Looking after bellows

[richard littlewood]

I've just started using an early 1950's Ensign Selfix 820 after cleaning it up and I love it, so I can see myself using it a lot. The bellows are in really good shape although I can imagine with constant use these ageing thin folds of leather may start to crumble. Is there any form of 'nourisher' that won't seperate the glues but will keep the leather pliable - I thought maybe wax shoe polish - applied only the once. Does any body out there give their leather bellows a treat now and again.

 

[benjiboy]

I've just started using an early 1950's Ensign Selfix 820 after cleaning it up and I love it, so I can see myself using it a lot. The bellows are in really good shape although I can imagine with constant use these ageing thin folds of leather may start to crumble. Is there any form of 'nourisher' that won't seperate the glues but will keep the leather pliable - I thought maybe wax shoe polish - applied only the once. Does any body out there give their leather bellows a treat now and again.

I think beeswax is what photographers used to use in the old days, it's has no solvents in it, and won't seperate the glues.

 

[Dave Parker]

I have been using Lemon Pledge for years now on my graflex cameras and the bellows on all of them as still soft and supple, have also used on my leather bellows cameras with great success.

Dave

 

[reellis67]

I was recommended 'Lexol', for leather bellows, which turned out to be expensive, but it did a nice job keeping the leather clean and supple.

- Randy

 

[Brian Bullen]

I second the lexol, my friend uses it on his 7x17 bellows. They were a little stiff when he first got it but they've gotten much softer and cleaner too.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

I may be a cheapskate, but I use liquid shoe polish on leather bellows, silicone polish on synthetic leather. Works fine so long as you can fully extend the bellows to apply the polish and let it dry.

 

[elekm]

My usual treatment is some saddle soap on a moist cotton ball to first clean the bellows. Then I follow up with black shoe polish on a cotton ball and buff with a cotton ball.

It's leather, just like dress shoes, and you can treat it in the same manner that you would treat a good dress shoe.

 

[titrisol]

I have 2 Isolettes (with J) hat have leather bellows, is there any other recommendation besides these?

 

[paul ron]

Liquid shoe polish.

 

[Nathan Smith]

I use a leather dressing made for the leather seats of cars. It has lanolin in it like saddle soap, so it cleans and moisturizes all at once. I think that the stuff I use is made by Turtle Wax, but any of 'em will probably work as well. It comes in a pump-spray bottle but I just squirt it onto a cotton swab. Rub it with a well-moistened swab, turn it around and use the other end or replace when it gets dirty, and, after a few minutes gently wipe off the excess if there is any. Works just great and it's not sticky -- after all, who'd want to sit on sticky car seats?
Nathan