Any leather care gurus out there?

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

I just bought a new black harness but the dye they used is really over powering. I had to put the darn thing in the garage because it was smelling up the house so bad. I've never had a dyed harness before so is this usual and it goes away after awhile? I really like it and although it was cheap it's astoundingly well made and quite pretty otherwise. Is there anything I can use to make it not have that chemical dye smell? Maybe my sniffer is too sensitive but if there isn't anything that can be done, I may just have to send it back. Any ideas?

 

[Minimor]

I've always had black dyed harness & I can't say that any have had that overpowering smell to them. I think the strongest smelling one was my cheapest full size harness--it had nice enough leather but what I referred to as a cheap dye job. Maybe it was too much dye as well as being a cheap dye (do dyes come in different grades?)--it sure did get everything black when I cleaned it the first times too--it did have that dye smell, but not overpowering. The better quality harnesses I've bought also seem to have better dye jobs--no noticeable odor, and they don't have nearly as much black color coming off of them when I clean them. Actually those harnesses I would say have a normal smell--that nice leather & oil smell that is actually kind of pleasant.

All I could suggest is giving the harness a cleaning, even though it is new--that should take a lot of dye off of/out of it and by doing so may reduce the odor. Beyond that use and hanging it out in the barn to air out are the only things I know that will help. If there's some magic de-stink agent to use, I don't know what it is.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

What brand is it, Triggy? I've definitely never heard of any of the reputable harnesses doing that. Black dye comes off on gray horses at first sometimes, certainly, but I'd worry over the bad smell as well as a lack of color-fastness. If they can't dye the harness right, what else did they let slip?

:

Leia

 

[Charlene]

i once bought a saddle from somewhere in south america. can't remember exactly, it was probably 25 years ago. when i opened the box, the odor was horrible. found out, after much investigation, that the saddle was treated with sheep urine to preserve the leather. go figure. it went back to where it came from and i bought American after that! lol

 

[ctgponies]

Actually Indian made leather is often treated with urine as well. Some Mexican leather is as well.

I would recommend cleaning it and maybe trying a leather conditioner. Maybe the smell will lessen as you use it. Good luck!

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Thanks everyone. Sheep urine

: ewwww. It does smell more like a strong chemical that is why I think it's probably the dye. The black does come off of my hands when I handle it so it may be they overkilled the colorant. It smells better this morning so I leave it outside in the sun like Minimor suggests will clean it later to see if that makes a difference. Wouldn't want Triggy to end up looking like a zebra. :bgrin

Leia the brand is Elite Harness and since I can find nothing on the internet about them I don't think it's American made--I'm assuming China but who knows. American made doesn't necessary mean quality though. My Amish made harness is constantly in need of restitching but hey you get what you pay for and I didn't pay very much for it. Another test will be to see if it fits them and I'll go from there. They do have a return policy so no worries there but I'm kind of dissapointed so far with the odor factor. It is a stinkin' (literally) cute little harness though. Yuk I still can't get over the sheep urine, lol.

 

[Minimor]

Alrighty, I didn't know that about some countries treating their leather with sheep urine. I've learned something today....something I might have been better off not knowing. EEEWWW. Always knew there was a reason I only ever buy American, English and German made leather products, but up until now I had thought it was just the leather quality. Sheep urine. Phew.

 

[ctgponies]

When I buy saddles & tack, I try to find out where the leather is processed. Most American leather is vegetable dyed but I know that Indian leather is often cured with urine (not sure if it's specifically sheep but EEEEWWWW). My understanding is the it helps set the color but it also smells and feels brittle. That said I do have some less expensive tack that I oil before I use it to soften it up and get rid of any excess dye.

Hope your harness looks great on your mini!

 

[sassy1]

The smell is more likely to be the fumigating that it got when it went through customs.