# harness care



## 3neighs

I've used Murphy's oil soap.


----------



## lillie

yes, i would like to know the answer to this too-i have just used something the saddler recomended called effax. to clean and soften some old harness i bought at a sale. saddlers said it was the best for the leather - its ok, but stinks very perfumey. and i didnt think it put much of a shine . i just ussally use kaochline (?) yellow tin with horse and cart on it when it needs a soften, and saddle soap the rest of the time. have just restored an old dome topped carriage trunk, and i used cheap old vegetable oil on it from tesco- it came up a treatand softened the leather really well, but thats just ornamental use- i dont know if it would rot the leather or stitches in harness? someone else might know about veg. oil please?


----------



## LauraB

A product called Harness Honey is great.

Harness Honey Leather Conditioner


----------



## jimmy

just thought [yeh my heads hurting]do you think that harness once cleaned but rarely used would stay mold free if wrapped in clingfilm,im thinking of soft heavy collars which i onl use a couple of weeks a year the rest of the time they are in abag in garage


----------



## Nutty Saddler

Use glycerine saddle soap to clean your leather - then re nourish with a leather dressing. Ko-cho-line is very good as is the Sedgewicks dressing.

If you warm the dressing up before rubbing in this will help.

I wouldn't advise wrapping any leather up in clingfilm as it should be allowed to breathe - if you can , get a grain sack ( not plastic ) from a feed store and put your harness in there. I keep mine in an old suitcase - not only does it keep it in good condition but I don't have to worry about any rodents eating it whilst I'm not using it, and it keeps most of the moisture out so mine doesn't go mouldy.


----------



## jimmy

Nutty Saddler said:


> Use glycerine saddle soap to clean your leather - then re nourish with a leather dressing. Ko-cho-line is very good as is the Sedgewicks dressing.
> 
> If you warm the dressing up before rubbing in this will help.
> 
> I wouldn't advise wrapping any leather up in clingfilm as it should be allowed to breathe - if you can , get a grain sack ( not plastic ) from a feed store and put your harness in there. I keep mine in an old suitcase - not only does it keep it in good condition but I don't have to worry about any rodents eating it whilst I'm not using it, and it keeps most of the moisture out so mine doesn't go mouldy.


thanks nutty saddler,i thought about the breathin aspeect after i had posted and i,ve gone and bought the ko chi line yellow can wth a pic of a man driving 2 horses expensive foor a small tin £4.75p but i,m not bothered if its good gear the suit case idea is a good one i,d need about 20 thanks


----------



## lillie

you can put some sachets of silicone in the suitcase too; that keeps the damp off- it sucks it up out of the atmoshere. not sure where to get it, mine are ancient, but i would try chemist or hardware shop


----------



## RubaiyateBandit

I just use Fiebing's Saddle Soap and Shep's Neatlene Harness Oil, same as I would my saddles. Since it's a pony harness, it's not real big; I bought a bridle bag that has three hooks inside a canvas bag and hangs wherever, and just keep it in that. When I get Bandit's new harness, I'll just get another bag for his.


----------



## lillie

sorry i meant silicea crystals , not silicone it helps keep damp and mould of the harness just put it in little bags in the suitcase with the harness


----------



## jimmy

wil find out abou the crystals lillie what else are they used for i,l google it see what comes up


----------

