It might have been my posting.
I had a very dry Wrights leather saddle with the sides splayed outward, probably because it shrank a bit as it dried out. I first oiled it--a mistake, since it then could not be reshaped by wetting it; it just wouldn't absorb water. Finally, in desperation, I soaked the whole thing in a bucket of water, which took out some of the oil and forced enough water into it. I was eventually able to reshape it.
It's actually pretty easy to reshape a leather seat. You just wet it a bit, clamp it in the desired position, and let it dry. The amount of water required is surprisingly little; soaking it in a bucket would be pretty drastic. This seems to work best if it is already somewhat dry, but you must be careful not to bend it too much or it might crack. Then, once it is completely dry, you can oil it.
Steve Maas (Nice ride along the coast, in the rain, yesterday south of) Dublin, Ireland
Otis wrote:
> I read somewhere (maybe on this list) about taking a dried out misshaped
> leather (Brooks type) saddle, wrapping and soaking in a bucket of water to
> re-shape. Can anybody give me a step by step on the process? I found a nice
> old saddle today that's not in bad shape but has flattened out across the
> top. I would like to try and save it if possible.
>
> Thanks, Jon Williams
> Grants Pass OR
>
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