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HOW TO REPAIR OR RESHAPE YOUR SADDLEBAGS From www.motorcycleleather.biz

Over time most saddlebags lose thier shape. There is no need to pay anyone to repair or reshape your saddlebags, it is relatively simple.  There is no need to buy a kit.  Listed here are the suppliers and directions needed to repair or reshape your saddlebags.  The listed suppliers are the same ones used by saddlebag manufacturers.

 Sometimes the leather used by the bags manufacturer will lend itself better to reshaping than other leather.  If you are unhappy
with the initial reshaping results, try a second time. If you are still unhappy buy a new set of bags.  Note: Heritage bags made in
the 1990's are difficult to reshape. The leather Harley used does not easily lend itself to be reshaped, however this repair
method will work as well as any.

 RESHAPING YOUR SADDLEBAG

1.Soak the bags in hot water for 30 seconds in a laundry sink or bath tub.
2.Stuff the bags with newspaper.It will take at least one Sunday edition.
3. When wet mold the top back into shape.
4.Leave to dry for at least one day.
5. Take out the newspaper.
6. Optional Step.  Grind off the buckles from inside the bag and pull the buckles away from the bag.This will allow the
stiffener to lie flatter against the leather.  If you feel confident about pop riveting or bolting the buckles back on then go
ahead and grind off the buckles.  Otherwise it is not absolutely necessary to remove the buckles.

If you want to maintain the shape longer you can put stiffners in as follows

7.Cut out the shape(pattern) of the flat saddlebag top piece and the saddlebag front from the plastic sheet(see supplier
Modern Plastics) making the pattern 1" smaller on the outer edge so the plastic piece fits onto the top and front.  You also
can substitute luan, or 16ga-24 ga metal in place of the plastic.The purpose of the plastic is to keep the bags shape once the
bag is dry.

8.Apply one coat of contact cement to the inside front of the leather bag and one coat to the stiffner.Let dry.   Apply another coat.
Push the pieces together almost immediately after applying the cement.  Do not let the cement dry before pushing the pieces together.  Work fast.

9 Drill 5/32" holes through the leather and stiffener to provide holes for pop rivets or small bolts(8-32 used with acorn nuts),  use washers under the bolt or pop rivet head and washers on the other side as well to increase the holding strength.  Use three across the top of the front and a couple lower down.  Paint the rivets or bolts if desired to help disguise them .  Also install two on the right side and two on the left side of the top.

10.To reinforce the sides cut plastic strips about 4-5" wide x12" long and cement from the top of the sides.  Secure
with pop rivets or small acorn nuts and bolts

HOW TO REPAIR CRACKED PLASTIC BACKS
1. Contact cement small strips of metal or plastic over the crack and pop rivet in place.

Leather Care From www.motorcycleleather.biz

Now is the time of year you need to think about your leather both bags and clothing.  Your bags will be taking a beating from the sun and your clothing will be going into storage.  The bags on your bike should be done several times a year depending on how much you ride.  If they are lookng a little dry treat them.

Whether you have a fancy one-piece racing suit or a combination of jacket, boots, pants and gloves, leather is also expensive and worth taking care of so as to extend its life as long as possible.

What the Experts Say

My research has revealed that many of the products sold for leather care on the market today are not at all ideal.  However, their brochures sound convincing, and as uninformed consumers we tend to buy the products without question.  Brace yourself to learn some new tricks.

If you look at the typical car care center or furniture dealer that sells leather care products, you are likely to be as mystified at the dizzying array of creams and potions that are sold to clean and care for your leather garments.  After interviewing many people in the motorcycle garment business, and often receiving a different opinion from each of them, I decided I needed an unbiased source of information.

So I turned to the Leather Apparel Association (LAA), an industry group that was founded by 40 retailers, tanners, producers and cleaners in 1990. They currently have more than 100 members, and one of their goals is to provide an authoritative source of information related to leather and its use and care. They also maintain an approved list of leather cleaners throughout the United States , which can be found on their website www.leatherassociation.com

Leather Care Tips

Leather ages gracefully and can last a lifetime with proper care right from the start.

