KR leather

[hwm3]

What is the best product and procedure to use on KR leather?

[Rollingrock]

What is the best product and procedure to use on KR leather?

Loaded question.  What condition is it in and how much time do you have? What year is the truck?  The leather is different in the 09 F150 and 08 F250

I use the Spa treatment on the seats (hot MF left on the surface, repeat as many times as needed)  allow to fullly dry, they apply either KR Leather Conditioner or I use Leather CPR also, and if you have PB Leather Stuff, it's also good. 

There is a sticky at F150online in the KR section that outlines this in more detail.  In addition, Rock can add hours of comments on this subject.

[Rockpick]

Hours?  Pfft.  More like days and days  :sblah:

But, like RR said, condition is important.  Understanding aniline versus non-aniline leather is the most important thing...

Conditioner selection is way down the list of ways to make KR leather work.  There are oodles of great leather conditioners out there (Fiebings, KR, Lexol, LCPR, Leathermaster, I could go on and on...)...

[hwm3]

OK guys, it's a KR F250. Don't recall the year and I haven't seen it yet, so I can't comment on the condition.

Time? I'll have it for a day.

I just want to make sure I have whatever I might need on hand. I'm scheduled to pick it up on Tuesday.

[DnD Auto Detailing]

I would pick some stuff up from leather master.

[Rockpick]

OK guys, it's a KR F250. Don't recall the year and I haven't seen it yet, so I can't comment on the condition.

Time? I'll have it for a day.

I just want to make sure I have whatever I might need on hand. I'm scheduled to pick it up on Tuesday.

Sight unseen... here is what I'd plan on being my plan of attack:


SUPPLIES:

1.  Hot Water (yeah, I know... you've got that covered)
2.  Baby Soap (Yes, I said baby soap.  I like Johnson & Johnson straight baby soap -- none of the frilly nighttime stuff or whatever.  Stick with the classic).
3.  Leather CPR (available, believe it or not, at Wal-Mart in the cleaning isle (not car care -- adjacent to the metal cleaners and such in the cleaning isle) (I'm going this route because time is short and it's unlikely that you're going to get your stuff in time if you put in an order -- plus, I think this is probably a very solid route (one that I've used on my own truck, might I add)).
4.  Lexol (brown bottle - NEVER use the pH Cleaner (orange bottle) on KR leather!! -- just trust me here (thrashed the steering wheel on my 2001 KR -- replaced under warranty (thank god)).  You can probably snag this at  your local Pep Boys.  Several other venues may have this on the shelf as well...  Not the end of the world if you don't find it.
5.  High-pile terry cloth wash rags. 
6.  Several nice MF towels (high absorbency).

PROCEDURE:

Note: this procedure will darken the leather slightly.  While the leather is moist, it'll look VERY dark; this will change as the leather dries/absorbs the conditioner.  Make certain that your customer understands that his leather will be darker when he/she picks it up!!  Explain that this is normal for aniline leather and that it will soon return to more of a 'traditional Castano leather' look (well, I say Castano -- unless it's a 2007-09 (they used the Chaparral leather (darker))

1.  Using one of your high-pile terry cloth wash clothes and HOT water, wipe the leather down with a moist (not saturated!) towel.  Go as hot as you can physically handle.  Make sure that it's kept very hot.  Remember: leather is skin.  We're going to treat this like we're washing your arm.  Hot water works best when cleaning skin (better solvent)...

2.  Repeat #1 and use a VERY tiny 'plop' (dime-sized) of Johnson & Johnson's.  Work one seat panel at a time.  Work into a very light lather.

3.  With a clean wash cloth that is slightly more saturated than the one you used to 'clean' the leather, remove all of the lather.  Repeat thrice.  You want to make CERTAIN to remove ALL of the soap.  Repeat on all panels.  If it looks like leather, it's leather in a KR (don't forget the grab handles!).  Feel free to use the MF towels here too.

