Tony had little time and only really responded to the issues of detensioning the saddle, probable cause of tearing at the rivets, and his opinion that presoaking won't help new saddles from inferior hides.
I change the water after a day or overnight. Soaking will bring a lot of excess oils, including Proffide, to the surface, especially on the underside. I clean it off with saddle soap, sometimes using a scrub sponge - scrub sponge only on underside. I did this on an old Ideale model 44 just this morning. I've probably now soaked or am in process on 8 or 9 saddle. Almost every one has been a success. The two newish Brooks regained shape after the slight early sag, although Tony's comments might suggest this won't last. One old Brooks Pro that had good shape but was badly cracked improved a lot but was still pretty cracked after it dried. It's back in the bucket for another couple of days. Will dry more slowly indoors this time as Tony seems to suggests. I've yet to see a case where there wasn't at least some improvement and in no case has it done any harm.
This should go without saying, but one way you CAN do harm is by tensioning the saddle while still wet.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: John Betmanis <johnb@oxford.net>
\r?\n> Subject: Re: [CR] Soaking saddles - The Expert Responds
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009, 11:55 AM
\r?\n> At 08:28 AM 30/05/2009 -0700, Jerome
\r?\n> & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> >I've received an offlist response from Tony
\r?\n> Colegrave.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> >In regard to tensioning, he advises that it can be a
\r?\n> sensible precaution
\r?\n> to detension or even remove the nose bolt before beginning
\r?\n> if circumstances
\r?\n> permit.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Was there any response from anyone on or off-list whether
\r?\n> the water should
\r?\n> be changed when it turns black after several hours? My own
\r?\n> personal sense
\r?\n> would be not to change it because you'd end up leeching
\r?\n> more of the
\r?\n> "goodness" out of the saddle. I also wonder if it would
\r?\n> help to try and
\r?\n> scrape off any excess Proofide or try washing it off with
\r?\n> alcohol before
\r?\n> soaking, or would soaking eventually just lift it off
\r?\n> anyway?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> As for soaking hiking boots, as someone mentioned, I've
\r?\n> also heard that's
\r?\n> how you're supposed to break in new cowboy boots. Fill them
\r?\n> with water and
\r?\n> wear them night and day until they're dry. Not sure I'd
\r?\n> want to do that
\r?\n> with a pair that cost more than a titanium Brooks saddle.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> John Betmanis
\r?\n> Woodstock, Ontario
\r?\n> Canada