Always hang leather garments on wide or padded hangers to maintain their shape. Use shoetrees in footwear and stuff empty handbags with tissue to help retain their shape.

Never store leather goods in plastic or other non-breathable covers. This will cause leather to become dry.

Allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any heat source. Leather can be treated with a conditioner to restore flexibility while suede can be brushed with a terry towel to restore its look.

In winter, promptly remove salt deposits from garments and footwear by sponging with clear water, then follow with the above treatment for wet or damp leather.

When storing avoid very humid and dry environments as well as direct sunlight.

Do not use waxes, silicone products or other leather preparations that impair a garment's ability to breathe.

Wrinkles should hang out. If ironing is desired, set iron on rayon setting, use heavy brown wrapping paper as a pressing cloth on right side of the garment and a quick hand to prevent overheating and shine.

Avoid spraying perfumes or hair sprays while wearing your garment and do not apply pins, adhesive badges or tape. Wearing a scarf at the neckline will help keep hair and body oil away from the collar.

Hems may be fixed with a tiny amount of rubber cement. For best results see a leather care professional.

All products designed to be used at home should be tested on an inconspicuous part of the garment.

Always hang leather garments on wide or padded hangers to maintain their shape. Use shoetrees in footwear and stuff empty handbags with tissue to help retain their shape. Never store leather goods in plastic or other non-breathable covers. This will cause leather to become dry. 

All products designed to be used at home should be tested on an inconspicuous part of the garment.

How Often Do I Condition Leather?

This is very dependent on the frequency of use as well as the conditions of exposure. For example, a person that rides a few thousand miles a year in good weather may only have to clean and condition once or twice a year, while a rider constantly exposing leather garments to harsh conditions may have to clean and condition after every few rides. In fact, riders may even need to clean after every ride if the leather is exposed to lots of perspiration or road salts. Also properly conditioned leather tends to clean easier.

Without regular cleaning and conditioning, perspiration will draw the moisture right out of the leather, turn it hard, and eventually make it tear like paper. Once that occurs, no product will bring the leather back.

I have leather that is 40 years old and still in good condition.

A few tips to start the cold season:

Carefully go over your leather to see if any repairs are needed, broken zippers, seams giving out. Better to find out now than when you need it.   Oil the zippers with sewing mach oil.

Water Proof - A spray water repellent will not hurt your leather. A water repellent will help any unfinished brushed or naked leather. However, if you get caught in a downpour, don't expect any water repellent to keep your leathers completely dry! Water will eventually soak into the leather.

I have never found a way to get that salt stain out of my boots once its there so using a good treatment like Obenauf's Lp. will help prevent this problem.  Incidentally, it's not the water that spots leather, it's the minerals in the water that stay behind once the water evaporates

Many people swear by mink oil to condition and waterproof their motorcycle leather. There are really two fundamentally different approaches to motorcycle leather care: The way I describe mink oil vs. a oil-type leather conditioner, it's like putting Vaseline on your hands vs. Jergens lotion. Mink oil will clog the pores of your leather, just as Vaseline creates a barrier between your skin and the environment. That's why it will make your leather motorcycle accessories waterproof. It will also eventually dry out your leather because the pores are clogged. You will also notice your leather accessories may have a whitish haze to it. That's what happens when mink oil solidifies in cold weather. To answer the question, it makes more sense to put mink oil on your boots, if you so desire, and use a conditioner specifically designed for leather care and the conditioning of quality Deer, Elk, Buffalo , and Cow hide.

Tips for how to keep motorcycle leather from fading:
If left untreated, all leather is subject to fading from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. There is really only one leather care product that effectively prevents your leather from doing the slow-fade dance: 303 Aerospace Protectant. With regular use, this leather conditioning product prevents fading up to 100%. In addition, it conditions your motorcycle leather so that it is highly soil, oil, and water-resistant without clogging the pores of the leather or making them slick or sticky. An effective sunscreen for your leather will help ensure that your leather accessories will look better and last longer

 Boot & Saddlebag Care

From www.motorcycleleather.biz

When leather becomes wet from perspiration, rain, wet grass, or stepping into water deeper than the boot top, it should not be ignored. As soon as possible, the boot should be removed and slowly dried. Force drying – especially with heat will cause leather to harden and shrink. In a few cycles, the boots are trashed.

