no problems except eventually the wires broke.

I think the main thing is not to apply oil or anything else that would soak into the leather. The
whole thing with Proofide is that it does not penetrate - just stays on the surface. What does it do
there? Dunno...unless it's to prevent infiltration of water. I'm using it on my two B17's...but just
because somebody said it was a good idea...not out of any technical knowledge.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

Some other products can spoil the leather - eg. neatsfoot oil in my experience, so I suggest you get
some shipped over. Perhaps you could order other products at the same time to help justify the
postage. See: sjscycles.comvIndex.htmOpen ↗ (UK)

~PB

Pete Cresswell said:

The whole thing with Proofide is that it does not penetrate - just stays on the surface.

I'm not positive, but I don't believe this is true. It *appears* to penetrate somewhat, anyway.
I don't think it's just evaporating, since it disappears much more slowly if at all on
non-porous surfaces.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.

Paul Kopit <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My most successul project was a Brooks Countess for my wife. I smeared the SnoPruf on the
underside of the saddle and then used a hair dryer to melt it in. I did this multiple times over
about 10 days and the top of the saddle developed a darker brown color.

Glad that worked for you, but I will never forget having destroyed a beautiful soft briefcase made
of thick, minimally processed hide by applying a similar conditioner and then subjecting it to the
steam escaping from a boiling teakettle. The stuff sink in, and the surface chapped and cracked very
quickly. I cursed myself for days, having saved my money for a long time to buy the case. Leather
doesn't like too much heat!

Non-black Brooks saddles will become darker and more beautiful in time with only minimal care. The
more you ride, the nicer your saddle will look. It's cheating to accelerate it. :^)

At some point I read that Proofide contains mutton fat - that explained the smell. Later formulas
contain lemon oil, presumably to mask the greasy dead sheep smell. I suspect that most any heavy,
greasy/waxy leather treatment will be fine, while oily, lighter treatments are not so good.

You might want to try shoe polish.

I have used Kiwi brand 'neutral' polish on one of my Brooks saddles and it seems fine to me.

The can says it 'Shines, Nourishes & Protects'.

Lewis

tinyurl.com8vvhOpen ↗

...............

Gary Smiley <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Don't do anything - just ride it. Eventually you will find some in a bike shop, anyway.

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

From a quick bit of googling I find that Brooks recommends only Proofide, and that oil-based
treatment is bad because it allows the leather to stretch and also reduces breathability. I've
also come across some mention of Dubbin (which I don't think I can get here), and Snoseal (which
I might be able to get).

So what should I do? I have some water-based Nikwax, so it would be great if that was suitable,
but the wateriness of it makes me a little concerned.
--
"Naturally, the common people don't want war. But, after all, it is the leaders of a country who
determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along. All you have to do
is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and
exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
- Hermann Goering

Quoted message said:

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

What do you consider very expensive? For a package under one pound weight to be mailed to Japan from
the US, surface shipping is $4.05, or shipping by air $9.70. After paying for a new Brooks saddle on
impulse, this additional cost wouldn't seem prohibitive.

Bill Putnam

On 11 Apr 2003 06:57:54 -0700 (Bill Putnam) said:

Quoted message said:

Baka Dasai said:

I just bought a new Brooks B17 on impulse, but I have no Proofide, and can't buy it without
getting it shipped to Japan (very expensive).

What do you consider very expensive? For a package under one pound weight to be mailed to Japan
from the US, surface shipping is $4.05, or shipping by air $9.70. After paying for a new Brooks
saddle on impulse, this additional cost wouldn't seem prohibitive.

Especially considering that Baka-san (yes, I know what it means ;-) called this an impulse purchase.
I assume thie means that he bought it locally in Japan at their hugely expensive prices for things
like this.

-
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Jim Adney [email hidden] Madison, WI 53711 USA
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