leather conditioner to use?

Leather Therapy Period.

Testimonials - Leather Therapy Products

 

the one and only. Bora with Fish scale leather, 1978, never treated. came out soft as a baby bottom with on pass

 

I have used Kiwi shoe polish for years. Once a year smear the content of one small can of colorless polish over all leather surfaces. Work it in with small circular motion. Let sit for a few days, or a week, if you can wait. Then buff it with a clean towel. It's cheap and very effective, and leaves behind no funky artificial smell, just the smell of the rejuvenated hide itself.

john

 

Really? That's a bit of a shock to me, because KIWI polishes carry a very strong smell.
Also, I guess I'd think twice because, at least typically, KIWI-brand polishes are wax-based, and not cream or lotion based. I've heard that, at least on shoe leather, KIWI polish can tend to have a slight drying effect. For that reason, I use a cream on my shoes. I respect your position, but I don't think I could ever use a colorless shoe polish on my leather...

 

You'll get a lot of opinions on this. FWIW, here's mine - I've used Gliptone cleaner and conditioner for many years on a bunch of Jaguars, dating back to my first drophead coupe, and now use it on my 360. I won't use anything else. Believe it is still sold and recommended by Ferrari. It does a very good job of preserving the original patina of the leather. Doesn't leave the awful shine some do. What it does leave is a pretty strong new car aroma. New car as in vintage Jag or Rolls Royce. (They used the same tanner) I really like this, and the aroma persists for a good year. You might want to try it on a small area or give it the sniff test first.

Cheers, Andy

 

+1 on the Gliptone. Just finished the application for the second time. Really love the finished look with no shine.

 

I use black shoe polish on my Countach and its is supple....works great

 

Bick4. I have used this on my Harley, riding leathers, and 550 maranello. It cleans,conditions, and lasts. You put it on with your hand and wipe it off with a cotton cloth. Done! Best stuff I have ever used.

 

Folks in the old country who've gone thru austerity of WW2 made things last. My dad would polish his shoes as regularly as he got haircuts. He would go thru three, sometime four sets of soles before the shoes were, not thrown away mind you, but given to the needy, cause the leather was still alive. So, there is the proof in the pudding for me. Long live the Kiwi shoe polish.

john

 

Another Gliptone fan. When the 365GTC/4 was restored I reused the original interior and steering wheel. The wheel was a dried up mess and the restorer wanted it replaced. I decided to try the Gliptone and when he saw the car a few months later he was so impressed by the results he decided to start using it also.

Joe

 

Shoe polish on anything but shoes is probably not a good idea if you and/or your passenger decide to wear anything other than black ...

 

Like Leatherique for Ferrari up thorough the 430's, however new car manufacturers are changing their leather finish to the new poly coated leathers which I understand can actually hurt the new coatings by using the old standbys. Have not checked out the leather in the 458's or Cali, but I would be suspicious esp. if manual states "clean with a damp microsoft" or other towel. MB's has switched and I believe Porsche has also to these new coated leathers. I am going to try one formulated for this new coated leather called 1 Z leather care by Lederpflege on my new Z06 due in any day. Have checked out the leather and it certainly is this new coated type.

 

Leatherunique

 

My Point of View....

I do not think it is a matter so much of what you use, but how often you use it..

I have bought 4 Ferraris this past year...all 20 + years old...all had stiff leather on seating and side bolsters..

To clean, you should only use a cleaner once or twice ..I use Tough Stuff...red and yellow bottle..
It leaves a clean and matte finish which is really close to new in vision..

For conditioning, I use and tried many...Zymol has a yellow creme conditioner which I think is best...but Mothers, meguiars , any commercial brand that is a creme...sort of like a lanolin is good...obviously it is best to apply in warmer ambient temps...put the heater on inside for a while and it helps to open the pores...one application does very little..I wait a week inbetween apps and usually hit it 5 or 6 times depending on the severity of stiffness.
I usually wipe the leather with clean microfibre 30 minutes after app to even the moisture out..

I really dont care for leatherique...it states that the cleaner conditioner lift stains to the surface...it does and then you have to clean it again..

I have done my process 4 times this past year and It is truly the only way to even out the leather look and feel...Bolsters that I could barely squeeze are almost too supple now..

Its not what you use....its how often you use it!

I am tempted to try a hand conditioner that I use...its called " Working Hands "
its skin we are talking about so it can not be so far off...