Drying should be done with little or no heat and enough air circulation to dry them completely from soaked in 2 days. If the boots are only half soaked, it should be OK to dry them in one day. Obviously, someone who soaks a pair every day must rotate two or three pair of boots. This is critical for your feet as well as for the boots. In cold climates where cold feet can be life threatening, it is important to avoid soaked boots whenever possible. Even if boots contain Gore-Tex® Liners, they must be kept dry or your feet will feel wet and cold.

There are several types of products to make boots water repellent and a few that claim to make them waterproof. Some boots have waterproof liners and factory treatments, but even these require maintenance. We will consider several types of waterproofers but often the choice is limited by compatibility with what the factory has applied. Silicone treated leather easily accepts more silicone, etc.

Before waterproofing or water repellent is applied, the boot should be clean and dry. Heavy dirt should be scrubbed off with a wet brush. Light deposits can be wiped away with a cloth moistened in water or solvent. Solvent has the advantage of evaporating quickly so you don’t have to wait before applying waterproofing. The oldest way to protect and preserve leather is by applying something incompatible with water to fill the pores, fibers, and spaces in the leather. The ancient Egyptians used Beeswax if they could get it, and even today, it is a premium product. Other fill materials are Goose Grease, Bear Grease, Mink Oil, Neatsfoot Oil (from boiling hoofs), Lanolin, Petrolatum (petroleum jelly), silicone oil, mineral oil, or pitch and pine tar. They simply aim to occupy all space in the surface of the leather so that water cannot enter.

Most of these are fluid at room temperature. You apply them to the outer surface but they soon soak in. You must frequently reapply them to maintain the waterproof quality. After a few applications, the liquid has soaked thru the leather. Now it fills all the spaces thru the entire thickness of the leather, and begins to show up on your socks. The leather gets soft and mushy and can no longer absorb perspiration to keep your feet comfortable.

The alternative is to choose a product that is solid after application. Quality waxes with solvent to aid in application and little or no oil are ideal because they remain fixed in the surface of the leather.

Beeswax provides the maximum waterproof quality and durability for smooth full-grain (top of the skin) leather footwear. Oil or chrome tanned leather accepts wax readily after removal of any factory coating. (Glycerin and Carnauba wax, which are both water-soluble, often are applied for temporary shine and scuff resistance). To remove these temporary coatings a new boot should be washed with a soft brush using residue free detergent or a mild liquid dish washing soap, and allowed to dry completely before applying waterproofing.

Beeswax products also protect split, sanded, suede, rough, and recycled leather. These materials need the protection of wax for rugged use, but it will change their appearance. As wax coats the exposed fibers and fills surface gaps, these non-top grain materials become darker and slicker. Needless to say grease, oil, animal fat, and pine pitch products will not be used where appearance or odor is important.

Gore-Tex® fabric lined boots should be protected the same as you would treat them if Gore-Tex® was not present. Beeswax does not affect Gore-Tex® and Gore-Tex® does nothing to protect the outer boot from water and other abuse. To benefit from the breathability of the Gore-Tex® liners, the inside of the leather must be dry and free of oil, grease, or animal fat so that it can absorb perspiration from the foot. At night, this moisture will evaporate thru the Gore-Tex ® and pass out of the boot leaving it dry and comfortable for the next day’s use. The Gore-Tex® liner will hold water away from your foot, but the wax will keep your boot warmer and lighter by preventing water from being absorbed by the outer layer of the boot or leaking into the space between the leather and the liner. When the leather is wet it can add 1½ pounds to a boot.

Why is Beeswax so good? The superiority of wax results from the combination of its ability to remain fixed in the outer layer of the leather and the superior water resistance of Beeswax. Beeswax has a melt point of about 146o F. It is very dry and oil free. Thus once applied it is not only waterproof but also extremely durable. Beeswax provides just enough lubrication to prevent hardening of leather in typical use. It does not soften leather, try our  Obenauf's leather oil for dry leather. 

