Taking Care of Leather Collars

[JacksonsMom]

Is there any way to avoid leather darkening up?

I loveloveloveeeddd when we first got Jackson's tan Paco collar.

It looked like this:

He wears it almost every day. We've probably had it for, like, 8 or 9 months now? It's definitely darkened up a bit.

It still looks GREAT and is in awesome condition. My favorite collar by far. He still wears it practically every day.

I just didn't know if there was a way to avoid it. I'm thinking probably not.

It's never been conditioned or anything. It's never gotten soaked either. I haven't been 'careful' with it per say, I mean it's his every day collar, so dog parks, running around outside, etc, he's got it on. But it's yet to have been worn in big bodies of water etc.

 

[Saeleofu]

Gavroche's EL collar is black, so it doesn't really darken. Logan's is blue, but it's colored differently than all the black leather I have (funny, I have no brown leather except for a bullhide slip leash...). I use Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner on them on occasion. Gavroche tends to get his collar REALLY dirty, so I have actually scrubbed it with dish soap and an electric toothbrush before, then slathered it with Fiebing's. It looked BRAND-FREAKING-NEW after that. I need to clean it again, though maybe not quite as harshly.

However, from what I know, light leathers do tend to darken with time and wear, and there's not a whole lot to do about it. Maybe make sure it's really, really well sealed before using it?

 

[CharlieDog]

Lighter leathers do darken with age, and it's not because of dirt or cleaning, it's because of the natural oils in a dogs coat. I looooove the way the congac leather from EL turned out. It's SO gorgeous when it's burnished well and the brass is polished. I don't really like patina on brass, though it's unavoidable, and I'm too lazy to keep up with cleaning it like I should.

Jones' adult boy collar will be in Congac from EL though.

 

[Emily]

Unfortunately for those that like the lighter leather collars, it's totally normal for light leather to darken with use. If you oil it, it will darken up right away. If not, the oils from your hands and everyday use will result in it gradually darkening up over time.

However, for a conditioner that softens the leather and seals it up with minimal effect on the color, mink oil works really well. I just grabbed a tin at Walgreens one day (it's with the shoe polish) and I'm very happy with it for my leather gear.

 

[CharlieDog]

Unfortunately for those that like the lighter leather collars, it's totally normal for light leather to darken with use. If you oil it, it will darken up right away. If not, the oils from your hands and everyday use will result in it gradually darkening up over time.

However, for a conditioner that softens the leather and seals it up with minimal effect on the color, mink oil works really well. I just grabbed a tin at Walgreens one day (it's with the shoe polish) and I'm very happy with it for my leather gear.

I use mink oil exclusively on most of my leather. And as soon as I find my tin, I'm going to be going through the house again looking for all my leather crap lol. It's very soothing to condition the leather for me lol, but I really like the aged/darkened leather look that it gives.

 

[Emily]

= It's very soothing to condition the leather for me lol

ME TOO! My roommate thinks I'm crazy but I take such pleasure in caring for my leather gear.

I got Keeva a beautiful 6 ft black leather from Bold Lead Designs for Christmas and I made myself wait till after Christmas to condition it/break it in. :rofl1:

 

[Torch]

Gavroche's EL collar is black, so it doesn't really darken. Logan's is blue, but it's colored differently than all the black leather I have (funny, I have no brown leather except for a bullhide slip leash...). I use Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner on them on occasion. Gavroche tends to get his collar REALLY dirty, so I have actually scrubbed it with dish soap and an electric toothbrush before, then slathered it with Fiebing's. It looked BRAND-FREAKING-NEW after that. I need to clean it again, though maybe not quite as harshly.

However, from what I know, light leathers do tend to darken with time and wear, and there's not a whole lot to do about it. Maybe make sure it's really, really well sealed before using it?

If you use saddle soap instead of dish soap, it will strip less of the good stuff out of the leather but still get the dirt and grime. It's cool stuff

 

[JacksonsMom]

Pretty much what I figured! Okay, thank you.

It has definitely darkened to a nice collar, but I just loved when it was real light.

Also, this tan is the softest collar I've ever felt <33. Is tan leather typically softer than others? Black always comes to me a bit stiffer, but this tan just CAME to me super-soft, and broken in, and I love it, didn't know if it was common or it was just the hide I got. Also, the cognac brown leather from Ella's that we have for my dads JRT is really soft too! Never conditioned either.