4.  Allow to slightly dry (I recommend this to be the time that you finish vac'ing.  Degrease door jambs.  Dance jigs.  Consume beverages, etc.  You don't want it to be totally dry.  More so, you're assessing to see if you need to repeat on certain areas.  Repeat as necessary -- sight unseen, the drivers seat may be the worst.  Also the console...  Also the wheel (likely the wheel)...

5.  Let's dampen her down again *chuckle*.  With a clean, fresh, and Massengale clean terry towel, go with the hot water treatment from step numero uno.  What we're doing here is reopening the porosity of the leather to get ready for the conditioner.  (Note: Warm, moist skin (like out of the shower), always conditions best.  This is why your grandmother used her Oil of Olay after a shower (there's a picture for you!  Your grandmother in the shower -- now that I've contaminated and disgusted you, I'll move on).

6.  Leather CPR is likely what I'd go with here.  While I know it says that it's a 'cleaner', it's not that swell of a cleaner unless the leather is VERY VERY VERY clean and only has slight soiling.  LCPR will condition nicely but, I think it's advantageous to utilize the product WHILE THE LEATHER IS SLIGHTLY MOIST.  It's my personal opinion that more conditioner gets 'in to' the leather, the better.  Mind you, when leather tanneries work with leather, they're never working color or fat liquoring into the leather while it's dry!  This is why I think a moist application of this product works best (on aniline leather).  I apply by hand to avoid wasting the product and to experiment to see what kind of strange cancer I can obtain by age 40.  Who knows what is in all of these chemicals, right?!  :)

Use it.  Don't be afraid to leave a bit too much on it as what is needed will be drawn in by the leather.  I mean, don't waste but, don't skimp.  You'll quickly see what the leather will 'take' and what it won't.  Plan and apply accordingly.

7.  Repeat once more.  Pay attention this round to places that will receive higher traffic and higher sun exposure.  Remove excess with a MF towel.  Don't 'buff' the leather until later on... it's my experience that, on aniline, you'll remove quite a bit of the conditioner if you really try to 'work' the leather with a MF towel.

8.  Assess.  The leather is probably darker now (the wheel is probably VERY dark as it's extensively stretched (larger porosity).  I promise it'll come around...  I've had two KRs now and know the fear of making the leather look dark!  :)

I think that's it... Now that you've spent 6 hours on the leather, that should allow you plenty of time in your budget to get the paint perfect.  LMAO!

Ask questions as needed... a few leather nerds are here.  ;)

-RP-

[guitarman502]

Wow....

Dear Ford,

Thank you for the Lariat Leather.

Sincerely,

GM502

 :flag:

[Rockpick]

Wow....

Dear Ford,

Thank you for the Lariat Leather.

Sincerely,

GM502

 :flag:

It is like all of us that have Castano say --- It's a labor of love.  Of course, our significant others will call it a obsessive compulsive disorder... what do they know?

LOL... then again, keep in mind that a KR *is* a Lariat.

[Rollingrock]

I would like to go on record by saying that Rock would have hours of posting on this topic. 


 :sblah:

[Rockpick]

I've had one of these darn things for 8 years now!  ;) 

[hwm3]

OK guys, how do you feel about Megs Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Conditioner?

[Too Stroked]

Geez guys,

Now I feel a little bit better about having a lowly XLT with the wonderful Insta Stain fabric covered seats. All that's required for them is fabric cleaner - about every time you drive the truck. Now I know why RP didn't reply to my e-mail this morning. He was busy with the New Testament on Leather. I'm going to save this one for future reference. Thanks RP!

[Rockpick]

OK guys, how do you feel about Megs Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Conditioner?

Use it all the time.  It's one of my personal favorites.  I'm not a huge fan of the cleaner but, it does okay (hint: it's better on non-aniline).

From a cleaner standpoint, the Eagle Ottowa cleaner is tough to beat, IMO... but, I prefer the baby soap method.

Too - I can't get to that email from here.  @hotmail.com is blocked here @ge.com.  ;)

[Mike2301]

Hey Rock would you use the same plan of attack for a new 450 KR?

[hwm3]

Thanks for the advice guys. I ended up using Lexol. The leather, and the rest of the truck, came out great.