Looking for Leather Care Advice

Howdy Knowledgeable KR Folk,

Having limited experience with leather, I foolishly attempted to clean off some KR related dirt from my leather vest with a damp cloth.

I have since learned that damp and leather are not great friends and I am having a professional repair my blunder.

However, since paying for a professional cleaning after every brush with KR dirt would quickly land me in the poor-house, I was hoping that I could solicit some advice from the community on how to keep my stylish leather Larp-ready.

Thanks in advance!

This is for boots, but should apply to any soft leather products - you can replace their branded products with generic care ones (Saddle Soap, Leather Oil, etc.) from Amazon or your local pharmacy or grocery store.

sonofsandlar.com/care-handling/

Leather is easy enough to care for. Everything can be picked up in the shoe care section of a Walmart or at a shoe repair store.

Basically, clean the dirt off, then treat. Neatsfoot oil is what I use for my larp boots, but polish can also work (provided it is a polishable leather and not suede).

Fake leather doesn't really need to be treated, just clean it and you'll be fine.

-Chris

Is your costume leather or suede?

Leather should have been fine with a damp cloth. Leaving it wet is no bueno - wipe with a damp cloth, you can use saddle soap, dry thoroughly. Use mink oil to water proof (for boots).

Suede however does not like water at all. For suede, brush it with a soft bristled brush, then apply layers of waterproofing/scotchguard made specifically for suede (can be found in most shoe stores or even the shoe section at walmart).

Test all products on a small inconspicuous part of the leather to make sure it does not alter color/finish of your garment/shoes/etc...

On the topic of leather care, a very sentimental piece for me, a leather satchel, with a braided strap, completely fell apart (read: The shoulderstrap snapped) under the pressure of the weather.

Any ideas on repair?

Thanks for the advice all!
My stuff is real leather (not suede) so that should make it easier to take care of.

I'm going to go ahead and grab a leather care kit per your advice and (hopefully) be able to enjoy my vest for some time to come.

Altitis, good luck with your satchel (knowing nothing about leather repair, my only advice there would be to find a professional and ask for a repair quote).