Cleaning Rough Out Saddles

I’ve received a number of emails of late asking how to clean rough out leather, so I thought it would be a good topic to cover. I’ll warn you, though, the answer may not be what you want to hear.

First a clarification of what "rough out" means. Saddle skirting leather has two distinct sides – the grain side, which is smooth, and the flesh side, which is rough. A saddle can be made with either side facing out as the finished side.  Most saddles are made with the grain side out. This smooth side has a more elegant look and is the side that can be carved and stamped.

A saddle with the flesh, or rough, side facing out is called a rough-out saddle. A saddle can be completely rough-out or partially rough-out. Fenders, seat jockeys, and seats are the most common rough-out parts.

I’m a huge fan of rough out saddles. One of the characteristics of rough out, though, is that it will show a bit of patina with use. That’s part of it’s charm. Rough out saddles tend to be real using saddles rather than fancy "for-show" saddles, so having a bit of wear showing is a point of pride.

A good scrubbing with a stiff brush using a very mild soap, such as Ivory, and distilled water will get some of the dirt off, but you won’t be able to remove much of the dirt or discoloring. That’s just how rough-out is. In between cleanings, just take the stiff brush to the rough out to fluff up the nap.

The biggest mistake made when cleaning and conditioning rough out is with oil. Leather should never be oiled on the flesh side, only on the smooth (grain) side. The flesh side absorbs too much oil and makes the internal structure of the leather weak. So, only oil the back side of your rough out after it has dried from your cleaning efforts.

 

Related posts:

1. What’s a Rough-Out Saddle?
2. Clean Your Cinch!
3. Time For A Good Saddle Cleaning and Conditioning