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  1. #1
    Mike Phillips
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    Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm


    Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm





    I think I have another review for this product somewhere on the forum, this would have been when it was first introduced. Sine then I've had a chance to use it a few more times. Now with some experience with the product under my belt I took the time to take some pictures for the latest vehicle for which I used this product on the leather interior.

    My buddy Phil let Autogeek borrow his wicked bad 1932 Deuce Coupe for some b-roll video for products we're showcasing on My Classic Car with Dennis Gage. If you don't know the term b-roll, it's a term used to describe video footage taken of the something or someone that is separate from the main or primary video footage and then interlaced with the primary footage to further tell a story.


    We've been shooting b-roll since returning to Stuart, Florida from Las Vegas, Nevada and the big SEMA show. I'm happy to say, that after today we have completed all the b-roll video footage we needed to shoot. So now, after the video work, I have some pictures to share.

    As a thank you to Phil for letting us use his old 2-door Ford, because he's already polished the paint to perfection as well as all the polished aluminum, and because we showcased the PBL Leather Balm in b-roll for My Classic Car, I finished applying the product to all of the leather interior and took a few pictures.

    The interior on this 1932 Ford 5-window coupe is wicked bad. But like all things, regular maintenance not only maintains the interior but also makes it look just as good on the inside as the car looks good on the outside.

    Without further ado, here's my pictures.






























































    Review
    This is a really nice product. You should know however, there's no cleaners in it and thus it doesn't offer an ability to clean soiled leather. There is a cleaning action that comes from simply rubbing any liquid or in this case a balm over a surface with an applicator of some form, but that's light or topical cleaning, not deep cleaning. So keep this in mind. If your leather interior is dog dirty, then use a pre-cleaner first. This is a high caliber streetrod kept nice by a meticulous owner, so it wasn't dirty to start with.

    Application
    The product is thick like pudding. If you look at the doors you can see where I dabbed the balm on and then worked it in and over the surface. It's thick enough to not run off like a spray or lotion. I like that about this product. It makes application fast. Just dab it all over the area you want to treat and then work it. Afterwards use a clean microfiber towel to wipe off any excess and that's it.

    Results
    The PBL Leather Balm restores a rich appearance, at least to black and medium colored leather surfaces. If your car has light tan or any other light color like light grey for seats, door panels and consoles etc., then you probably won't see a dramatic visual change after application but you certainly see this with black and darker colors. In less words, it makes the leather look good. It also feels nice. After wipe-off, the seat has lightly slippery feel, not fall off the seat slippery but you can definitely tell the surface is now treated.

    Recommendation
    If you have a car with a leather interior, could be something cool like this hotrod or could be your daily driver... you should be doing something to keep-up and maintain the leather. At least the high-wear areas like the driver's seat, arm rest and console. If you already have a product you like then go with it. If you're looking for something that's easy to use, looks great and gets the job done, the consider this product. Also get some applicators and clean towels for the application and final wipe-off of any excess product. One thing for sure, you wouldn't catch me putting anything on the leather on the inside of this car that I didn't trust.


    On Autogeek.com


    Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm


    6 Pack Pinnacle Foam Wax Applicators


    6 Pack Microfiber Applicator Pads - Simple applicator pad - works well


    Here's the one you see in the pictures. It costs more than the above applicator pads and works fairly well. I normally put my entire hand inside the pocket and then spread my thumb and 4 fingers all the way out to trap my hand inside the pocket. Takes a little technique to use. The above cheapies work just as good, sometimes better. But the SONAX applicator pads are nice, just take a tick more technique to use. I also use these to apply vinyl dressings to vinyl surfaces.


    SONAX Care Pad for Plastic







    Thanks Phil!



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  3. #2
    Super Member acuRAS82's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Looking good! Thanks, can never have too many reviews for a good product.

  4. #3
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by acuRAS82 View Post

    Looking good! Thanks, can never have too many reviews for a good product.

    It's actually a very nice product. It's easy to apply and leaves leather looking great. Nice scent too.


    From my years of experience in the car world, (not car detailing world, but the "owner" side of the car world), I would say the majority of people that own a car with a leather interior simply don't do anything to maintain it.

    Just a little care will go a long ways when it comes to leather, at least if it's done on a regular basis. This is where my quote fits in perfectly,


    Find something you like and use it often



    At least use it a few times a year versus doing nothing.




  5. #4
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Mike, I have a question regarding newer leather with the factory plasticky coating on it. Is there a good product for those seats that doesn’t just sit on top of the leather? Everything I have tried is gone after a couple sittings

  6. #5
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Baldone View Post

    Mike, I have a question regarding newer leather with the factory plasticky coating on it.