Grease, oil, animal fat, and many wax formulas are liquid (or at least soft enough to migrate thru leather) at wearing and storage temperatures. They should be avoided because they soak away from the surface and migrate through the leather. They require frequent re-applications to maintain effective concentration on the surface. After a time the heel counters and box toes soften. The leather becomes soft and spongy then the product begins to appear on your socks indicating it has soaked all thru the leather. Animal fats become rancid, decaying leather and promoting fungal growth until one day the leather is so rotten the eyelets pull out when you lace up your boots. Saturated leather cannot absorb perspiration and loses its insulation value so your foot feels clammy and cold. Beeswax stays where you need it, in the outer surface of the leather. The balance of the thickness remains open and dry for increased insulation and the absorption of foot moisture. By resisting migration, wax assures that there will be no weakening of thermal or adhesive bonds, a common problem with oil type silicones, and other liquids.

Silicones offer easy application but less water resistance, durability, and protection than Solid Wax. Silicones resist water two different ways. The first is similar to wax, oil, animal fat, and grease: it simply occupies space in the leather so that water can’t occupy the same space. This is of limited value compared to Beeswax and other wax products that occupy space better, more permanently and with less migration. The second method is by reducing surface tension so that water beads up and does not "wet" it. This is similar to the function of Fluoropolymers but Fluoropolymers - when successful - reduce surface tension further so that even oil and some solvents can’t "wet" it. (This is why Fluoropolymer is superior for stain resistance.)

Silicones are usually in solvent systems for water repellent products because water systems (aqueous emulsions of silicone) can’t match the performance of the solvent systems. A variety of solvents will work but there are advantages and disadvantages with each. The non-flammable solvents are bad for the environment. Even the flammable solvents are VOCs but some are more harmful than others are. There is also a wide range of flammability. Mineral spirits dries slowly but is much less dangerous than solvents that dry more quickly. Even the aerosol propellant can make a difference. C02 is non flammable and a few grams will empty a can. Propane Isobutane is extremely flammable and, because it is heavy and cheap, may be used to fill half the can with no value to the consumer. Polymerizing silicones actually form a film that resists washing away much better that simple silicone oils. For heavy-duty applications where repellent effectiveness is more important than appearance, choose a product that is at least 10% silicone by weight. A heavy-duty silicone formula is an excellent choice for split, or sanded leather or leather / fabric, especially if the suede appearance is more important than long lasting waterproofness of wax.

Fluoropolymers are designed and intended for use on textiles for stain protection. They require an absolutely clean surface for adherence and 300° F heat is used at the mill to orient the molecules for maximum effectiveness. Applied under perfect conditions they work well and last for many washings if washed only in residue-free detergent.

Fluoropolymers are generally superior to silicone for oil and stain repellency but generally, inferior to silicones, waxes, and fill products for water repellency. Factory applied Fluoropolymer treatments on textiles can be restored to full effectiveness by washing with residue-free detergent to remove residue and then Ironing on Steam setting.

Fluoropolymers can give inconsistent results depending greatly upon what surface they are applied to. Baking at 300° F as in textile mill applications is impossible for boots and it is also difficult to keep boots clean enough for maximum repellency. In any case, Fluoropolymers are better left for clothing applications or limited to suede shoes where stain resistance is more important than Heavy Duty Waterproofness.

There are some crossover products that use technologies such as aqueous wax or wax fortified with polymer. Some of these can be applied to wet leather. This sounds enticing when you have failed to prepare your boots beforehand and they are now soaking wet. However, you still must dry them after application before they are ready to keep you warm and dry. Unfortunately, emulsified waxes (with or without polymers) are about as ineffective as emulsified silicones. When wax, oil, or silicone is emulsified, a surfactant has been used to make it mix with water. The surfactant residue defeats the repellent by enabling water to mix with it. This quickly defeats the purpose of excluding water.

There are many choices for the casual user. A quick dash from the car to the door isn’t likely to test any appropriately applied product. But when you need serious waterproofness nothing is as effective or long lasting as Beeswax. 

You can see the products we use and reccomend here

Leather Care for your jackets and chaps