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How Do You Use Pecards?

SteveN

Active Member
Gents,

I've got my first tub of Pecard's coming in to treat a RMNZ jacket that's about 5 years old and starting to feel a bit dry after time in the desert. The website says:
How to apply: First clean the leather article by wiping it down with a sponge and clean water. You don't need a cleaner unless there is obvious discolorations in the leather. We recommend using a pH neutral cleaner. While the leather is still damp, use a soft lint-free cloth, apply a small amount of dressing to the leather. Use a circular motion to work the dressing into the fibers. Be careful if you have flaking! Continue to do this to all the leather parts of the article. There should only be a sheen on the surface of the leather after working the dressing in. Buff vigorously all areas with a clean cloth to melt the surface waxes to a nice shine.

The 'while leather is still damp' part has me wondering. Do most folks use it dry, or while damp? I'm not too sure about the 'nice shine' part either, at least with an A2.

What's the best practice when treating a modern reproduction A2?

Cheers,
- SteveN
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
usually a jacket as new [relatively] as yours does not need to be treated. however, if ya want to, use pecards leather cream. it is the same formula as the leather dressing, but less dense. it absorbs into the leather faster then the dressing, not sitting on the surface, and you do not have to clean off any excess. you can rub it in with your fingers or us a wool [like a-2 knit density] rag, applying it vigorously so that it gets into the pores. best to do in warm weather, or a heated environment. when i use the stuff, i like to set the jac out in the sun on a warm [not hot] day, flipping the jac over, and turning it so all areas get enough natural heat to make the cream kinda melt into the hides. too much is like not enough. you can always repeat if necessary.
 

John Lever

Moderator
Another useful question might be how you get it off ?
I have bought several jackets ruined with overuse of this stuff.
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
Good point. This stuff can become a glossy, tacky nuisance. I've never used it but have jackets so treated.
Do as suggested and use it quite sparingly.
Dave
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
read the above. the stuff can be removed, at least on the surface with neutral spirits. this should be done sparingly, without overloading the rag that you use. needless to say, as with the pecards, dont get it on the knits, or liner. the neutral spirits wont stain by itself,, but if the rag with neutral spirits has rubbed some of the pecards, it may then stain.
 

SteveN

Active Member
So do you do the damp sponge treatment first?

I could also be barking up the wrong tree. I'm trying to put a bit of moisture back in the jacket. The leather is definitely feeling a bit dry.

- SteveN
 

CBI

Well-Known Member
Apply Pecards with your finger(s). Rub firmly without overdoing it. A little goes a long way. After you have done a section of the jacket, take a dry cloth and pat the jacket a little to remove any excess off. Do the same thing with the cloth after 24 hours. Pecards is really great stuff!
 

Skip

Well-Known Member
I agree with CBI. I had a dryed out Church skin that I washed, dryed in the shade then applied leather cream as CBI stated with the fingers. If you rub small amounts in, you'll get a feel when the leather is 'right'. it took 2 coats (excuse the pun) till it was supple enough for sending off to be 'refitted'. A year it was still supple and no greasiness.
 

capt71

Member
For my part, I have used Pecard's Leather Dressing on my father's vintage A-2 several times over the years and have never dampened the leather first. Goop some on your fingers (not too much) and massage it firmly, but fairly gently, into the leather by hand in small sections until the entire jacket (or area you wish to treat) has been covered (I use small circular motions while rubbing). Don't pile it on, use it sparingly. On the first treatment let it sit for a length of time (preferably a couple to several hours) to let the dressing absorb into the leather, then gently wipe the entire jacket down with a soft cloth or towel to remove any excess remaining on the leather's surface--repeat the wiping as necessary. As has been said, if the leather is dry, it may take more than one application. If you maintain this conditioning at regular intervals, you shouldn't have to let it sit nearly as long before wiping down. It has kept Dad's A-2 supple and in great shape (he wore it throughout WW2). One thing to be cognizant of though, Pecard's dressing will darken the leather somewhat, which may be an issue with some collectors (it wasn't with me).
 

Chevalier

Member
I recently got very lucky and found a WW II era A-2 at a local thrift store.
https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/mystery-a2-jacket.22223/

I decided to keep and occasionally wear it. I got some good recommendations to condition it in problem areas prior to any wearing. I thought I would post some pics, in case they are helpful to anyone. FYI, this is a lighter russet colored leather. The Pecards definitely darkens the light beige worn areas, but only back to the original leather color. I have not noticed any darkening beyond that. I will try to post more pics tomorrow when the Pecards has dried fully.

Before pic, note the dry shoulder and creasing along the sleeve. My guess is from being stored flat.

0eed969d9cd46fc5a97ede5d538b6976.jpg


After pic. The crease is still physically present in the leather, but the light color along the crease is gone.

619a3a1b7349b3959e93eeac3e2b4058.jpg


Sorry for the color shift in the photos. The light level in the room was changing a lot while I was working. There was no color shift in the jacket.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Garylafortuna

Well-Known Member
Pecards has been the conditioning mainstay for all my jackets for a number of years now. Recently my nephew gave me two jackets to treat. Perhaps I over used the Pecards a little, because after hanging in a nice warm room for about a week, they were still somewhat sticky. I was struck by the grand idea that if I used a heat gun (hair dryer) on them, the problem would be solved. The results were amazing. You could actually see the conditioner melt and get absorbed into the leather immediately. I worked it panel by panel holding the gun about a foot from the surface of the jacket. Both jackets felt dry and ready to wear right after the heat treatment. Since then I've done a BR G-1 using the heat gun treatment with really excellent results. If my jackets start to self destruct when I attempt to put them on, I'll know that I made a huge mistake.
 
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