    Is there a good product for those seats that doesn’t just sit on top of the leather?

    Everything I have tried is gone after a couple sittings
    My experience is nothing lasts very long on any of the high wear surfaces, that is any place you "touch".


    Also - Along time ago I learned to pick a brand name you trust and TRUST the chemist behind the formula is smart enough to understand a lot of automotive leather is coated leather. They know this before they create the product so whatever is in the product it's matched to the chemical make-up of the coated leather.


    At least I prefer to find a brand I like and trust versus trying to become a chemist.




  7. #6
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    Cool Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Baldone View Post
    Mike, I have a question regarding newer leather with the factory plasticky coating on it. Is there a good product for those seats that doesn’t just sit on top of the leather? Everything I have tried is gone after a couple sittings
    I agree with you observation of the car leather being coated and several YouTubers are trying to show that you really only need to clean the seating surface. That said they have even suggested that a simple wax is a good way to treat coated leather.

    But I have tried about four brands on my three cars and a couple more for friends. What I did learn from Mike Phillips is to trust those with lots of experience. His interior specialist highly recommended this Pinnacle Black Label Leather & Vinyl Coating product.

    I watch and bought it on a sale and it has been working effectively on wife's Lexus leather to keep off some of the color transfer and if I see any, it cleans off easily.

    Never hurts to practice PREVENTIVE maintenance. No matter what the surface is, best to find something to protect it, both clear coat on paint and on your interiors.

  8. #7
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Thomkirby View Post

    What I did learn from Mike Phillips is to trust those with lots of experience.

    His interior specialist highly recommended this Pinnacle Black Label Leather & Vinyl Coating product.

    I watch and bought it on a sale and it has been working effectively on wife's Lexus leather to keep off some of the color transfer and if I see any, it cleans off easily.

    My wife is the best interior detailer I've ever met. She is picky about the product she uses and very OCD when it comes to a car's interior. All she uses on our leather interiors is the Pinnacle Black Label leather products.

    My vote goes for her choice.



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  10. #8
    Super Member Me Time's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Phillips View Post
    My wife is the best interior detailer I've ever met. She is picky about the product she uses and very OCD when it comes to a car's interior. All she uses on our leather interiors is the Pinnacle Black Label leather products.

    My vote goes for her choice.


    How does this do on coated leather like a 2012 Escape?

  11. #9
    Mike Phillips
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Me Time View Post

    How does this do on coated leather like a 2012 Escape?

    I think about 90% of all new cars have what is called "coated leather".


    I think people in general,( NOT YOU SPECIFICALLY), think when they hear the term

    Coated leather

    They think the leather actually has some kind of "coating" over it like the basecoat portion of car paint has a clearcoat over it. It doesn't work that way.

    Do some Googling on how modern car leather is made, I've done this and watched a couple of videos.


    BIG PICTURE

    Trust in the brand that they have a chemist that ACTUALLY KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS that modern leather surfaces that you and I can "touch" in a car are not surface of a dead cow hide. There's dead cow hide somewhere under the synthetic layer of whatever is there but it's not actually what you and I will touch or apply a product to.


    Here's what I do know, when I apply this product onto modern car leather it makes it look good, feel good and if I trust the chemist, it offers some form of protection. So instead of me trying to be a chemist, I trust the company that makes the product hired a real chemist so I simply use the product and move on in my life.


    Make sense?



  12. #10
    Super Member Me Time's Avatar
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    Re: Review: Pinnacle Black Label Leather Balm

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Phillips View Post
    I think about 90% of all new cars have what is called "coated leather".


    I think people in general,( NOT YOU SPECIFICALLY), think when they hear the term

    Coated leather

    They think the leather actually has some kind of "coating" over it like the basecoat portion of car paint has a clearcoat over it. It doesn't work that way.

    Do some Googling on how modern car leather is made, I've done this and watched a couple of videos.


    BIG PICTURE

    Trust in the brand that they have a chemist that ACTUALLY KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS that modern leather surfaces that you and I can "touch" in a car are not surface of a dead cow hide. There's dead cow hide somewhere under the synthetic layer of whatever is there but it's not actually what you and I will touch or apply a product to.


    Here's what I do know, when I apply this product onto modern car leather it makes it look good, feel good and if I trust the chemist, it offers some form of protection. So instead of me trying to be a chemist, I trust the company that makes the product hired a real chemist so I simply use the product and move on in my life.


    Make sense?


    Yes it does.

    I know car leather has a coating of some kind, but I noticed on my Escape vs. my wife's 2017 Fusion that one almost looks like it has a something on it. Where here is soft and more leather looking. Could be a better grade of leather between the two since hers basically has the Titanium seats in a SE.

    Thanks, Greg

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