The Old age problem of wanting to restore some really neglected seat leather. I have used in the past with some results , Leathrique products, as well as some homemade concoctions, I did find that both work well when heated then applied with a paintbrush after cleaning well with soap and water solution, , it will also benefit to work the mixture into the leather, Then covered with plastic. The best I have used so far is a mix of 50% 50% Neatsfoot oil and Anhydrous lanolyn, Heated in a microwave to about 100 deg F then applied. Then covered then repeated until it will no longer soaks in . then wipe with a dry cloth. at that point, it can be cleaned and prepped for redying. Any other methods Please share
I use Hide Food or Leatherique as directed.
Nothing fancy, but very happy with the results
Seats
All my XJ’s Saloons and XJ-S’s are rescues from being crushed; and well the leather is always dry. I too have tried just about everything I could get my hands on. Usually the are dry like the seats have Eczema. list of products I’ve tried and stayed away from.
Stayed away from
Anything from Armor All.
Any “leather wipe” called a cleaner and conditioner. Usuallly found at the local autoparts store, or Wallmart can’t be good.
Maguires leather care (paint Awesome! - interior? not so much)
anything from “The Chemical Guys”
Moderate Success
Lexol cleaner (the orange bottle) which is liquified glycerin soap.
Lexol leather conditioner (the brown bottle)
Groit’s leather cleaner and conditioner
Connelly’s Leather cleaner and conditioner
Some concoctions involving lanoline lotions and bees wax & other “essential” oils.
Stuff I’ve had absolute success with
Bickmore leather care products
Leathrique & Leather Honey (there is a “but” with this one)
Cleaners
Lexol or any Glycerin (leather cleaner) soap / cleaner will take off any oxidation (of the dye). The leather being uber dry will suck up the water like a sponge; which is only temporary - before the shrinking begins (again). Connelly’s leather cleaner works kind of. maybe if the leather isn’t as far gone as mine, then it may be fine. That being said, Connelly is a no go.
Lexol
I’ve used this stuff on domestic (US) cars / leather for decades and haven’t had a complaint. the difference is US cars - the leather is sealed. Lexol will clean and it will take the color off too if you’re not careful. I heavily dilute the cleaner in a solution of cleaner and water. I don’t spray the cleaner directly on the leather - because it willl take the color off.
Lexol conditioner works - but marginally. not like the others on this list.
Groit
First off I really like Groit’s products. Their leather care products also work, but it’s not cheap and offer temporary results. Meaning the Groit products will require re applying way too often for my liking.
Leathrique & leather honey
the stuff is like well… honey… very thick slow to absorb… best applied with a paint brush if that’s any indication.
This stuff works very well, and if you’ve got the seats out and aren’t in a hurry. Then no complaints. otherwise it’s messy, and slow going.
Bickmore
Bickmore 4 is absolutely amazing. Now this stuff works extremely well, smells like pee, applies very nicely and appears to work almost immediately and holds up - even in the summer. If there’s any oxidation that will come off during application - but keep in mind the “oxidation” is the color (dye); that is no longer apart of the leather…
The pee smell smell goes away almost immediately after application, leaving a very nice soft(er) leather with a nice sheen and the Connelly Leather Smell 
Application
Bickmore and leathrique products. Don’t apply in direct sunlight especially on a very hot day. because the oils will cook the leather to the point where you can stick your finger through it like paper. yes it was a very upsetting day. I left it out side in the shade because it smelled badly. then the damn earth moved, and the seat sat in direct sunlight for a good hour. Very sad day.
So there you have it. my experience in leather conditioning…
Does anyone have seats for a XJ series I or Series III? Yep both of them. 
Cheers
Mark
5 Likes
Hello Mark - thanks for the very candid write-up - been trying to find some answers like this and you provided just what was needed as a first-hand (not a commercial selling) point of view - Tex.
