products for finished leather not for unfinished leather?

W

White95Max

New member
My 1Z Lederpflege says it's made for use on finished leathers. It says it is "not for use on suede or nude leathers". What products can be used on unfinished leather? I may be detailing several classic cars (60s/70s) and I need something that is good on unfinished leathers. Recommendations?
 
Would you mind briefly explaining the difference. I'm a moron when it comes to leather!



JJ
 
I think unfinished leather is referring to "naked" leather in that there is no protective coating...it is virtually straight off the cow. Also, it is dyed only with a transparent dye rather than also being painted with a matching pigment. It truly looks like skin. I have been searching Google for the past 20 minutes trying to find information on caring for natural, unfinished leather and I have not gotten anywhere.
 
I had a 2002 F-150 King Ranch that all the leather inside was unfinished leather and I used a product called "Care 4-way" that i got at the local tack and feed store. It is for horse saddles which are also unfinished leather. It worked really well and the leather still looked brand new after 3 years. It was very cheap to buy as well.
 
Leatherique is the way to go on a '70's classic, there is NOTHING else out there that comes close. Its pricey, but well worth it on a classic. Make sure to use it on a hot day, put the rejuvenator oil on and leave the car in the sun for a while.
 
I would also say Leatherique, however, most good leather condtioners can be used on finished and unfinished leather. The process with leatherique is to apply the rejuvenator oil first, let it sit on the warm or hot leather for a few hours. The next step is to use their Pristine Clean to remove the oil residue and the contaminants that were expelled by the oil.
 
J.J. said:
Would you mind briefly explaining the difference. I'm a moron when it comes to leather!



JJ
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Finished Leather is dyed the desired color and finished so it does not readily absorb water or other liquids. Auto upholstery and furniture are almost always finished leather.



Non-finished leathers include deerskin, suede, chamois and the like. If a drop of water soaks in and makes a dark spot, it's non-finished leather.
 
I think we might have the terms confused. I think the correct term for what your talking about on the classic cars is non-coated leather. Meaning the leather is not coated with a vinyl or polymer coating. Most modern cars have coated leather. I would still say you could use any good leather conditioner.
 
I agree that terms are being misused in this thread. There is "naked" leather, in which the grain still exists as well as imperfections, and coated/uncoated dyed and pigmented leather. The latter is used in cars.



Bit of information on leather:



Types of Upholstery Leather

Leather is made from animal hides that are converted through a many step process, which preserves, softens, beautifies, and protects the finished product. Only a small percentage of hides are used to make upholstery leathers, which must have large sections that are free from serious blemished. Whereas it takes only a small piece of leather to make a good shoe, a sofa cushion requires a large panel of high quality leather.



It is important to understand the differences between the basic types of upholstery leathers, because the kind of leather used on an upholstered piece greatly affects its cost, wearability, and beauty. Although the terminology may seem confusing at first, it is actually very straightforward. As part of the involved upholstery leather preparation process, suitable animal hides are split into a top layer (the one that had hair on it) and a thick lower layer.



The top layer, also called top grain, can either be processed into full grain leather which is not buffed and sanded, showing the natural grain of the leather; or into corrected or embossed grain leather that has had the surface markings altered by buffing and sanding. Generally, leather that has too many surface imperfections (too much character) will require correction. Full grain leather is considered to be of greater beauty and higher quality than corrected grain leather, and so commands a higher price.



The lower layer may then be further split and processed into suede split or coated split leather. Coated split leather is somewhat stiffer and less durable than top grain leather. It is sometimes used to cover upholstered sides and backs that do not need to flex and move much. Generally, it is heavily pigmented and embossed with a less-natural uniform grain pattern.



Dyeing & Finishing

Tanned leather is first colored with a penetrating dye. The dye permeates the surface of the hide giving it color, but not covering over natural markings. The leather can then be finished in one or more coating operations, with clear or pigmented finishes that do not penetrate the surface. These final finishes provide abrasion and stain resistance as well as color enhancement. Generally, the more surface finish leather has, the stiffer it becomes, but tanning formula and hide quality also affect leather stiffness.



Aniline dye in common industry usage refers to any clear dye that penetrates into the leather, coloring it, but not coating its surface with pigment. Virtually all upholstery leathers are initially treated with a penetrating aniline dye, which allows the natural grain to show through.



The amount of dye used in leather production depends on the extent to which the dye has penetrated the leather. The dyeing of leather can be controlled by the manufacturer to either fully or partially penetrate it. Leather that has been fully penetrated with dye is known as fully struck through leather. If it has only been superficially dyed (only the flesh and grain surfaces penetrated), it is called partially struck through. For obvious reasons, leather whose cut edges will be exposed in the finished upholstered piece must have the dye fully struck through, but normal wear will not expose the interior of partially struck through leather.



The three most commonly available basic types of leather are pure aniline, semi-aniline, and protected aniline leather.



Pure aniline leather, sometimes called aniline leather, aniline finish leather, or premium select leather, is a product that has a clear protective coating but no applied pigmented surface coating (finish). This is the best quality and most expensive leather. It is made from hides having a minimum of natural markings which have not needed to be grain corrected, embossed, or coated with pigment. This leather may receive a clear protective coating, but not a pigmented coating. Natural characteristics of the hide show through and the surface is soft and supple. Moderate color variations are normal and these unpigmented leathers tend to develop a rich patina with age. Only a small percentage of hides are good enough to be converted into pure aniline leather.



