Thanks cjw3cma, big help.

 

Well folks, I'm back overseas for a few weeks. The day prior to jetting out, I took one more pass at my interior. I have made major progress, and I believe that with one major exception, I'll have this fully cleaned up with one or two additional passes when I get back. The major exception being the map pocket on the back of the passenger's seat. I was able to clead the driver's side up pretty good, but the PAX seat still looks like complete and total hell. I don't suppose I can have just that one piece replaced, so I fear I'll be ordering a new seat entirely. And since it might not match the driver's side, I fear I might be ordering both. But at least the back is cleaning up nicely. I'm having trouble with a few soft spots (really have to srub hard to break this stuff free), but I think I'll ultimately be successful in the back, possibly the front too, but not looking as promising as I'd once hoped...

 

Everyone,
Do yourself a favor and throw out all those la-la-la conditioners and buy Propert's delicate cream. It is also brand labeled under Meltonian #170 delicate cream. It comes in 1.55 oz jars and can be found at quality boot shops. We use it on $600 Tony Lama ostrich boots, $3,000 Billy Cook Saddles, furniture, $40K King Ranch, and anything else leather around here. You rub it in by hand (no rag) and go on your way. It does not discolor, does not leave residue, and can be used in any temperature.
Here is an interesting article about cleaning with saddle soap first.
http://www.bootdog.com/cleaning.html
Thanks,
Cowboy4443

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that cleaner is cleaner and conditioner is conditioner. When you wife comes inside from working in the yard, she cleans her body (like taking a shower) before applying conditioner (like Jergens lotion). You do the same with your hair.... shampoo then conditioner. Well your Castino leather is the same story. Clean with a cleaner (saddle soap) then condition with a conditioner (leather delicate cream). All that Wallyworld one step crap does is drives the dirt in then seals it over. Hopefully this helps in keeping your seats in super shape.
PS: List price for a 1.55 oz jar of Meltonian delicate cream #170 is only $2.50
Cowboy4443

 

Hi
It doesn't hurt to reiterate the point about conditioning.....there are always new people around who benefit from this information.
However if you use the search function for 'leather care' you will see that you are teaching most of us to "suck eggs".
We've been preaching this for years.
What isn't generally understood is that it would seem from all the experience we have had regarding leathercare that there isn't just one product that suits everyone.
Overall from the research they did when launching the Castano seats the Saddle Shop conditioner would be the closest to a universal solution.
However there are those that prefer Lexol, Connolly or whatever.
It depends on many factors.
How you apply it....how much you use....the ambient temperature at the time...
Only experience will tell but unfortunately sometimes we make mistakes with an incorrect application and that is why people like Svermill are posting their findings.

I would suggest that to come along and tell people to "Throw out their la-la-la-conditioners", might not go down too well in some quarters !!!

 

Lenticular,
If we all liked the same horse it wouldn't be much of a race. I bought a bottle of the KR cleaner/conditioner, but prefer the two step saddle soap & delicate cream process. I guess some folks might even prefer turpentine & lard, but that's their option. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Cowboy4443

 

I would agree Lenny. I still think the Connolly is a great conditioner even after all this and I for one am not about to drop whatever I'm using in favor of the latest "this is the ONLY thing you should be using" testimonial. I think most here would also agree that the Castano is much different than many other similar looking leather products, so I don't know if good results on a pair of boots or a saddle means you'll get good results on your KR. As you pointed out, this kind of thread is about sharing and growing the knowledge base where KR leather only is concerned. It's also about pleading for donations from the community at large to help replace my seats (afterall, I have a Paypal account now). HA! OK, maybe not.

The point about cleaning first is valid (I think not cleaning is why you see a lot of posts about films/hazes/etc. I have found that this leather can take an extremely harsh cleaning and the surface will still look great (this leather is susceptible to certain staining and other problems, but it can take a good scrubbing for sure!). So I can say with confidence that a mild or even moderate cleaning before a conditioner application will do much more good than harm, as was pointed out. The Connolly cleaner is quite impressive and clearly will NOT damage Castano leather. When I get home in a few weeks, I'll be making about my fifth pass in as many weeks. By that time, I'll have completely cleansed just about everything but those derned map pockets!

 

Good luck...

You deserve it after all the trouble you've been to !!!

If all else fails, let us know and we'll set up a fund to help replace your seats.

(It WAS the 1/10th scale model you've been talking about wasn't it !!?)

 

I'd settle for a Hotwheels KR with decent seats at this point!

Truth is, I can't say that I'm glad this happened. No, nothing like that; it's been painful, to be sure. But I do feel that as a newbie leather owner, I've learned a lot in a short period of time that I otherwise wouldn't have, and I'll be a much better owner from this point forward.

And I brought this on myself. I didn't follow the directions right there on the bottle. Bad Scott! Baaaaad Scotty!

 

Hey, this may sound a little simplistic. I just bought new boots and put some conditioner on them. The conditioner directions had me use a hairdryer to warm the leather so it would absorb the conditioner. The creme just sat on the surface until I hit it with the blower and then it soaked right in. The leather did darken, but they said it would.
Do you think maybe this approach would get the stuff you are using to behave any better? Sounds like you have nothing to lose at this point anyway. How about blowing some warm air right on the seats?
Take it or leave it. I'm just trying to give you some outside the box stuff. Best of luck to you with whatever you do.

 

Grady -- The 'heat it up' technique is something that I've been utilizing since KR #1... I find it to be extremely helpful...

While I don't utilize a hair dryer or similar, I will crank the heat and turn on the seat warmers. Further, after application, I'll do my best to let the truck sit out in the sun to further accelerate the process.

Some have mentioned that they can't tell much of a difference and, maybe it's all in my head but, I think it makes a difference... This is also the reason that I utilize a hot washcloth as a first step when cleaning and conditioning...

Leather is skin... warm moisture opens pores and will, ultimately, (IMO) help with cleaning as well as conditioning... Those Johnson and Johnson folks aren't pumping putting baby oil on your skin directly after getting out of the shower for nothing!

RP

 

Well folks, I do appreciate any attempts at help. But the point of this thread is to share my experience, so here's where I stand on heat:

I think it is helpful generally. However, Connolly is a very heavy cream (and much heavier so in cold weather). I did in fact blast the heat and turn on my seat warmers when things didn't settle in by the time I estimated they should (I ran through almost an entire 30 gal tank of gas trying to get the derned stuff to "soak in"). I believe that was one of my most critical mistakes in the entire chain of events. What I now have is patches of conditioner that are baked hard into the leather. These are my "spots." Hard, crusty, sticky deposits of conditioner that bonded with the leather under heat.

Had I went to work on removal via cleaning and avoided the heat treatment entirely, I don't know if this thread would have ever been necessary.

Having said all that, I have no doubt that thinner, lighter conditioners can be made to soak in more quickly with heat. I don't know if it's necessarily true that quicker is better, but I doubt any harm is done -- unless you're working with a heavy conditioner in colder weather. Then I believe it's the worst possible thing that you can do.

 

Svermill...what was the final outcome? As of 2/28/06 you'd not been able to remove all the spots from the Connolly on your Castano leather and were considering new covers or new seats. With the arrival of warmer weather, were you able to finally get your seats back to a reasonable appearance, or did you end up replacing them after all, or did you get a new truck? Inquiring minds want to know! (I hope it all worked out) Thanks.

 

Svermill will answer you in due course but he is like me often out of the country.
(Though he has an excuse...he works!)

I'm just a plain Limey !!

I won't steal his thunder but I'm sure you will get a response in due course.

 

Thanks, Lenny, I'm hopeful it all worked out for the best!