Club Obi Wan

Propert's Leather and Saddle Soap

It's something I can find also in Florence, I would like to know if someone of you has tried it already for the bullwhip care.
Thanks

It's probably okay for cleaning a whip but not as a conditioner. Use Pecards for conditioning. You should only need to clean it a few times a year if you use it moderately. Conditioner however should be used after every use on the fall area.

Right, well Giovanni suggested me another product for the fall... but I forgot the name I'll send him a PM

Thanks Tex

Does any company's saddle soap work for cleaning whips? I just bought some Kiwi Saddle Soap, is that alright?

How often should you use it? I was actually able to take my whip out for the first time today and practice a little bit. It hardly even touch the ground.

Giovanni said every 4 - 6 months if I remember correctly

Keep in mind that saddle soap and leather dressing are two different products. Saddle soap is used for cleaning; leather dressing is used to restore the oils back into the leather.

Some products are better then others, however as long as the saddle soap you chose does not contain any solvents, salts or harsh chemicals, it should be fine to use on a bullwhip. There are always exceptions so carefully test it first in an inconspicuous spot to be sure its safe to use, this is especially important with colored leathers. I usually use fiebings saddle soap, as that was the brand recommended to me way back when, it works well.

If your just cracking your whips in your yard, out on the grassy lawn it's probably not getting too dirty. You can clean it with saddle soap once or twice a year as you see fit. Usually just wiping your whip down with a soft lint free cloth after most practices is fine to keep your whip in good shape. You can also dampen the cloth slightly if needed. Saddle soap can dry out the oils in the leather so, after your whip has been cleaned and allowed time to dry, give it a light coat of your leather dressing to finish.

Dan

Thank you very much

Well, I'm sorta on the other end of this.
I use Kiwi Saddle Soap all the time and have been for years. You can find it at most places that sell shoe polish. It comes in a can and is a paste. It does a real nice job of keeping the whips clean and leaves a nice sheen. i use it on the entire whip, thong, handle and fall. When my white hide falls get brown or green from grass or dust/dirt, I use an nice rag that is just damp with some saddle soap. I put the rag over my thumb, the fall between my thumb an fore finger and dig in a bit as I pull the fall through my fingers. They come out looking real good. I usually Pecards the fall the next day after the fall has completely dried. Occasionally, I give my entire whip a light coating of Pecards as needed. Remember when giving a treatment with Pecards, you want to do the entire thong of the whip, not just a portion like the last couple of feet. If you only do small portions the whip will eventually become unbalanced.

All the best,
Chris

Remember when giving a treatment with Pecards, you want to do the entire thong of the whip, not just a portion like the last couple of feet. If you only do small portions the whip will eventually become unbalanced.

Chris, Thanks for bringing that up, its something I neglected to mention that in a separate post I recently made . Dressing a whip in small sections like you said can throw a whip out of balance. See If you only treat the last foot or two of the thong, the dressing can eventually add enough extra weight to make the whip want to buck and pull when you throw it. Its similar to working a whip in wet conditions when the thong and fall have absorbed a lot of moisture.

Dan