Victor
10-02-2011, 07:51 PM
Threads discussing leather products rarely mention the type of leather we're dealing with. After some research, I've found auto leathers, broadly speaking, will fall into one of two categories: "protected" and "unprotected." The care of each is different. But which do we have and then what products are appropriate?
Of course if your seats that require sanding and complete resurfacing, the issue may be moot, but if your seats are in pretty good shape the distinction seems critical. The E34's seem to have been "protected" at the factory -- at least so on my '95. I've come to this belief from two facts, but first a definition:
Protected leathers are those which have been treated to withstand the elements, essentially waterproofing them with polyurethane. Protected leathers are first pigmented for color consistency and then top coated with poly. One can only surface clean, and leather conditioning products intended to penetrate untreated leather will just sit on the surface.
Conversely, unprotected leathers are susceptible to penetration, allowing and requiring leather conditioning. They were used a long time ago in autos, but (perhaps with rare exception) are essentially gone from the marketplace and have been for some time. (How long, I don't know). (Reference: http://detailingwiki.com/index.php5?title=Basic_Automotive_Leather_Care).
One reason for my belief that our leather is protected is the water droplet test. Water will soak into unprotected leather, temporarily staining it, but not protected leather. I've tested mine and even after 5 minutes the water just wipes away with no apparent penetration. This is totally bazaar to me because I've used Lexol on them over and over, and it seems to seep in. (Lexol is water based and I'm in contact with Lexol on this). There are also threads on using Neatsfoot oil, but oils are larger molecules than water, so should have an even harder time penetrating. This may account for the 3-4 day time span required after using it. (Neatsfoot oil and similar are not recommended in the above link).
The second reason for my belief is that careful reading of my owner's manual suggests nothing about penetrating products -- just cleaning of the surface.
Is it possible the leather is protected, but due to its age has achieved a degree of permeability? Does it remain "protected" from snow and rain nonetheless, or do we need to apply a protectant to make it through a snowy season? Once we know the answers, I hope product choices will become more certain.
Of course if your seats that require sanding and complete resurfacing, the issue may be moot, but if your seats are in pretty good shape the distinction seems critical. The E34's seem to have been "protected" at the factory -- at least so on my '95. I've come to this belief from two facts, but first a definition:
Protected leathers are those which have been treated to withstand the elements, essentially waterproofing them with polyurethane. Protected leathers are first pigmented for color consistency and then top coated with poly. One can only surface clean, and leather conditioning products intended to penetrate untreated leather will just sit on the surface.
Conversely, unprotected leathers are susceptible to penetration, allowing and requiring leather conditioning. They were used a long time ago in autos, but (perhaps with rare exception) are essentially gone from the marketplace and have been for some time. (How long, I don't know). (Reference: http://detailingwiki.com/index.php5?title=Basic_Automotive_Leather_Care).
One reason for my belief that our leather is protected is the water droplet test. Water will soak into unprotected leather, temporarily staining it, but not protected leather. I've tested mine and even after 5 minutes the water just wipes away with no apparent penetration. This is totally bazaar to me because I've used Lexol on them over and over, and it seems to seep in. (Lexol is water based and I'm in contact with Lexol on this). There are also threads on using Neatsfoot oil, but oils are larger molecules than water, so should have an even harder time penetrating. This may account for the 3-4 day time span required after using it. (Neatsfoot oil and similar are not recommended in the above link).
The second reason for my belief is that careful reading of my owner's manual suggests nothing about penetrating products -- just cleaning of the surface.
Is it possible the leather is protected, but due to its age has achieved a degree of permeability? Does it remain "protected" from snow and rain nonetheless, or do we need to apply a protectant to make it through a snowy season? Once we know the answers, I hope product choices will become more certain.