Advice on odor removal from B-17 please

[John P. in SF]

Apologies for cross-posting, to SFR members

I recently purchased a fine used Brooks B-17 saddle from a 'friend' and have been enjoying it.

However.

I found myself checking my personal glandular areas for odor when near my bike pile, thinking that perhaps I have eaten something or took a shirt or pair of boxers from the wrong pile that day. After a few confirming sniffs I looked elsewhere and easily found the offending source, my newly acquired B-17.

Any tips for odor removal from the newbies or anciennes? 

Thanks in advance, 

John P in SF, who thought he smelled a bargain and got more than he wanted.

[Joseph Tousignant]

Well that stinks!  (sorry, couldn't resist :-) 

Seriously though,  liberally rubbing in some Brooks Proofhide on the top may loosen much of the offending molecules and offending olfactory updrafts. Wait an hour or so and wipe off as much as you can with several paper towels.  Hopefully much of the offending sweat will come off along with the excess Proofhide. Might try this twice,...for stubborn cases.

  There is also a leather "cleaner" I've used called "Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner"  that might do the job (Since 1901,...so it's been around a LONG time!)  I've never used it on my bicycle saddles though,...just on several leather binocular cases and on my Mazda MX-5 Miata 2 seater leather seats.  In you case, I'd probably try this first. I bought my 14 ounce bottle at a Pep Boys or Auto Zone Store several years ago.                                                            

[Dorothy C]

I would say if cleaning the surface doesn’t suffice, put 1/4 to 1/2 cup diatomaceous earth in a small cloth bag, hang it off the saddle rails and wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag to let it absorb. You might get away with just powdering it, but it might cling to the leather. 

[Gustavo Vasquez]

I use a leather cream with beeswax for my saddles and not proofride. The beeswax in the cream should help remove it. 

Wax both the top and inside of the saddle 

Gustavo 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 27, 2020, at 11:08 PM, Joseph Tousignant <con...@tirodtactical.com> wrote:

Well that stinks!  (sorry, couldn't resist :-) 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a3e25363-0154-42e1-93df-99184ead6a25n%40googlegroups.com.

[Eric Norris]

I’ve had very good results using bags of activated charcoal stuffed into a pair of cycling shoes that started smelling bad:

https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Fresh-Air-Purifier-Bags/dp/B085VH36Y1/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3CTBDMJJ5MJGB&dchild=1&keywords=activated+charcoal+bags&qid=1598627845&sprefix=activated+charcoal+capsules%2Caps%2C329&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3TUM1MEk0WjZFNU4mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2NjAzNzI2QjU1MlMyR1RTJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NjQ3MTMyMVFJQlpaTTY4SUxXJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Strap a few of these to the saddle and put it in a bag as Dorothy suggests and you should find that the odor is diminished.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com

Insta: @CampyOnlyGuy

YouTube: YouTube.com/CampyOnlyGuy 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/694a33ca-c6bb-4190-95d3-515c4883f41en%40googlegroups.com.

[ascpgh]

The saddle's previous owner may have used some home brewed leather poultice whose fats are rancidifying. Oxidative and hydrolytic processes are the usual manners producing objectionable aromas, butyric acids from the former, aldehydes or ketones from the latter. Proofhide and Obenauf's must include antioxidative materials to prevent such of their own ingredients. 

Microbial or fungal activity can produce the breakdown as well. Vitamin E can slow or stop this effect. Would have to be alert to softening the leather and choose how long you let it be in contact before wiping off the excess. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[ascpgh]

I should have added that "odor removal" will just be eliminating the final product of a potential process in play given the potential processes at work on that saddle. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[eddietheflay]

in 20 years of cycling, this is my favorite thread of all time. whatever happened to smell o vision? or pu tube?