Best wax for leather?

[GSKR]

Wow, I'm not sure if I remember seeing this product before or not...tell us how you use it and some more about your experiences?
I've used it on a 380 sl,worked pretty good but the smell is awful and lingering as well.

[GSKR]

Thanks everyone for the kind words of complement. It's been a very long, tedious, involved project that's taken MUCH longer than anticipated. It was only supposed to take a week, maybe two, but has snowballed into months. But I suffer from a severe case of "while-I'm-in-there-itis" and what was supposed to be a fairly straight forward resurrection of the front seats has ballooned into an almost complete restoration of the interior.



You are absolutely correct. That's why in my initial post I said, "I'm in the process of redying my seats..." I'm looking for a specific type of product recommendation based on the manufacturer's stated procedures. I thoroughly appreciate your input on other leather care products and will definitely check them out as I have other cars under my care that could benefit from them.

In the mean time, my original question still stands: Is there a carnauba wax on the market that would be particularly well suited to this particular application?

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to provide input. There is a dizzying array of products out there and the marketing hyperbole certainly doesn't help sort through them all. Drawing on y'alls practical experience is a huge help.The color dye deosnt last long,I personally think you shouldn't apply any wax to the seats,you may wipe off color and destroy a pretty nice seat repair.I would leave it alone.

[swanicyouth]

One thing to think of, is that there are solvents in "wax". It seems to me that the repeated use of solvents over time would brake down the protective coat and color coat on leather.

I don't understand Leatherique.

[markiteight]

The color dye deosnt last long,I personally think you shouldn't apply any wax to the seats,you may wipe off color and destroy a pretty nice seat repair.I would leave it alone.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "The color dye deosnt last long"? According to various testimonials I've read there are Leatherique redye jobs that are decades old that, properly cared for, are still going strong.


One thing to think of, is that there are solvents in "wax". It seems to me that the repeated use of solvents over time would brake down the protective coat and color coat on leather.

I don't understand Leatherique.

Leatherique dye is, like all modern leather dyes, water based. Water is a solvent. The presences of an additional solvent shouldn't hurt the dye. Besides, Leatherique isn't recommending the repeated use of wax. They are recommending a single application of several coats of wax as a last step to the redye process. Future maintenance is the occasional application of Pristine Clean.

[Mantilgh]

Very nice job!!!!

I'm not sure about the wax and who has a pure carnauba anymore. Would there be that much of a difference in the solvents of pure wax vs a hybrid?

Are there instructions included with the kit that say to use wax?
I looked at the instructions online and didn't see that.

And, more questions if you don't mind me asking.

Which size kit did you get?

How was the filler?

Did you have to sand after the filler?

Did you have to fill multiple times?

Did you have any rips or holes, and how did you deal with them?

How many coats did you end up doing?

How did you apply?

Did you have to sand or buff the final finish to get an even appearance?

Is the maintenance just the pristine clean and no rejuvenator oil?

Sorry for all the questions, I don't think there is much information on it here.

[Cabrio]

Thanks for the reply, Bob. The seats have already been rejuvenated, sanded, filled, and dyed with the Leatherique products. The seats came out of the car appearing as if they had never been maintained in the car's 20 year, 250,000 mile life.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7073_zpsp1p7ewyo.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7073_zpsp1p7ewyo.jpg.html)

The leather surface was cardboard dry and full of cracks. The Leatherique products (and considerable elbow grease) have done a spectacular job of bring these seats back to almost new condition.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7387_zpsc2kvrrym.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7387_zpsc2kvrrym.jpg.html)

I'm curious, what is it about Leatherique's products that you don't like? Their website is a joke, as is their customer service, but I've been thoroughly impressed with their products so far.

That is a stunning transformation! Outstanding!:props:

[Priyaka]

:iagree: Amazing transformation! I too would like to know how you accomplished this turnaround as I will be working on some seats that are dried and cracked...not quite as bad as yours, but still will require extra work to bring them back to life.

[markiteight]

Very nice job!!!!

I'm not sure about the wax and who has a pure carnauba anymore. Would there be that much of a difference in the solvents of pure wax vs a hybrid?

