jeffries bridles, and oiling your tack... do you?

[BlueWicked]

I posted a few weeks back, asking for tack cleaning tips. Since Ive had my new Jeffries (falcon) bridle Ive been having problems.:confused:

I clean it with warm water and a cloth, pat it dry, use glycerin saddle soap, and leather effol leather balm. it looks super, for about a day:rolleyes:, as soon as I adjust a buckle even it goes grey and dry looking (its a balck bridle). I also have jeffries stirrup leathers (a few weeks old) and noticed tonight they were rigid and a greyish colour on the insides.

To me, the leather just seems so dry:confused: The funny thing is I have a really cheap kincade noseband that ive never cleaned or oiled and it looks fab... . I used to oil my tack, years ago, but i seem to remember being told not too, so havent, ive just used the leather balm. however tonight i decided to oil it as it seemd so hard and dry,...... im now on my 3rd application as once its soaked in, it goes hard again!

Anyone else had this? Do you oil your tack? sorry if this is a really stupid question...

[dansmum]

Yes, I use Neatsfoot every time I clean my tack. I hate brittle, dry leather:rolleyes: It takes a while to soften new leather so give it time - daily use is the best way:)

[blueroan12:2]

My jeffries bridle is like that i was wondering whether to neatsfoot it i'm suprised at how bad quality it is it is turning brown/grey.


ETA: I have swapped to albion leather cleaner it is better than my other cleaner.

[Valaraki]

I must admit i like to use neatsfoot oil or ko-cha-line (I think that is how you spell it)

I have a brown Jeffries bridle and it is as soft as butter.:D I bought it new about 5 years ago when I bought my horse. I use it every day and it is used for shows. It is the only bridle that i have for him and it has withstood all the wear.

I wouldnt us anything else.

[BlueWicked]

My jeffries bridle is like that i was wondering whether to neatsfoot it i'm suprised at how bad quality it is it is turning brown/grey.


ETA: I have swapped to albion leather cleaner it is better than my other cleaner.

im glad its not just me then... i thought i was treating Blue to a nice quality bridle, and ive been disapponted, but maybe with more oiling it will be ok. :)

[blueroan12:2]

SNAP is blue a connie do i recall?

[BlueWicked]

SNAP is blue a connie do i recall?

mainly, yes.... why? Am intruiged now:p

[blueroan12:2]

My boys a connie thats all

[BlueWicked]

My boys a connie thats all

oh, lol :o i was thinking you were going to tell some amazing fact about connies having exceedingly greasy skin that rotted bridles, or that all connies were known to emit jeffries bridle-rotting sweat:o:rolleyes::D

[blueroan12:2]

haha sadly not although i think jeffries fits the connie head because they are not quite pony size and not quite horse size either. Is yours all bobbely scratched or is that my poor cleaning methods? If i had the receipt i would send them a letter of disgust lol but i don't think i do will have to look for it! I havnt had it long......

[horse__obsessed]

i clean my tack everytime i ride it keeps it so much nicer

[blueroan12:2]

how often do you ride? I ride every day and in the iwnter i was riding twice a day! That would be high maintenance lol :eek:

[BlueWicked]

haha sadly not although i think jeffries fits the connie head because they are not quite pony size and not quite horse size either. Is yours all bobbely scratched or is that my poor cleaning methods? If i had the receipt i would send them a letter of disgust lol but i don't think i do will have to look for it! I havnt had it long......

Think Blue has a bit of ID in him (and some TB) somewhere so he has a big head:rolleyes: Cobsize cheekpieces and headpeices, full size noseband and browband.


Anyone else? How often do you actually put oil on your tack please?

thanks evryone :)

[cwb]

I use cod liver oil on the BACK of the leather once a month and it stays nice & supple - I wouldn't use water on leather!

[BlueWicked]

I use cod liver oil on the BACK of the leather once a month and it stays nice & supple - I wouldn't use water on leather!

thanks, how do you get off the dirt and grease if you dont use water?

[laceyfreckle]

i would oil it when you first get it.