Semi-aniline leather (aniline plus leather) has not as some believe had less aniline dye used in its manufacture than leather described simply, as aniline leather, pure aniline leather, or aniline finished. The term semi-aniline leather describes full grain leather which contains only a small amount of surface coating (finish), a premium product which allows most of the natural character of the leather to show through. It is, therefore, misleading to describe heavily finished or protected leather as being semi-aniline dyed.



Protected aniline leather is less expensive and more common than pure aniline or semi-aniline leather. Its coloration is more consistent and because it has been coated with protective pigments, the leatherís natural markings are less noticeable. Protected leather is more heavily pigmented than semi-aniline leather and is actually easier to clean than pure aniline leather because surface pigments repel water and stains.
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http://www.furnitureandthings.com/about.php?show=about_leather
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TW85 HHI, good post. So, would coated leather be considered finished leather with a topcoat of vinyl?
 
From everything I have read today (quite a bit, LOL), the terms uncoated and coated are misused quite often on this forum. Uncoated leather, from what I gathered, simply uses transparent dyes to color the leather and does not have any surface pigment or clear protective coating. I have never seen true uncoated (naked) leather in a vehicle. Coated leather has a transparent dye, surface pigment, and a clear protective coat.



Also, less expensive leathers tend to use thicker surface coats (pigment and clear) whereas more expensive leathers use thinner coats. Thinner surface coats give a feel more typical of naked leather and is more widely used in luxury cars.



If you have ever gone furniture shopping and run across leather that scratches just by sitting on it, it is uncoated leather. I personally prefer the feel of uncoated leather but do not want the maintenance nor the problems associated with it.
 
From this site (Einzett Lederpflege):

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/shopcart/CARE/POR_CARE_einszt_pg11.htm



"Gone are the days of 'unfinished' (nude) leather which cracked because it required owners to constantly condition and maintain the leather with natural oils and hide food. Today, many leather producers treat leather in a variety of colors and textures with a clear protectant to prevent cracking and drying. This process results in finished leather. While finished leather requires less care, it still requires attention. Leather Care is designed for today's finished leather. Its gentle formula utilizes natural waxes and conditioners which moisturize to prevent cracking, replenish natural oils and maintain leather luster. Use on interior car fittings, motorcycle cladding, handbags, boots, and luggage. It effortlessly removes dirt, grease, and body oil from the finish without leaving a greasy film. High-quality care components protect the leather surface from becoming brittle and restore the leather to its original softness. Not for use on suede or nude leathers. 250ml"



Lederpflege always works great for me, but it sounds like they don't recommend using it on "uncoated" leathers.
 
Some leather conditioners can stain nude/uncoated leather. I still have not found a recommendation on what to use though...
 
White95Max said:
From this site (Einzett Lederpflege):

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/shopcart/CARE/POR_CARE_einszt_pg11.htm



Today, many leather producers treat leather in a variety of colors and textures with a clear protectant to prevent cracking and drying. This process results in finished leather.
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So, if I'm understanding this correctly, this is saying what I've always thought from the beginning, which is finished leather is the same as coated leather, or another way of saying it would be coated leather is finished leather with a top coat.
 
Okay, here is my understanding and I do not know how right or wrong I am. I have seen all of the different types of leather while shopping for furniture with my parents.



Naked leather - Virtually straight off the cow, all imperfections still exist. There is no buffing and sanding done to the skin and there is a grain. If you rub your hand across the leather or sit on it, the leather may scratch. Rare to find on furniture (mostly high end) and I have never seen it in a car. The leather is dyed to provide the desired color but there are no surface pigments or coatings. Because of this, the leather will absorb body oil, lotions, water, and anything else you spill on it. Due to not having a surface pigment (think of a paint), the color is not always consistent.



Next there is leather that is buffed and sanded, dyed, and has a clear surface coat applied. As a result of the sanding, buffing, and surface coat, fewer imperfections exist, the leather has a smooth surface, will not scratch, and will not absorb.



Most common type of leather is the one that is buffed, sanded, dyed, and then has a pigment applied to the surface. The thickness of the surface coating has a great impact on how soft the leather is. Leather that is very stiff or plastic like has a thick coating (also pretty common on less expensive cars). Thinner surface coating allows the leather to be more representative of naked leather in terms of softness and comfort.



Aniline - Leather that uses only a dye for coloring is called aniline leather. The surface is not "painted" with a matching pigment and as a result, it looks more natural (imperfections, more supple). Full aniline leather is the most expensive because only the highest of quality of hides can be used.



Pull-up Aniline - In addition to the dye, there is a coat of oil and/or wax on the surface to give a distressed look. It scratches easily and the scratched areas will be lighter in color.



Semi-aniline - These leathers use both a dye and a surface pigment. The dye is carried through the skin and as a result, less surface pigment is required to achieve even coloration (thinner surface coat). Semi-aniline leathers are more representative of aniline leather (naked leather) than pigmented.



Pigmented - Often embossed, this leather has a heavy surface coat of pigment. This is the most common type of leather for furniture and automobile use. It does not scratch as easily, gives a uniform color and appearance, and resists fading.



Nubuck - An aniline leather that is brushed to create a texture similar to velvet. Not to be confused with suede; suede is the flesh side of the leather and nubuck is the grain side. The brushing process actually breaks the surface making it very soft but at the same time, more absorbent than aniline leathers.



Finally, Coated Leather (also called Bycast) - It is produced by splitting the hide, melting a glue on the surface, and then rolling a film of colored polyurethane. Typically produced in only dark colors, it lightens when scratched. Very common for belts and handbags.



Whew. I'm done, I hope.

;)
 
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