Restoring Leather Seats
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 276
Likes: 87
From: Melville, NY
Restoring Leather Seats
I'm in the process of restoring the Premium Black Leather seats in my 1970 coupe. When new, were the leather seats matte black or a gloss (shiny) black?
Which manufacturer's dye has yielded the best (in terms of being closest to original) results?
Which manufacturer's dye has yielded the best (in terms of being closest to original) results?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You can use SEM interior dye; but I would suggest that you would do better to use leather dye. Interior dye is paint with a flex additive. Leather dye is NOT paint.
I have used SEM interior dye on the leather wrapping on my [aftermarket] steering wheel. But I wanted it to be coated with interior dye for it's resistance to hand sweat, etc.
Both products will work. Choose the one best suited for what you want. The factory leather covers were NOT dyed with interior dye meant for plastic parts, originally.
P.S. I'm not a leather 'expert'; but I think the sheen on dyed leather is more a function of what protectant is used(leather salve, balm, conditioner, etc), rather than the sheen of the dye.
I have used SEM interior dye on the leather wrapping on my [aftermarket] steering wheel. But I wanted it to be coated with interior dye for it's resistance to hand sweat, etc.
Both products will work. Choose the one best suited for what you want. The factory leather covers were NOT dyed with interior dye meant for plastic parts, originally.
P.S. I'm not a leather 'expert'; but I think the sheen on dyed leather is more a function of what protectant is used(leather salve, balm, conditioner, etc), rather than the sheen of the dye.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Mar 6, 2020 at 04:34 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
What's wrong with the seats now? Are they just stiff? Discolored?
Leather isn't dyed, or painted. It's tanned. It's a rather elaborate and energy intensive process. If you paint them or apply a top-coat it'll rub off eventually.
If the leather is hard, you could apply a lanolin (not silicone) lotion and let it sit for a couple months. I once applied some leather conditioner (Lexol) and forgot about it for a couple 4-5 years on a car I didn't drive much. Man were those seats nice and SOFT! ha ha...
Leather isn't dyed, or painted. It's tanned. It's a rather elaborate and energy intensive process. If you paint them or apply a top-coat it'll rub off eventually.
If the leather is hard, you could apply a lanolin (not silicone) lotion and let it sit for a couple months. I once applied some leather conditioner (Lexol) and forgot about it for a couple 4-5 years on a car I didn't drive much. Man were those seats nice and SOFT! ha ha...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 276
Likes: 87
From: Melville, NY
Thanks for the advice.
I used the SEM when I refurbished the seat backs last month and they turned out pretty good.
I'm wondering if the black liquid dye I located on the Willcox site will result in a nice black color with a good sheen. (I recently had a small tear professionally repaired, but the dye they used has a dull chalky look and feel which I'm not happy with.)
I used the SEM when I refurbished the seat backs last month and they turned out pretty good.
I'm wondering if the black liquid dye I located on the Willcox site will result in a nice black color with a good sheen. (I recently had a small tear professionally repaired, but the dye they used has a dull chalky look and feel which I'm not happy with.)
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Tanning is the process of preparing the leather....not the process of 'coloring' the leather. Tanned leather can be left as natural for color, or it can be DYED to make it a different color.
Try Google....it works (most of the time).
Try Google....it works (most of the time).
