Every item of new, hand made, English leather produced by Oakside Saddlery will need treating before first use. A liberal coating of vegetable oil applied to both the grain and flesh sides will soften the leather and prepare it for use. This oil can be applied by a brush with the items lying on old newspaper. Leave it overnight and then apply more until it is no longer absorbed. Leave it to drain and then remove any excess. Please note that this may leave a mark on your pets coat and /or your clothes if the excess has not been completely removed from the leather.

To keep your hand made items looking their best simply clean regularly either with warm water or one of the proprietary leather cleaning sprays readily available and then condition with saddle soap or the like. I like to use Renapur for general cleaning and conditionaning.

If the leather is going hard then try oiling again as above.

It is obviously more economical to care for and repair leather items than it is to allow them to become totally beyond repair and to buy completely new again. It will always pay to attend to defective and broken parts before they break, especially when your life could depend on the strength of those same straps and buckles.

At Oakside Saddlery I can repair most leather items or make you a new part to replace the damaged one, whilst keeping the same style and manner of stitching. I can also make alterations to your existing items, or make you a single part to suit your original items.

I can repair and replace many leather items including;