New Hides...
 

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Had new leather installed. What type/brand of leather/hide "stuff "
(conditioner-oil-protection ) needs to be used 1st, and then on an
on-going basis. What works ? The leather is tan. w/o anything on it.

ps. First rule of virgin stuff, for me is: DO NO HARM...

Pls advise. :)

www.leatherique.com

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

What kind of leather did you buy?

ALLO.

One (1) cow was rendered.

Forgive my ignorance. I'm not sure I quite understand. What I understand is that you had custom leather made of a cow hide...is that correct or am I missing something?

ALLO.

You're forgiven. I removed the old leather on the seats, and replaced
it with tan cow hide. (deluxe soft leather.) I am wondering what to
use on the new leather to preserve-condition-maintain the leather.
I want to do it correct the 1st time. I don't want the 'oops' factor
to rear its ugly face.

Ergo, what do you suggest to apply to this new cow hide without
doing harm ? :)

I've used Leatherique and personally I find those products over priced and over rated.

Lexol is well respected.
http://www.lexol.com

This is a product that I would like to try:
http://www.glossyleather.com/engeland/leather.html

This vendor has it for sale:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7929323593&category=33701

Unless specifically labled goat or sheepskin, all commercial leather is cowhide (there is the possiblity of buffalo hide from India and SE Asia, but you'd know....)

Any good leather treatment will work just fine. Leatherique, Lexol, etc. Do not use saddle soap or neatsfoot oil for the following reasons, unless you are willing to live with the consequences:

Saddle soap will DRY the leather badly by removing oils. Oils are what make it soft and supple, without them it gets cardboardy and will crack. Use a good leather cleaner and a restorer immediately after, these all contain oils to recondition.

Neatsfoot will greatly darken the leather. So will LL Bean 'mink oil', although both will do a good job of softening the leather. May make it greasy, too, though, along with splotchy.

DO NOT use Armorall!!!! The silicones in it will make the leather VERY slippery, and you will slide around terribly! Not so bad on a Merc where the seat is recessed, but on a American car where you get perched on the centre of a bulge, this can be distressing. Which, of course, leads to the question of WHY American automotive designers make seats like they do -- that new Chevy Coronado I rented a couple weeks ago to pick up the 220D engine nearly ruined my back!

Peter

Lexol is good, but it stinks (smells). I find that Zymol Leather cleaner and cream (2 separate bottles) work well and have a rather pleasant smell.