Good question. I'm curious about this as well, but I'm also more concerned about various additives blocking pores or permanently modifying the appearance.


Are there instructions included with the kit that say to use wax?
I looked at the instructions online and didn't see that.

Huh. You're right. I just looked at the online instructions and couldn't find it either. What's shown online is almost identical to the printed instructions that were sent with the kit, with two exceptions: the wax suggestion is present on the printed copy, and the online instructions say to use 1000 grit sandpaper to remove any imperfections. This is wrong. Printed instructions say 1500 grit.




And, more questions if you don't mind me asking.

Which size kit did you get?

I got "Kit#3" which includes 32oz. bottles of dye, Rejuvenator Oil, Prestine Clean (anyone else get a kick out of the fact that pristine is misspelled?), and Prepping Agent, and 1 1/2 oz. of crack filler. I used all 32oz of RO, PC, and PA, but 32 oz. of dye is WAY too much. I used maybe 4 oz. for two seats, and that's with multiple coats.


How was the filler?

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here, but I'll attempt to describe the filler as best I can since the link on Leatherique's website covering filler application is broken.

The filler is basically like really thick paint. It's white, so if you're working with a darker finish (like I was) you'll want to add some dye to get a closer color match, otherwise the filled spots could show through on the finished product. Application method is similar to body filler except it's much thinner and doesn't use a chemical hardener so you're not bound by a working window of a few minutes, which makes it very easy to work with. Once applied it takes 20 minutes to an hour to set, depending on the amount applied, but I let each application cure over night before working with it.


Did you have to sand after the filler?

Yes. Before, during, and after. Just like body work (did I mention I hate body work?). You have to sand down the seats to remove the old dye. I used 600 and 800 grit wet sandpaper soaked in Super Prepping Agent to do the job. For sanding the filler I used 800 and 1000 grit dry paper.


Did you have to fill multiple times?

Depends on the size of the crack. As can be seen in the "before" image there were a number of sizable cracks, but what can't be seen are the countless tiny cracks (think crows feet clearcoat failure) that covered the rest of the surface. The big cracks required multiple filler applications (up to 4). I used a small plastic wedge about 5mm wide to apply the filler to the crack while getting as little on the surrounding surface as possible. The less material applied, the less sanding is required later. Unfortunately with the mini cracks this method isn't practical, so for those I dipped my finer in the filler and massaged it into a small area (about 10-15 sq in) and then scraped off as much of the excess with a 2" wide plastic scraper.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7214_zpsf2xa5oqd.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7214_zpsf2xa5oqd.jpg.html)
Passenger seat filled, sanded, and ready for the first dye application.

In retrospect I would not recommend attempting to restore leather that is this badly cracked. The filler is very thin and will work itself into EVERYTHING, including the leather's natural grain. My biggest complaint is that the finished product looks and feels too smooth and uniform and someone who knows what to look for will immediately recognize the seats have been refinished. But to the untrained eye they look brilliant.


Did you have any rips or holes, and how did you deal with them?

Yes. I started with two and created a third when I accidentally dropped the seat back on the seat bottom, puncturing the leather.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7205_zpsfjv9uhke.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7205_zpsfjv9uhke.jpg.html)

I cut out a piece of leather from a spare swatch I had laying around, slightly larger than the split and glued it to the back side of the split (fuzzy side to fuzzy side) using a good quality bonding agent (I used Tiger Bond and it does the job nicely). This leaves you with a crack that can be filled and sanded like all the others. The result is seamless.


How many coats did you end up doing?

That's actually not an easy question to answer. I ordered custom match-to-sample dye and the first batch didn't match the sample. There was also a bit of a learning curve involve in working with the dye and I was not remotely satisfied with the results of my first couple of attempts. Each time I wet sanded off the dye and started over. Once I got reasonable results I ended up with about three thin coats...I think.


How did you apply?

My first few (failed) attempts were with a brush. The final coats were wiped on with a wad of damp paper towel (distilled water please, chemicals in tap water will damage the dye) on the flat surfaces after working the dye into the seams and deep nooks with a brush. The results still weren't satisfactory but good enough to be workable. The problem is the dye is pretty thin and it's impossible to avoid thousands of tiny bubbles forming as the dye is applied. When those bubbles dry you end up with a very rough, grainy finish. I suspect spraying the dye may be the only way to avoid this.


