Is there a good source for small quantities of leather dye that would match the original champaign color of our SV8s leather seats? Most of the interior is in good shape except the driver's outside seat bolster and door grab handle which have 130K miles of wear that I'd like to cover up.

Also does anyone have a best suggestion for leather conditioner/cleaner for jaguar leather seats? I've used Leatherique on my older cars with mixed results (disasterious in one case) and don't much care for its odor, and while I like the "old leather" fragrance of Lexol I have read of problems with it causing stitching to deteriorate.

 

Hey Phil, I'm assuming that's SEL as per mine. CHK OUT MY THREAD as I have the title in there of the place as well as you can see quite a bit for yourself too...

 

Thanks for the info and the ebay source. Looking at your photos I realized my interior looked lighter and I finally found the right sticker for paint and interior colors and it is NED ivory rather than champaign. I'll order the touch up kit.

Do you see anything in my photos that might require filler? Or does it look like the touchup kit alone should cover OK?

 

Yeah you may want to get some filler; any type separation, dye isn't going to help that any really; now, I'm no expert or anything, but after doing my seats, I've actually done a few more ppl just as a hobby, & not using filler would probably P!ss you off after you're done dying!..

 

I too have used Leatherique on older Jag seats and had a great outcome. But it doesnt seem to work as well with the newer leathers. They have a different tanning and dying process. I now am using Gliptone products, and love the outcome on my SV8 leather. The leather smell (not chemical) is a little strong the first day but airs out after that. No greasy or sticky feel. And no build up.
Just the cleaner and conditioner is all thats needed, and is quick. They also make great repair kits and filler if needed. Look up SCUFFMASTER DYE and repair kits by Gliptone. There videos are good too. You can also look up articles on gliptone on the web, and on this forum. I'm not affiliated with them either, just a satified user. A believe me, I think I've tried them all, and have many bottles of other products laying around, as my wife reminds me from time to time.

 

I have used the furniture clinic products in the past with great success.
The main key steps for success are:
-Remove the damaged finish with the solvent soaked into a mildly abrasive pads, this takes off the protective layer on the leather and should make the leather feel tacky. This is key to adhesion.
-Fill any areas of imperfection, be careful, though as you can mask the grain of the leather.
-Thoroughly degrease with rubbing alcohol.
-Spray your colour as a basecoat.
-Spray the sealing finish (should be satin or matt), give at least 3 generous coats.

 

Thanks, Mark, I looked up scuffmaster and see most suppliers are in the UK; I'll look a little further, though.

I believe I have do some Gliptone cleaner and conditioner around here somewhere, and I remember it had a nice aroma too. I also still have some leatherique rejuvinator oil and pristine cleaner that I've used on my 85 Jag Sovereign and 87 XJ6 and they seemed to work pretty well on these, although the rear seat pleat stitching has since come loose on the Sovereign, but my trust was shattered when I tried the Leatherique rejuvinator oil on the front seats of my 67 Daimler Majestic Major.

The leather was very dry but intact, so I thought the rejuvenator oil would soften it, but to my horror when I put it on and rubbed it in, the leather started tearing apart before my eyes. I had not taken "before" photos at the time, but grabbed the camera when I saw what was happening and shot some "during" and "after" pics. I was shocked by how fast and how much it ripped apart.

The first of the photos below is an earlier one showing the seats sometime before I "rejuvenated" them, and the others show the progression and aftermath. Leatherique claimed that the leather must have absorbed oil from the legs of folks sitting on the seats in shorts, but if that was the case the driver must have slipped his off and gotten bum oil on the pleats near the seat back too. Leatherique never accepted any responsibility for what happened to these seats and to my knowledge have never changed their claim that their product can not possibly harm old dry leather.

 

Mate, believing that you could get by with some conditioner on those seats is like believing Fukushima reactor could be resurrected with some plaster after the meltdown.

 

I agree that the leather in the Daimler was pretty dry, but it was still intact and I didn't expect that a product with advertising copy that says,“It is known world wide for its ability to soften and restore even cardboard hard leather back to useful condition. Its’ unique capillary action forces proteins into the leather and dirt out! Leather will be glove-soft, luxuriously supple, and strong! Prevents cracking, drying, and tearing.”, would in fact cause a Fukushima meltdown of cracking and tearing.

Would other products have done the same thing? I'll never know, but I do know that other products do not make the claims that Leatherique does for restoring exactly this condition of leather.

 

^^^Hahahaha (that's funny) ^^^

 

I too was a believer in Leatherique. But my XJ-40 seats were in great condition. Long gone is the heavy thick Connolly leather from old. I am now sold on Gliptones concept. No harsh solvents used, and a better system for modern leather.
As to the splitting of your seats. Due to the level of damage and depth of cracking, most likely ANY moisture induced to the leather (including water) would soften, but then shrink some when dry and cause the splitting to the weakest areas. Think of it as shocking the leather fibers. With with new leather recovering, a steamer is used ay times to relax the fibers, to shrink wrinkles, and then the leather shrinks and forms a little to pull it tight.
I've been doing interior mfg for many years, and would not have given those seats a very good chance of survival from restoration alone. I haven't come across a product that would have been very successfull at bringing those seats back from the dead. It has been done with Leatherique and Gliptone, but not from that level.
The good news is that you will have great success on your current seats.

 

Hey I have the 2 full hides of the old Connolly leather. Whats it worth to you. Is this the Gliptone you are talking about. I had not heard of them before, but wow they supply Jaguar and have been around since 1972. Car & Motorbike Leather Products - Gliptone Leathercare

 

Sorry Phil for having a bit of a laugh at your expense. Let me make it up to you by sharing some research with you. This will explain why it happened. BTW, these are the guys who specialize in your leather. P.s. Leatherique is Lanolin based I believe. Can you confirm. I have some and can tell you its definitely not oil based. it absorbs water not repel it. Here is the link. Leathercare Renovations

 

Hey Phil, are you certain that someone did not play a trick on you and swap your bottle of Leatherique with some male enhancement conditioner.

 

Did a ton of research a year ago and settled on Gliptone based on numerous raves from those who had tried many products. I was happy with it but it wasn't one of my favorite chores. Also it was surprising how many surfaces are not leather - only the seats and some of the doors. It was a little slippery for a day or two then it was fine. Recall reading you'll get best results if you let the product sit on the leather during a hot day when the car roasts in the sun. Good luck, you're a good steward of that fine machine!

 

Did you just clean or did you redye also?