My jeffries bridle is about 5-7 years old, havana and in really good condition, soft, supple, looks lovely enough for shows. Even though its old and has had a fair amount of use it's still my 'best' bridle.

[Soot]

I've never put water on my bridle - I've still got Rambo's bridle - had it for as long as I had him (16 years) and it's still good enough for shows --

I used to use saddle soap (glycerine I think) to get off grime, and then wax it, let the wax dry, then polish ...

These days I use Naff tack lotion ;).

[Whatanejit]

Oh me too me too!!

I was recommended the J brand as a good one - paid £85 for it and have been very disappointed at the quality and look of it since I bought it in March 06.

I was moaning about it to a groom at my RI's stables while admiring a beautiful Stuben one they had she mentioned that a few years ago something about J's quality disappearing - not as good as they used to be - something to do with the two brothers that run the company having problems.

that could explain why you folk who have older bridles are happy with them and us newbies are disappointed.

Just a thought.

[molly34]

thanks, how do you get off the dirt and grease if you dont use water?
If you use water on its own its going to really dry the leather out. Best thing to clean really grubby tack with is good old fashioned saddle soap.
I give my tack a quick wipe over every time I use it, and clean it properly every 6-8 weeks with saddle soap then conditioner.

I use Neatsfoot oil on any new stuff to get it more supple, and oil the back of my reins every couple of weeks as they're plaited and collect sand & muck like its going out of fashion! I just rub the oil onto the 'wrong' side with a soft dishcloth.

[chickyd444]

my ID wheresa a massive jefferies bridle - and it is as soft and plyable as fabric , its really old mind :o i use martin, car & day (not sure if ive got them the right way round:D) 2 step tack cleaner - the conditioner is fab !

[Snowyboy]

just got a new bridle arrive yesterday for a show tomorrow - nothing like pressure LOL

As I do with all new leather, I oil it with neatsfoot and do that a few times, leaving it to soak in each time

I then use a leather balm, leaving it overnight. I rebalm in the morning and after lunch I then start saddle soaping. I rub the soap in like mad.

Once that is done, I use a 2:1 cleaner and leave that to soak in

Another saddle soap - not wet, just moist and rub that in like mad. Late tonight I will buff up the leather

Every time we've used our tack we clean off with a damp sponge - not wet. We then rub in either 2:1 (eg Red rum or similar) or soft soap (Robinsons is fine but I am using naf at the mo as it was a similar price but no postage costs as it was in our tack shop!)

Every week, I take it all apart and use the glycerine soap and check all the stitching whilst rubbing it like mad. I use a cocktail stick to take all the soap out of the holes.

Once a month, I oil all the leather, leave it overnight and then glycerine soap it the next morning

My tack is soft as butter


If it ever gets wet (like last night!), it comes home, taken apart and oiled as water just makes the leather so dry. If its only a bit damp, the 2:1 seems to be sufficient

This sounds like a big deal, but cos I do it all the time, it takes me about 1 - 2 mins to wipe over the tack each time its used. The weekly clean, I do in the sitting room, in front of the TV and it takes me very little time. The oiling takes under 5 mins and gets done in the kitchen whilst I listen to the radio

Our pony club bridle is my pony's bridle - I sold her 20 years ago! The bridle is still in excellent condition and I've only just had to have one keeper repaired.

I'd stop using water on your bridle as I suspect that may be the problem?

[acw295]

Sounds like you are getting it too wet to me too. I use a slighly damp sponge if there is any mud on the leather but other than that I avoid water. I use the spray tack cleaner and tack conditioner for everyday cleaning and leather balm for 'big' cleans.