Did you have to sand or buff the final finish to get an even appearance?

Yes. This is actually the stage where I'm at presently. The "after" picture I posted earlier is after a vigorous buffing with a microfiber towel. Most of the roughness is gone and the finish is smooth and not too shiny or too dull. There are still some brush marks showing in a few places that will require something more aggressive than a microfiber towel. I tried dry sanding with 1000 grit paper as per the instructions online. That damaged the finish. That's when I noticed the print instructions says 1500 grit. I'll be paying Home Depot yet another visit tomorrow.


Is the maintenance just the pristine clean and no rejuvenator oil?

Yup. If each step of the process was done correctly, including the initial application of Rejuvenator Oil way back at Step 1 it should last for many years with just the occasional application of Prestine Clean. The key to Rejuvenator Oil is heat and time. I removed the seats from the car and set them up in a spare room and a space heater. Liberally coat the leather with the RO, crank up the heat (85-90 degF) and let it sit for 24 hours. Spray down the seat with Prestine Clean and wipe off the sticky residue. Repeat until the R. O. comes up clean. For my 20 year old cardboard dry seats it took 7 applications.


Sorry for all the questions, I don't think there is much information on it here.

No worries! I'm glad I could help. Just keep in mind that I am not a professional and this was my first attempt at a project of this magnitude, so please take everything I said above with a grain of salt.

[Mantilgh]

Wow, thank you for the very detailed reply!

I might have to pick up some filler and dye and try it out for fun. I wonder what their prep agent is.

[lawrenceSA]

I use Collinite 855, excellent cleaning and protection.

Dave

:iagree:

[GSKR]

Good question. I'm curious about this as well, but I'm also more concerned about various additives blocking pores or permanently modifying the appearance.



Huh. You're right. I just looked at the online instructions and couldn't find it either. What's shown online is almost identical to the printed instructions that were sent with the kit, with two exceptions: the wax suggestion is present on the printed copy, and the online instructions say to use 1000 grit sandpaper to remove any imperfections. This is wrong. Printed instructions say 1500 grit.





I got "Kit#3" which includes 32oz. bottles of dye, Rejuvenator Oil, Prestine Clean (anyone else get a kick out of the fact that pristine is misspelled?), and Prepping Agent, and 1 1/2 oz. of crack filler. I used all 32oz of RO, PC, and PA, but 32 oz. of dye is WAY too much. I used maybe 4 oz. for two seats, and that's with multiple coats.



I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here, but I'll attempt to describe the filler as best I can since the link on Leatherique's website covering filler application is broken.

The filler is basically like really thick paint. It's white, so if you're working with a darker finish (like I was) you'll want to add some dye to get a closer color match, otherwise the filled spots could show through on the finished product. Application method is similar to body filler except it's much thinner and doesn't use a chemical hardener so you're not bound by a working window of a few minutes, which makes it very easy to work with. Once applied it takes 20 minutes to an hour to set, depending on the amount applied, but I let each application cure over night before working with it.



Yes. Before, during, and after. Just like body work (did I mention I hate body work?). You have to sand down the seats to remove the old dye. I used 600 and 800 grit wet sandpaper soaked in Super Prepping Agent to do the job. For sanding the filler I used 800 and 1000 grit dry paper.



Depends on the size of the crack. As can be seen in the "before" image there were a number of sizable cracks, but what can't be seen are the countless tiny cracks (think crows feet clearcoat failure) that covered the rest of the surface. The big cracks required multiple filler applications (up to 4). I used a small plastic wedge about 5mm wide to apply the filler to the crack while getting as little on the surrounding surface as possible. The less material applied, the less sanding is required later. Unfortunately with the mini cracks this method isn't practical, so for those I dipped my finer in the filler and massaged it into a small area (about 10-15 sq in) and then scraped off as much of the excess with a 2" wide plastic scraper.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7214_zpsf2xa5oqd.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7214_zpsf2xa5oqd.jpg.html)
Passenger seat filled, sanded, and ready for the first dye application.

