Safest way to clean/maintain a ww2 leather mail bag

[avigo]

I have several ww2 mail bags and one particular that is in my top 3 favorite pieces. It is ID'd to a minesweeper and I just love it.

The leather is pretty supple, but it is dirty and needs to be cleaned.

 

I usually use pecards antique for stuff like this, but I really don't want to mess this bag up.

 

Is it OK to clean it with a water and cloth then treat with pecards?

 

Is there something safer or something different you guys would recommend?

 

I'd really appreciate any input on this.

Thanks!

 

 

[strawberry 9]

Maybe use a damp towel to pat the leather clean and then dry with another towel first and see how it looks. I've heard others on the forum advise not to use any leather treatments.

[avigo]

Maybe use a damp towel to pat the leather clean and then dry with another towel first and see how it looks. I've heard others on the forum advise not to use any leather treatments.

 

 

I've gotten mixed advice with a lot of people saying it is bad to just let the leather sit untreated (while some say don't) so I am torn.

It will look a lot better just wiping it down...but I want to ensure the bag still has a long life as well

 

Thanks for the reply!

[Terry K.]

We still had leather bags while I worked for the USPS. Every once in a while and on new bags they would treat it with a pecards like product, let it soak in and wipe off. The main issue was water proofing. So if you want to be correct as done by the post Office that is what to do.

[avigo]

We still had leather bags while I worked for the USPS. Every once in a while and on new bags they would treat it with a pecards like product, let it soak in and wipe off. The main issue was water proofing. So if you want to be correct as done by the post Office that is what to do.

 

Thanks!

I just want to make sure the leather doesn't deteriorate.

I am no leather expert so I just don't know when this starts to happen and what to do to prevent it