Restoring Your Leather Jacket to its Former Glory: A Step-by-Step Guide to Leather Restoration

[rob20uk]

Restoring Your Leather Jacket to its Former Glory: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hey fellow leather jacket enthusiasts!

Today, I'm excited to share with you the journey of restoring this awesome leather jacket. Over the years, it had lost some of its luster and developed a few unsightly blemishes. But with a bit of patience and the right products, I was able to breathe new life into it. I'll walk you through the process and provide before and after pictures to show you the amazing transformation!

Before we begin, here's what you'll need:
- Fairy liquid (for cleaning)
- Saphir leather dye (three 50ml bottles)
- Saphir black leather cream
- Saphir Black leather polish
- Water
- Horsehair brush
- Picard's leather cream (for ongoing care)

Step 1: Clean the Leather
Start by cleaning your jacket with a fairy liquid. This will help remove dirt, grime, and any previous product residue. Gently rub it in and wipe away with a clean, damp cloth. Allow it to dry completely.

Step 2: Apply Saphir Leather Dye
Now, it's time to revive the color of your jacket. Apply two coats of Saphir leather dye, making sure to evenly cover the entire surface. In my case, it took three 50ml bottles to achieve the desired result. Allow each coat to dry completely before moving on to the next.

Before and After - The transformation begins with the application of Saphir leather dye.

Before

After

Step 3: Apply Saphir Black Leather Cream
Once the dye has dried, apply a thin coat of Saphir Black leather cream. This will help to nourish the leather and provide a soft, supple feel. Make sure to work it in evenly, paying special attention to any areas that need extra care.

Step 4: Apply Saphir Black Leather Polish
To achieve a glossy finish, apply a coat of Saphir Black leather polish. This will give your jacket that classic shine. Allow it to dry for a short while before proceeding to the next step.

Step 5: Sprinkle and Buff
Sprinkle a little water on your jacket's surface and use a horsehair brush to give it a good buff. This step not only removes any sticky residue but also gives your leather a sleek and polished look.

Before and After - Your jacket is now starting to look refreshed and rejuvenated.

Before

After
NOTE: The below picture also had a light coating of Pecard's. I found this really helped to smooth the leather and remove any excess stickiness.

Step 6: Ongoing Care with Pecards's Leather Cream
To ensure your leather jacket continues to look its best, it's essential to provide ongoing care. Lightly apply Pecards's leather cream, especially to areas like the back and shoulders where cracking may have occurred. This will help nourish and maintain the leather's health over time.

Before and After - The back of the jacket receives some extra TLC with Pecards's leather cream.

Before

After

And there you have it, folks! By following these simple steps and using high-quality products like Saphir leather dye, Saphir Black leather cream, and Pecards's leather cream, you can bring your leather jacket back to life. Just look at the incredible transformation!

Remember that leather care is an ongoing process. Keep your jacket clean, moisturised to ensure it stays in top-notch condition for years to come.

If you have any questions or want to share your own leather restoration journey, feel free to comment below. Happy leather jacket restoration, and may your jackets continue to turn heads on the streets of the UK!

 

[CombatWombat]

Mate.....that last picture looks like you've got serious cracking and deterioration between your shoulders
I've got a Aero from the early 90s and it is only just getting surface/topcoat cracks

 

[rob20uk]

Mate.....that last picture looks like you've got serious cracking and deterioration between your shoulders
I've got a Aero from the early 90s and it is only just getting surface/topcoat cracks

Oh the jacket was in horrible shape when I got it. I actually got it cheep on eBay with the sole idea of doing this test.

I am just going to keep it as a bit of a beater jacket as the cracking on the back is not much of an issue when using it.

This week I order a HH cafe racer so that will be my main one

 

[flyincowboy]

Yes you are right on one thing. don't forget to nourish the leather after a dying process there is a lot of creams avaliable but stay away from petroleum based products. use beewax, fat, oil, based stuffs your leather jacket will thank you.

 

[bbrfo]

Start by cleaning your jacket with a fairly liquid

at the risk of being branded a pedant, do you mean "fairy liquid?"

 

[dbtk44]

at the risk of being branded a pedant, do you mean "fairy liquid?"

If he's from dear old Blighty, I bet that's what he meant...but of course, I would never presume to speak for him!

For those of us across the pond, apparently the close equivalent of Fairy liquid would be Dawn dish detergent.

 

[dbtk44]

Beautiful jacket! Very nice work you've done, and the tutorial you've put together is excellent...Thank You for taking the time to do it!

 

[pillepalle123]

Thanks for the info.

I talked to tanners about this topic and they told me to lighty spray really old dry leather with distilled water for 1-2 days.

After that put some curd soap in warm water and rub without any strength about the jacket.

After that you could also licker it with licker oil (water soluble) mix 20:80 with distilled water.

If it is aniline/suide/rough out leather you can give it a good spray with 25% vinegar mixed with 50% distilled water. (restore pH level)
If it is another kind of leather you should should do that from the inside to not damage the top coat oven more (the top coat is actually arround pH 7, not acidic like the leather itself)

After that give it a coat of normal leather oil.

After that a light coat of leather grease or vaseline.