1 Like
Depends on what MY you have … has come up before on here discussion that the leather of the latter MYs (apparently) are sealed with a layer of clear lacquer, or some such substance, so no “conditioner” is going to get through to it (unless you “sand” it off) … 
I thought Leatherique (not a fan personally of that “snake oil”, btw - no pun intended) specifically states that you ARE to apply it on a hot sunny day and, after application, park your car in a sunny area and let it sit there in direct sunlight for several hours, for maximum effectiveness? 
Never heard of “Bickmore” products … where do we find them, and are they something only sold in the U.K.?
Bikmore is pretty much equestrian stuff like horse saddles and cowboy or girl (not judging) boots. I live in Western Washington, and the local tack (horse stuff) shop had it. It’s also available on Amazon. It’s called Bick 4 is there basic leather conditioner, then the stuff that I use on my very old and very, very, very dry cracked about ready to split seats is the Bick LP. They manufacture a ton of different products for different types of leather.
Keep in mind that my Jag’s that I purchase are one step away from being crushed, so the leather is usually either extremely dry and cracking, or split which is repairable. Anyway… The leather is usually oxidized, so a good wipe down with a full on bar of glycerin saddle soap. Which takes the oxidation off and sometimes the dye – but that’s ok (for me) because I’m going to redye the seats anyway.
Having a bit of moisture in the leather helps the Bick LP soak in. but I put the cream on and let is sometimes over night; then check in the morning and wipe off any residual. I do this mainly in the winter; so it doesn’t get baked on, or cook the leather. Then I’ll use the Bick 4 as instructed. The stuff is amazing. Keep in mind the seats that I use this on are so dry that I get worried by sitting on them it the leather is going to split. After a couple applications I’m not worried about it any longer. Does it restore the seats as new or close to it? No. Does it restore the wonderful Jag leather smell yes.
The Bickmore products have had the best success with. The leather is pliable again, the puffs up from the foam backing; and has a nice sheen to it. I’m sure if I was more dillegent and stayed on top of it, that the leather would be restored. I’m not, and it isn’t.
Hope this helps,
Mark
1 Like
Oh, one more thing. The Bick LP really smells like pee. Consider yourself warned. 
1 Like
Urine the money…
1 Like
Here’s the link to test supported and great explanations of what the different types of conditioners are and do. There are I think 2 other posts on reddit by this person that you should be able to search for (same titles just #1 and #2).
Ok, went ahead and search for the other links…
1 Like
Nice, comprehensive and objective write-up.
Now, if there was just any magick elixir to restore Margaret’s potato chip vinyl interior…
Yep. That is what they recommend.
I have no problem with using Leatherique rejuvenator and cleaner. Been using them on my 95 xjs since 2003.
I wonder if the “secret ingredient” then is possibly uric acid? 
I have seen that ingredient in some car care products before …
Been using them, but have you been able to actually get them to DO anything materially positive for your leather? 
and how were you able to get it past the clear layer of shellac (or polyurethane) over the leather? I remember when I got my first (and last) set of that stuff to use on my XJ40s back in the beginning, the instructions said something about trying to work it into the stitching of the leather and it would be absorbed and spread from there (apparently by some kind of osmosis) into the leather. 
Sorry, that sounds a little voodoo-ish to me.
btw, @ only 8 years out, why didn’t you just start using the Jaguar Hide Food Cleaner & Conditioner products on your car? That stuff is supposedly engineered for our Connolly leather to keep it soft and looking good. Or, was your leather already too far gone (“cardboard hard” is the term that Leath. likes to use for it, IIRC)?
Seem to. But when I got mine in 2003 we just had Paul’s Jaguar recover both seats with OE Connolly in Cream color… I have been using Leatherique on them ever since.
The Reddit user’s results don’t seem to bode well for Bick’s … ?
Probably – something like that; what I do know is pee was a part of the tanning process before people got grossed out by it. Pee was used to soften hides and also aided in removing hair and other undesirable chunks from the hides during the tanning process. A brain matter soup is the sustainable (to be buzz word compliant) way of doing essentially the same thing – removing hair and other undesirable chunks.
And if memory serves I think that Connelly’s secret to their tanning process was pee. Lord now how much lager & cider they drink, there’d be no shortage.
Ok, well this has taken a southernly turn.
2 Likes