Club Obi Wan

My Todd's jacket is slowly deteriorating.

The collar on my jacket has started to peel off. I'm not sure what's causing it; is it my sweat or something else? I do condition the leather every couple of months using Lexol.

Here's a couple of pics of the jacket's collar:




I doubt I could repair the damage, but I'm sure I could prevent it from getting worse. I tried applying some leather conditioner, but it's still happening. Help!!!

* EDIT *

I forgot to mention that the edge of the right sleeve cuff is also showing signs of peeling as well. So basically, the collar and right sleeve cuff are the only parts that are peeling off. No signs of peeling on other parts of the jacket.

Just looking at it, it looks like water damage that has gone under the surface of the hide and 'sluffed' it off.

Keep in mind, Lexol is a product that helps clean leather and replace lost moisture. You live in the Philippines, so somehow I doubt losing mositure is a problem. That said, I think all the applications of Lexol may have been been 'overkill' in terms of application to your leather for your location. Looks like you've over saturated the hide, and therefore lost the surface.

Not sure if there's anything you can do now to stop the damage. It's done.

Time to shop for a new jacket. Once you do, though, I would suggest you only treat your jacket once a year or so, or when it appears to be getting dry.

Regards! Michaelson

I only treat it when the leather is getting "hard"... I think it's my sweat. Acidic sweat? But this never happened to my hat bands. Weird.

Could be. The sweatbands are tanned differently and are supposed to fight deterioration from perspiration. I don't know the source of Todd's leather or how it was tanned. Hopefully someone can chime in who does.

Regards! M

fenris wrote:I only treat it when the leather is getting "hard"... I think it's my sweat. Acidic sweat? But this never happened to my hat bands. Weird.

Fernris, wear a shirt with a collar, like Indy.

I've leather jackets with mold on them in Brasil. I think its the humidity plus the conditioner was overkill, as M said. Organic material does not fair too well in vey humid environments, and that is the reason for khaki/cloth weave belts, etc.