Re: [CR]Re: Leather handlebar wrap

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli)

From: <CYCLETRUCK@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 20:18:35 EDT
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Leather handlebar wrap
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


Neill!!!

Warning!!!! Don't use saddle soap as a treatment (or even as a cleaner---there are much better products available) Saddle soap dries out good leather. Wipe off it those wraps with a damp cloth. Even some "leather shops" get this one wrong.

I worked on tack for several years in central Kentucky .....repairing and restoring it along with building and restoring other leather goods. I saw too many reins, belts, bridles, &c. earlier "treated" with saddle soap that had begun to peel badly. If my boss had caught me applying SS to anything, its a good bet I'd've gotten cashiered directly.

Now and then I run into a bicycle saddle with a layer of leather peeling away from the underside---saddle soap, of course.

Chrome tanned leather will hold up a bit better to this kind of abuse but on Veggie-tanned leather, saddle soap is deadly.

BTW: I'd say $21 is a good price (depending on the grade of leather).

Calvert Guthrie Kansas "it just ain't Kentucky or PA either" City

In a message dated 9/18/2001 2:45:11 PM Central Daylight Time, neill1234@yahoo.com writes:
>
> I just had some honey-colored leather made to a
> sample of Cinelli cork ribbon I sent to a saddle
> maker.
>
> It has been on the bike a week or two, looks
> gorgeous, and is developing its "patina" nicely.
>
> Best of all: despite the one-off nature of the
> job, I got charged just $21, for 2 eight foot
> lengths!! Marks saddle shop, somewhere in Pa.
> Probably still have the invoice, if anyone's
> interested.
>
> No affiliation, etc.
> Neill Currie