Harness keeping

[Whoa]

Hapy new year everyone.

I have spent the afternoon cleaning harness. What a job. Unfortunately, I found mildew and a lot of dryness too. What do you do to keep your harnesses in great shape? Where do you keep them? What products do you use on them? Do you treat both the smooth side and the rough side? How do you keep the color from fading? You get the picture. I'll be quiet now.

Thanks for any advice you can share.

 

[disneyhorse]

I use glycerin saddle soap to clean. And I clean infrequently.

For my biothane harness I like those ArmorAll wipes for cleaning car interiors. SUPER Fast and easy!

I like storing my harness in those Rubbermaid storage containers. Easy to mark the outside (or get clear so you can see right in). Best of all, the harness never gets smashed (particularly the winker stays on the bridle) and is easy to stack and store. Never been attracted to the harness bags.

At work our show harness is stored in big wooden boxes lined with carpet, I guess that's where I got the idea... the mini size just fits so well in the Rubbermaid ones!

You can get the Rubbermaid (or Sterilite brand I guess) containers at Wal-Mart for just under $5 which is WAY cheaper and easier to keep clean than a harness bag any old day.

Andrea

 

[Al B]

Like Disney, I keep mine in Rubbermaid tubs stacked in the barn office at a constant 68 degrees. After each use I wipe the harness with a rag sprayed with a good leather cleaner/conditioner. Once a year (right now) I clean and oil each harness. To do this I take it completely apart and wash each piece in mild soapy water. Then I towel dry it. I then dip it into a tub of Weibing (may be Feibing) harness oil with black dye. It is then place on newspapers to soak up the oil and dry. After 24 hours or so I wipe it down, reassemble it, and store it neatly in the tub.

That's how I do it.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I use warm water and Fiebings Black Harness soap. Oil in warm oil as needed but don't ever soak overnight in it - too much oil rots your stitching, particularly Neatsfoot. I store mine hanging in the harness bag so that nothings gets out of shape. I use a non wax furniture polish on the patent leather. Peek Polish on the brass fittings - won't turn the leather white.

Note of caution: my brother in law, who is a body man, tells me not to use ArmorAll on my cars dash,etc as it will dry and crack in the sun over time. I don't know if it will have the same effect on biothane but I don't think I would want to risk it. Looks good temporarily but in the long run......

 

[Shari]

I use Bickmores leather cleaner now. Wipe on and wipe off. Works better than anything I have used in the past.

Have to admit at first I wasn't sure about it as I have always used Lexol. But After cleaning a couple of saddles,,muddy girths and the leather harness.. I am sold. Bicks is really good stuff.

 

[justaboutgeese]

Lexol has been an old standby with me for years. Dry is not good when it comes to good quality leather harness. As for mold, The leather itself does not mold per sea. What will mold is the oil used on the harness. So if you do happen to find mold it indicates that the harness was cared for before it was stored. I have harness that is over forty years old and still in excellent condition. Most have been stored in wood boxes. The mini harness does fit well in rubbermaid type containers. As with other posters I stay away from harness bags. Stored that way it might be possible to end up with an armful of leather with some grotesque shapes.

 

[Wally]

I like URAD, it leaves a on slippery shine.

I put my one set of synthetic harness in the washing machine on the woll wash!

For my leather working stuf I just use glycerine saddle soap.

For my patent show stuff I use, beeswax furniture polish for the patent, made by a neighbour who keeps bees and boot polish on the outside surface and oil and sop on the inner. and gallons and gallons of Brasso!

 

[Whoa]

Thank you very much. Harnesses aren't cheap. I'll be keeping mine in my house from now on. Do you work with the leather or do you let it get more plyable with use only? Also does anyone have real biases toward leather vs. bio or Ican'tremembertheothermaterial.

:

Thanks again,

Sally

 

[Wally]

I use my show set a few times a year to get it to loosen, oil it on the inner surface only and boot polish the outer.

Don't keep the harness in a warm room, it won't like it, a cool room like an un-used bedroom with only a bit of heat on would be better. I had to move my side saddle from the house to the garage as the leather didn't like central heating.

I am a saddler and make most of my own harness, I do have some synthetic sets, but I really truly prefer leather.