Leather Repair - How to Repair a Worn Leather Steering Wheel

 I wrote a post a while back about how to repair a worn leather steering wheel and have gotten a lot of traffic to it but to be honest with you it's what I call a quick fix, not a good permanent fix like what a person really needs in this business. So today I'm gonna write it a little different and give the right way to repair a worn leather steering wheel.

All the leather in today's vehicles are being dyed with a water based dye. It's not only safer for the environment, which we all know is really big right now, but it's also more flexible and better for the leather itself.

My last post I wrote I gave you a quick fix using a solvent based dye. Now I'm not saying that if you were in a pinch that using a solvent based would be a bad thing, but like I said it's a quick fix, nothing you would really want to do for a customer that's expecting a long lasting repair.

The basic's are the same as far as the use of a drop cloth to avoid over spray getting on the instrument panel, and the prepping is kinda the same too. But what I'm here to do is to show the right way to do this.

So with that said here we go.

After you've put your drop cloth behind the steering wheel, wrapping it around so that no over spray will get where you don't want it to, take a scotch brite pad and my prepping solution and clean the leather steering wheel really good making sure you get the back of the steering wheel too. Nothing bugs me more the to see a steering wheel that has been repaired and all they have done is repaired the front. When you look through the windshield from the outside what do you see, umm the back of the steering wheel, so clean all the way around.

Once you have it clean, it's time to address the wear that has been done to the leather.

If the leather has frayed then that frayness (not sure if that's a word but it fits) needs to be sanded down smooth. You do this with a combination of the use of different grits of sandpaper, dry and wet sanding, and the use of leather filling compounds.

What I will do is start with a heavier grit, 240 usually but sometimes even a 120 to get there a little quicker. Wet the paper with my prepping solution and start sanding. The prepping solution will break through the dye that is already there and actually smear around bit, use this to your advantage, it kinda works as a filler and helps to smooth things out quicker. Sand until it becomes dry. Then move up to a finer grit like 400, and do the same. If it's not as smooth as you want then move up to an even finer grit sandpaper like a 600. At this time you can still use the wet sanding technique or you can dry sand it, this will depend on the amount of damage your dealing with.

Once you have the area fairly smooth, you need to seal the leather with your water based grip base, this will not only help your compounds to stick better but make your repair easier to work with and last a lot longer in the end. I do this by taking my grip base in a small squirt bottle and put a small amount onto a folded wet paper towel then wiping it over the leather steering wheel.

After you have sealed the leather it's time to break out your leather repair compounds. Now I have found that applying it with your finger is the easiest then trying to use a pallet knife, kinda hard to curve your pallet knife around such a tight curve. Compounds that I use the most on leather steering wheels is the old Leather Crack Filler or I'll use Viper Products Leather Extreme Fill. Both work really well with applying it with your finger and both stay put really well too. I mostly use the Leather Crack Filler first then if I need to fill smaller imperfections then I'll use the Leather Extreme Fill. I've found that the Leather Crack fill just works the best, it sands out nicely as well as stays put when sanding too.

The biggest thing to remember in repairing a worn leather steering wheel is to get it as smooth as possible, the less amount of leather repair compounds you use the better. It's just less to go wrong later and you have a better chance of the dyes sticking in the end.Men's Leather Jackets

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Red Carpet Style: Leather Clothing for Women

  Everyone knows that it is not the person who is walking down the red carpet that is important, but rather their clothing! If you can't be a star, do the next best thing and dress like one. One hot trend in Hollywood and all over the world is leather clothing for women. Before you run out and purchase a pair of leather chaps or bulky biker jacket, think again. Leather clothing can run the gamut from smoking and sexy to sweet and subtle. Furthermore, leather clothing is available in all shades and hues of delicious colors, express yourself with juicy greens and pinks that are hot, hot, hot these days. Leather clothing can take you from the board room to the night club, what other type of material can boast the same thing? Without a doubt, every woman's closet should have a pair of smoking hot leather pants. Take advantage of the current skinny pants trend and invest in a great pair made of leather. Since leather acts as a second skin, it will hug all your curves and show off yo...
Read more

What About Men's Leather Blazers?

Leather jackets are no longer a thing of the eighties. They are very much back in the fashion scene, and other than making for a cool style statement they also keep us warm and comfortable during those cold winter nights without making us look like overstuffed fur toys. Other than making for a fashionable piece of clothing, the leather jacket has something that makes the wearer look imposing. They come in various cuts and styles, sometimes taking inspiration from the kind of lifestyle followed by the wearer. There are different styles of men's leather blazer for those who have worked in the navy, army and the police force. Other than providing the option of being made of hides of different animals like cowhide and lambskin jackets, the men's leather blazer can also be used as a reversible raincoat during short spells of rain in the winter. Some of the common materials used to make these leather jackets include fleece wool, suede, lambskin, cowhide, chamois and pigskin. You can ...
Read more

Men's Style Advice: A Guide to Wearing Leather Jackets

  Contrary to what you might think, men's leather jackets aren't a thing of the past. In fact, the trend is once more being embraced by both high end designers and the high street. The versatility and style factor of leather jackets cannot be denied. A quality jacket can be worn for years on end and, depending on the style, can be worn to both formal and casual occasions. Choosing Your Jacket There are more than just biker and bomber jackets on the market. Think contemporary. To look fashion forward you really have to take your time choosing a leather jacket with exactly the right fit for you. Baggy or puffy leather jackets don't do anyone justice, and a small size will make you feel uncomfortable. Slim fits are flattering on most body shapes. The slimmer the fit, the more defined your torso and waist, which will give you a lot of street cred. Make sure the jacket has defined shoulders, but steer clear of padded shoulders. Slouchy shoulders can make you look really dowdy. A...
Read more