Well I need some advice i just bought a 2003 KR F-150 Because the seats looked great compared to the others, Because they aren't dried out. The only thing im having trouble with is the stearing wheel and the front seats being very dark like they where conditioned to much with oil based conditioners and there is just a bunch of dirt and oil. Is there any thing i can do to lighten them up.

 

Welcome to the joys of King Ranch (Castano) leather care!

Do a search in these forums. The "dark" stain is dirt and sweat or skin oils. Castano leather absorbs it like a sponge and it darkens it. You CAN clean it though.

Search on the words "spa treatment" for the favorite method. Personally though, I just use saddle soap and then recoat the leather with Tandy's Satin Shene. You can search on "satin shene" for this.

And, there are other approaches. Have fun!

- Jack

 

Thanks I used the stream Treatment on the sterring wheel with the little time I had to try it. I think it has litghend up alittle bit, but it still needs a lot of work is was basicly dark brown black all the way around. By the way do you know of any store or saddle shop that sell the shene stuff i was thinking about putting it on the sterring wheel to protect the leather cause is in sad shape right now.

 

Satin Shene is a Tandy leather craft product. It's an acryllic coating that will make the leather very resistant to skin oils or other stains. It's also very easy to apply. I just wipe it on with a paper towel and then buff it with a clean cloth when dry.

If you don't have a Tandy store in town, here's a link to their website: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/ I thnk you can order it online.

But - you MUST get the leather as clean as possible before putting this on. You'll probably take the old finish off along with the dirt. But, Satin Shene will "recoat" the leather with a satiny "finish" that's not too unlike the original finish - just more waterproof.

If you don't get all the dirt off, you'll just "seal" it in to the leather with Satin Shene.

My guess is, the seat will not be so dirty and you may get it clean without destroying the finish. Condition the leather afterwards with King Ranch Leather Conditioner or Leather CPR.

- Jack

 

Well the area where your actually sitting on when sitting the set it looks like the finish is kind of gone. Im guessing when you get in and out of the truck your jeans can take off the finish. ill have to take some pictures for you. how different is the satin shene finish vs. the factory finish

I did more of the spa treatment and i think its working ill have to wait till morning to see. but all in all i think it looks good for a 03 f-150

 

Here's a link to the thread where I originally talked about this.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/ki...ded-seats.html
I did not get the console "clean" enough. Otherwise, I'm happy with the results. I have NOT refinished either the wheel or the console since I posted these and they look about the same now as they did then.

- Jack

 

Wow that looks really good. your leather looks like it might be a different shade than mine, but i really like that satin shene looks realy good. and your sterring wheel looks a billions times better than mine.

1. how long does it stay on there
2. do you have to redo it every time i condition
3. how are you supposed to clean the leater after using the satin shene
4. is the satin shene more glossy than the original finish

 

I have not touched the wheel or the console except to wipe them off since I did that work and posted those pictures. They look about the same now as they did then. I rest my arm on the console when I drive and I don't wear gloves!

I have not had to "clean" these areas particularly. I just wiped them off with a damp cloth. If there was grease or something like that on them, I'd use saddle soap. I DO apply a light film of KR conditioner to them every time I do the seats, which is about every 3-4 months or so, but I don't know that it's necessary or even that it does anything.

The Satin Shene IS more glossy than the original finish. But, I don't find it shockingly so. Because the wheel needed protecting most, I applied it there first. When I saw how well it "blended" with the rest of the leather, I did it to the console too. Again, they are both slightly more glossy now, but they look far, far better than they did before I cleaned them (which took off the original finish).

Back when I first did this, another member liked it so much he applied Satin Shene to his seats too. He was happy with the results at the time, but I don't know if he still is. Personally, I would only use it on areas that need extra protection or to restore a badly deteriorated surface finish.

- Jack

 

well i checked my seats after the spa treatment yesterday and they are a shade lighter, but still much to dark should i continue doing it? or should i just wipe it down with a spong? or should i use hotter water than what come out of the sink?

yea im deffinalty going to get some satin shene for the sterring wheel sounds like you had great results.

 

They are dry when you say they're too dark, right? Wish someone else would jump in here - I haven't had to clean stains off the seats yet.

If it were me, I'd try some saddle soap and rub gently. Your cloth will become discolored. Try doing this a bit at a time, letting it dry in between. Each time you do it, some of the finish WILL come off, and the leather will lighten. When it gets light enough, try KR Leather Conditioner or Leather CPR. You want to try to remove the stain without removing too much of the finish, and this may not be possible if the leather is too discolored.

- Jack

 

Yea ill try that as soon as it drys i did the spa thing again trying to lighten it some more. and yes this morning it was all dry and still to dark the finish is coming off alittle now, hopfully it lightens. i also think im gonna order the satin shene and do the seats and steering wheel.
If none of this does it ill probably consider getting them dyed and resealed by a professional. I was looking at the colornew.com but i dont know if you can dye seats that are darker than the original color or not.

the console is in pretty good shap as r the back seats.

 

I use Obenaufs leather care products. Like Jack, I have not yet experienced a bad stain, so I can't really say how well their products will work on a stain.

I have been treating my leather with Obenauf's LP about twice a year since the truck was new. IMHO my seats, console, etc., look and feel better now than they did when they were new.

They do have a wealth of information on their website. Even if you do not want to try any of their products, you should at least spend some time reading the articles there. Really good information on the care and feeding of fine leathers.

http://www.obenaufs.com/index.php?os...62a712354b9da5

 

Mark! Good to see you back on here guy!

I think on my seats, I'd use Satin Shene as a last resort, because it DOES change the character of the leather - but it really protects it too, that's why it's on my steering wheel and console.

Here's another product you might try in addition to what Mark is suggesting, it's called Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner. It contains beeswax and is designed for use on saddles, tack, boots, etc. It's a very "waxy" feeling stuff, a bit like vaseline, and it will darken the leather a bit. But, the "character" is not changed.

Try it in a small area and see what you think.

Most of these treatments can be removed with normal cleaning if you don't like the results. The exception might be Satin Shene. It will come off with 91% isopropyl alchohol, and I've done that to redye leatherwork in the past. (Alcohol is a "finish remover")!

You'll probably accumulate many different leather care products before you're done and you'll find the ones that work for you. Remember though, leather has character, and part of that character is the patina it gets with age.

- Jack

 

I was about to buy the Satin Shene and then i saw this.

Carnauba Cream- Eco-Flo Carnauba Crème is a water based, low V.O.C., blended wax conditioner and finish for natural or dyed, new or aged leather. Provides a durable wax finish that resists water and dirt while conditioning the leather. Recommended for use on smooth leather. Buffs to a nice luster.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/p...s.asp?dept=177

Do you guys think is might make a finish more like the factory finish or should i get the satin shene.

 

Good on you! I'll stick with my recommendation for Satin Shene for the steering wheel. But for the seats, this stuff looks good too!

Congratulations! You get to be the ginea pig! Buy a bottle, try it somewhere where it doesn't show too much (like on the lower front of a seat) and see what you think. Then try it where it counts!

But remember, you DO have to get the leather clean first! If you put any of these products on dirty leather, it just "seals" the dirt in. And, cleaning dirty leather can and will remove the finish. So, it's a "chancy" deal. All I can say, is try it! That's what all of us did.

- Jack