 

[Lizmo]

My tan Paco (that also came super soft!) has darkened also. I'll have to give the mink oil a try!

 

[skittledoo]

I don't want my tan paco to get darker it looks so amazing on Cricket lighter and she doesn't look as good in the darker leather imo. I so wish there was a way to completely avoid it getting so much darker.

 

[Sit Stay]

I use a combination of Antares oil, Fiebing's soap and Oakwoods conditioner on my leather stuff. They can likely be found at most tack stores.

Most oils will darken leather, especially a natural tan. Lexol does have a non-darkening oil though - I've used it on bridle leather and it hasn't seemed to darken much (if any). Harness leather is tricky though!

 

[meepitsmeagan]

I'm having the opposite problem. I've got a headstall that got a little sun damage in CO and I can't get it to fade/darken.

 

[~Jessie~]

That's the saddest thing about tan leather, and unfortunately it's my favorite color

Chloe and Rory's "every day" collars are both tan leather Pacos. Rory's is double leather and hasn't darkened as much as Chloe's.

When Chloe's collar was new:

20060105-DSC_4127 by Chihuahuaesque, on Flickr

Paco Collars by Chihuahuaesque, on Flickr

A few days ago on Chloe's birthday:

DSC_9618.jpg by Chihuahuaesque, on Flickr

 

[Saeleofu]

If you use saddle soap instead of dish soap, it will strip less of the good stuff out of the leather but still get the dirt and grime. It's cool stuff

Yeah, I have a tin of saddle soap somewhere, but couldn't find it at the time, so in my 3am brain I said "I'll use this!" At least it was the one with lotion added :rofl1:

 

[~WelshStump~]

Yeah, that just seems to be the thing about this color leather. When I got Enda's Paco "pre-owned" it was still pretty much "new" and very light tan, after wearing it nearly every day for over two months I switched out her collars to clean it (it was splattered with mud, felt that constituted a cleaning) I noticed it was significantly darker, after just a couple months. I still think it looks great, and it feels so buttery, doesn't bother me. Oh yes, and I've been meaning to say also that yes, the critics are right, the tan does scratch/show scratches more, need to re-dremel her nails again, didn't get the bottoms smooth enough obviously.

 

[~WelshStump~]

*Bump-Bump*

She did this earlier today, need to fix those nails tonight. But the color of the scratch is just a bit lighter than the color it was when I got it so you can see how dark it's gotten. She has been in it in the snow though and that might have darkened it more?

I just read you can coat tan leather collars in wax to seal them, anyone here try that?

 

[Torch]

Yeah, I have a tin of saddle soap somewhere, but couldn't find it at the time, so in my 3am brain I said "I'll use this!" At least it was the one with lotion added :rofl1:

LOL gotcha.

 

[naturalfeddogs]

Is there any way to avoid leather darkening up?

I loveloveloveeeddd when we first got Jackson's tan Paco collar.

It looked like this:

He wears it almost every day. We've probably had it for, like, 8 or 9 months now? It's definitely darkened up a bit.

It still looks GREAT and is in awesome condition. My favorite collar by far. He still wears it practically every day.

I just didn't know if there was a way to avoid it. I'm thinking probably not.

It's never been conditioned or anything. It's never gotten soaked either. I haven't been 'careful' with it per say, I mean it's his every day collar, so dog parks, running around outside, etc, he's got it on. But it's yet to have been worn in big bodies of water etc.

Leather will darken some with age, but I used to have a show saddle when I was showing and it was a custom, VERY light colored leather. There is a kind of cleaner that won't darken it, but right off I forget what it's called. Maybe you can google it and find one, and I will do the same to see if I can find the one I used.

 

[~WelshStump~]

Leather will darken some with age, but I used to have a show saddle when I was showing and it was a custom, VERY light colored leather. There is a kind of cleaner that won't darken it, but right off I forget what it's called. Maybe you can google it and find one, and I will do the same to see if I can find the one I used.

OH yes please! We would all love that!
I conditioned End's collar last night to try and get the scratches blended back in a bit, and it darkened more, but they are far less noticeable and should fade after a while. I guess that is the other drawback to the tan, I was told it scratches easy, it's just SO buttery soft, I can't believe how smooth the inside/sides are.