In retrospect I would not recommend attempting to restore leather that is this badly cracked. The filler is very thin and will work itself into EVERYTHING, including the leather's natural grain. My biggest complaint is that the finished product looks and feels too smooth and uniform and someone who knows what to look for will immediately recognize the seats have been refinished. But to the untrained eye they look brilliant.



Yes. I started with two and created a third when I accidentally dropped the seat back on the seat bottom, puncturing the leather.

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/dingchowping/IMG_7205_zpsfjv9uhke.jpg (http://s913.photobucket.com/user/dingchowping/media/IMG_7205_zpsfjv9uhke.jpg.html)

I cut out a piece of leather from a spare swatch I had laying around, slightly larger than the split and glued it to the back side of the split (fuzzy side to fuzzy side) using a good quality bonding agent (I used Tiger Bond and it does the job nicely). This leaves you with a crack that can be filled and sanded like all the others. The result is seamless.



That's actually not an easy question to answer. I ordered custom match-to-sample dye and the first batch didn't match the sample. There was also a bit of a learning curve involve in working with the dye and I was not remotely satisfied with the results of my first couple of attempts. Each time I wet sanded off the dye and started over. Once I got reasonable results I ended up with about three thin coats...I think.



My first few (failed) attempts were with a brush. The final coats were wiped on with a wad of damp paper towel (distilled water please, chemicals in tap water will damage the dye) on the flat surfaces after working the dye into the seams and deep nooks with a brush. The results still weren't satisfactory but good enough to be workable. The problem is the dye is pretty thin and it's impossible to avoid thousands of tiny bubbles forming as the dye is applied. When those bubbles dry you end up with a very rough, grainy finish. I suspect spraying the dye may be the only way to avoid this.



Yes. This is actually the stage where I'm at presently. The "after" picture I posted earlier is after a vigorous buffing with a microfiber towel. Most of the roughness is gone and the finish is smooth and not too shiny or too dull. There are still some brush marks showing in a few places that will require something more aggressive than a microfiber towel. I tried dry sanding with 1000 grit paper as per the instructions online. That damaged the finish. That's when I noticed the print instructions says 1500 grit. I'll be paying Home Depot yet another visit tomorrow.



Yup. If each step of the process was done correctly, including the initial application of Rejuvenator Oil way back at Step 1 it should last for many years with just the occasional application of Prestine Clean. The key to Rejuvenator Oil is heat and time. I removed the seats from the car and set them up in a spare room and a space heater. Liberally coat the leather with the RO, crank up the heat (85-90 degF) and let it sit for 24 hours. Spray down the seat with Prestine Clean and wipe off the sticky residue. Repeat until the R. O. comes up clean. For my 20 year old cardboard dry seats it took 7 applications.



No worries! I'm glad I could help. Just keep in mind that I am not a professional and this was my first attempt at a project of this magnitude, so please take everything I said above with a grain of salt.very nice job,probably the best repair I've seen.

[judyb]

Looks great but I would suggest you put a finish coating on rather than wax.
This will help to seal the dyes (pigments) and make the whole thing longer lasting
Have you tried using a foam roller to apply the pigments? We usually only spray the final coat to give an even finish
Hope this helps
Judyb

[markiteight]

Looks great but I would suggest you put a finish coating on rather than wax.
This will help to seal the dyes (pigments) and make the whole thing longer lasting
Have you tried using a foam roller to apply the pigments? We usually only spray the final coat to give an even finish
Hope this helps
Judyb

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "finish coating" and "seal the dyes?" According to Leatherique the single worst thing you can do to leather surfaces is seal them. Leather is fibrous and porous and needs to breathe. If it is sealed it will rot and fail prematurely, particularly in high stress areas like seams.

[Eldorado2k]

I thought I stumbled upon something I've never seen before... Turns out davidc had been talking about it already.😬lol.

This is why pictures make a world of difference.

41462

[judyb]

When you apply pigments to auto leather the final step is a clear coat finish - these are specifically formulated to be flexible and allow the leather to perform as leather but make the pigments durable and hard wearing. Without a clear coat finish the colour will wear very quickly - this cannot be achieved with a wax coating. The only time we would use any other the f finish would be on Aniline leather when dyes have been used rather than pigments
Hope this helps
Judyb