Polishing a saddle

No that’s not a euphemism! 😉

I have a two Charge spoon ti saddles. I believe they are both the leather version? The one on my hardtail looks fine. A bit worn but still black. The one on my bouncy bike is looking very un-black and not at all shiney. This is probably due to mud and grit between the saddle and my arse on many a damp ride.

Otherwise the saddle is fine so I’m wondering if I can get away with restoring it with some simple standard shoe polish and some elbow grease?

Will it work? Or will I end up with a black streak up my shorts?

it will be slippy!!

I used to polish leather saddle all the time when racing, after a couple of XC-mincer-high-saddle-catches-shorts-on-the-descent incidents.

Good ole kiwi boot polish and good rub just the job, but I never wear white shorts.

A friend of mine who shall remain nameless glues sandpaper to his saddle (Downhillers !) seriously not joking this it true !

Used to use ‘good ole’ Kiwi neutral shoe polish on all my Flite saddles.
Keep it clear colour tho’ to avoid skid marks!

I used to rub 3in1 oil into my Brooks.

Repeat – don’t wear white.
🙂

surely clear dubbin is a better option

White shorts/trousers are not in my wardrobe. Think it’d have to be black polish initially to get the thing looking half decent?

I used some of that lazy person’s black shoe polish, the liquid stuff, on my Charge Spoon Ti. Made the leather black again, the stitching didn’t hold the black which was nice and the leather felt better afterwards. No problems with shorts but all mine are very dark.

I used black Kiwi stuff on Flites for years. It certainly made them look better.

Get it resprayed at a tannery
eg
http://www.barrheadleather.co.uk/inside-the-tannery-c18.html
or try some spray paints intended for plastics
eg Krylon Fusion, Rust-Oleum Direct to plastic

or try leather upholstery repairers .

leather ‘food’ would be better than polish.

Tried some bog standard black shoe polish and it’s come up a treat 🙂