I have't used oil before but will when I get some brand new tack (saddle fitter coming later today :))

[coss]

i heat up flexilan oil and use a paintbrush to brush it on, i can then be quite "rough" on the grease with the brush and the lanolin in the grease may soak into the leather with the oil. i also have a sponge cloth things that i rub the oil in with. after oiling i use saddle soap (which gets off excess oil). again warm water (because i'm a wimp) but with a sponge (that you'd clean the dishes with;)) and i wet the saddle soap then squeeze as much water out of the sponge as possible -water and leather don't go well, too much water makes it go bobbly IME, it goes rough with too much water - then rub the soap over all the leather. then find an old tee shirt and use that to rub of the "white" foamy stuff from the soap that's left on the leather.
i have jeffries cheekpieces, head piece and browband - all still look black and are nice and supple

[Palomino Mare]

I oil tack when new with flexilan oil (neatsfoot rots the stiching;)) and i always cleaned my tack with glycerin(sp) saddle soap but bought stubben hammanol(sp) recently and its so much better. saddlers seem to be recommending it more and more instead of oiling

[unicornleather]

Well done cwb, that is the correct (Saddler's) way to oil tack, as you stated, apply it on the flesh side (the underneath) the pores here are much more open allowing the oil to penetrate deeply, if oil is applied to the grain side (top side) it can sit on the surface longer and not soak in as well. Clean the grime off with saddle soap first if you need to and allow to dry naturally, then apply pure cod liver oil, (not neatsfoot), cod liver is far superior and is used in the tanning process of the leather when it's stuffed full of fats and it also enhances the leather smell. On the grain side I use Aussies, I sell tins of the stuff, it contains bees wax and lanolin, these 2 ingredients are the best things for veg tanned leather to keep it supple and waterproof so other products containing these will be ok too.
When I dress my own hides I use tallow on the grain side as well.
Oz

[Ernie Pants]

I've had a Jefferies bridle, swopped it for Sabre n theres a massive difference in the quality of the leather. The Sabre one is lurrvvley! I wipe mine down with saddle soap evey week n use neatsfoot oil around once a month.

[cwb]

To clean & condition the grain side of my leather, I use Autoglym Leather Cleaner & Conditioner - it is made for car upholstery but works really well on tack too!

To spruce up tired leather, I use ordinary Kiwi Shoe Polish.

[BlueWicked]

thanks for all the replies :)

- still dont know what Im doing wrong :( I cleaned then oiled both my bridle and saddle last night - and this morning my saddle has gone all white:eek::mad: ?????

[molly34]

Don't panic, the white marks are usually just bits of oil or conditioner that haven't been rubbed in enough. It happens to me a lot - I love the Belvoir conditioner, but it really shows if you don't use enough elbow grease! I use a really soft brush round the edges of my tack to get rid of any build up, then make sure I rub everything in extra well the next time.

Question re. neatsfoot oil - i've heard and seen so many people saying it rots the stitches.... is that an absolute fact, or urban myth? I use neatsfoot compound, and it actually says it does not rot stitching on the can.

BUT, having just googled out of curiosity and seen what they make the stuff out of, its the last can I'll ever buy anyway - yuk!

[cwb]

I think the pure neatsfoot oil is OK, but they blend it with other oils which do rot the stitching.

Use cod liver oil instead - it gives a nice leathery smell and is pleasant to use.

[learningcurve]

Personally I like good quality second hand bridles cause someone has done all the hard work for me.

[coss]

thanks for all the replies :)

- still dont know what Im doing wrong :( I cleaned then oiled both my bridle and saddle last night - and this morning my saddle has gone all white:eek::mad: ?????

was the leather covered in waxy stuff when you bought it? thats a pig to get rid of and no matter how much you feel you've clean the leather it will remain white

[unicornleather]

The "waxy" stuff as you call it is the tallow or grease that is applied to all good leather by the currier in the final stages of leather production, it shows it is GOOD leather!
If you rub it to heat it up with a lint free soft cloth, the fat will melt and leave the leather looking shiny and conditioned.
Oz :)

[coss]

The "waxy" stuff as you call it is the tallow or grease that is applied to all good leather by the currier in the final stages of leather production, it shows it is GOOD leather!
If you rub it to heat it up with a lint free soft cloth, the fat will melt and leave the leather looking shiny and conditioned.
Oz :)

should have mentioned that is the way to get rid of it :o saddle soap and oil doesn't do the trick

[unicornleather]

No,you are just adding to the grease content by applying saddle soap or oil!
Oz ;)