A large part of our time is spent reconditioning leather!

What is reconditioning?

When leather is in its raw state the colour is added to the leather and the skin has all of it's natural oils. Over about 1 or two years the leather begins to dry out due to sunlight , or artificial heating. At this point all the artificial colour begins to fade as the leather loses it's natural oils. At The Sandalman we rejuvenate the leather with a series of oils; Firstly we apply a liquid which soaks deep into the leathers pores; secondly we apply a thick leather paste. We find that the combination of oils completely saturate the leather and the artificial colour comes back to life. All of this done with natural based oils that are reintroducing moisture to the leather.

Additional benefits!

Not only does much of the colour return to the leather but by applying natural animal oils the leather is left with a protective surface that naturally repels moisture. As we know oil and water don't mix so the rain will roll off the leather. Similar to scotch guarding cloth, the leather becomes resistant to moisture. Not waterproof but water resistant so the leather will withstand some abuse by unfortunate spills and some harsh weather conditions.

Healthier leather!

In some cases the leather will not come back 100% but even in those cases the introduction of renewed moisture will make the leather healthy again and at the very least stop the deterioration from continuing.

Doctors orders!

I use an example when selling this service and basically the gist is that the doctor advises you that smoking is bad for your health. Now we know this is true and the Doctor advises you to stop smoking! This doesn't mean that you will stop. In the same vain all leather needs to be reconditioned on a regular basis in order to stop the breakdown and eventual deconstruction of the leather item. Whether it be a jacket that is loosing surface skin or a purse handle breaking off , all these ailments are due to the lack of moisture in the leather. I suggest that all leather should be reconditioned but that doesn't mean you have to take my advice.

Sometimes it is hard to justify the cost compared to what you originally invested into the item and how long you realistically plan on continuing to use the item.

No discrimination!

No matter how much you spend on an item whether it be $2000 for an Hermes purse or $250 for a jacket in the garment district, all leathers dry out and break down. So remember to recondition all your leather every year or two and you will double the life of any item you own...

Do it yourself!

You can purchase the oils and do it yourself but please be advised that the oils we use are professional and there are some risks of spotting and staining the leather if applied to0 slowly!

General costs!

The costs for us to recondition your leather can range, see grid below for price range. Please note that the cost variance is due to a few factors; 1. leather colour 2. age of leather 3. size of item

If the leather is light in colour the risk factor is increased and the time to apply the oils is usually more. If the leather is older it will absorb larger quantities of oil and take longer to apply. If a jacket is full length as opposed to waist length the amount of materials will increase and the time will increase as well.

Item	Price
Jacket waist length	$125/150
Jacket 3/4 length	$150
Jacket full length	$200
Wallet	$25
Belt	$25
Purse/Briefcase	$50/75/95/125
3 seater Couch	$1000/1250/1500
Love Seat	$750/1000
Single chair	$350/500/750
Ottoman	$250

With regards to garment reconditioning we are now selling the service in one, two and three year treatments plans. This is for those well intentioned people who want to keep their leather well maintained and want to come in on a yearly basis. but for one reason or another you miss a year and the leather dries out more then it should. Then you come back a few years later to try and catch up with the leathers moisture loss. Costing you more money and never really bringing the leather back as well as if you reconditioned it more frequently. If you have a two year treatment it will cost an additional $30 and you won't have to have it done for 2 years. If you decided to have the one year treatment done and come in the following year it will cost you $95 again, compared to the $30 if you have it done the first time around.

The prices are guideline's and may vary, also note that the prices for in home reconditioning may be more or less depending upon volume of work. Some pricing is based on a daily rate so in some cases larger volume will allow us to increase our discount to you. Also note that some smaller pieces e.g. single chairs and ottomans can be brought into the store and this will lower the cost. We are not capable of having larger pieces in the store due to space restrictions so we will have to come to you for larger pieces of furniture.

Item	Price
Lexol Leather cleaner	$12.50
Lexol Leather conditioner	$12.50/35.00
Mermac Mink Oil	$25.00
Neutral sealant	$7.50

Sealant is neutral polish without pigment (colour). In the case of purses and furniture you must apply the sealant as purses and furniture will come in contact with your clothing and you must assure that the colours from the leather don't rub off on you.

How do you apply the products?

Always test an unexposed area to ensure that you are happy with the darkening that may occur.

Hand washing your leather:

Wash leather with Lexol P.H. balanced cleaner: Take a clean natural sponge without colour as the colour can transfer to your leather. Wet sponge and then pour cleaner on the sponge. Squeeze the sponge until a soft fluffy foam appears. Squeeze all excess water from sponge and then use this silky foam to the leather. This method assures that you don't over saturate the leather with water because as the water evaporates the leather's oils will dry out even further. ( Please note that not all leather will benefit from being washed as only the surface dirt will be removed and there is always the issue of evaporating addition oil from the leather. The drying out is not as much of an issue in the case you are having the reconditioning done at the same time.)

Liquid conditioner step 1

Apply the Lexol conditioner with a clean and I stress white terry cloth towel as you will safeguard the transfer of colour to the leather. When available we will supply you with a small piece of sheepskin to apply the lexol. Allow to absorb for about an hour and then wipe off all excess with towel.

Leather paste conditioner step 2

3. Apply the Mermac mink oil with a sheepskin or towel and allow to absorb for between 1 hour and overnight. Then wipe off all excess with your white towel.

4. Apply the sealant with a sheepskin or towel and allow to dry and when the leather feels tacky and not slippery buff with soft towel and the leathers lustre will appear.

If you have any further questions let us know and we will be happy to guide you through the process. Click to ask the leather expert a question.

Please note that the jacket shown above is a digitally enhanced example of our reconditioning treatment. It will give you a good idea of what to expect once the reconditioning is done to your own garment. We can also test an area on your garment once you come into the store to help assist you in making your decision.