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Thread: Leather watch strap care?

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    Leather watch strap care?

    What's the consensus on best practice when it comes to cleaning and treating leather straps?

    I have just picked up a well used Panerai strap and I see that some straps, particularly ones from the high end watch makers themselves, are fairly pricey.
    So I was wondering what steps people take to prolong their life. Also, I would like to remove as much of the previous wearers wrist juices as possible.

    Therefore I have set about giving it a light scrubbing with some automotive upholstery leather cleaner that I found in the cupboard (Autoglym). I have then wiped this off with a damp cloth.
    Next I intend to give it a good dose of leather conditioning cream. As I would for any other tired and dry looking piece of leather.

    Seems sensible to me. Do others do similar, or have I done wrong?
    Please enlighten me.

  2. #2
    Craftsman ChromeJob's Avatar
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    I give a light wipe with a damp towel (after a shower is good) after wearing, then air dry. Nude, unfinished leather I might clean with a very light dose of saddle soap (learned from my dad), wipe clean, air dry. All the leather straps I have is “finished” leather like many car interiors, so cleaners could damage the finish IMHO. Just the damp towel, pat dry, air dry works for my Hirsch and other straps.

    Maybe a photo of yours would help. How “worn” is it?

  3. #3
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Seriously mate, i would just buy a new strap if it's that bad.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  4. #4
    Craftsman
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    Panerai strap post cleaning, pre conditioning:



  5. #5
    Craftsman
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    Yes!! Photo success

    Also have a couple of alligator straps with a shinier finish:





    Was planning to treat them the same while I'm at it?
    Unless advised otherwise of course.

  6. #6
    I'm a bit of a leathercare nut, own most sapphir products (for my shoes) and whatnot and have experimented on a number of straps.

    The problem with straps is, they are finished in a more ornamental way than hard-wearing way, so when cleaning and re-conditioning (or whatever your chosen routine) you will likely affect the final finish or colour somehow.

    You can totally strip the leather with renomat https://www.amazon.co.uk/Saphir-Reno...ywords=renomat

    Then re-condition with something mild like renapur https://www.amazon.co.uk/Renapur-Lea...ywords=renapur

    or if you are feeling really, really brave then some fancy mink oil based stuff like renovateur https://www.amazon.co.uk/Saphir-Reno...ds=saphir+shoe

    But at the end of the day, straps that contact the skin are likely finished with something much milder that's not necessarily that good for nourishing such as plain oil, so you will always be basically over-conditioning in some way, and will affect the final finish.

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