The appeal of leather comes from the durability and charm of its aging process over time. Since PLOTTER analog tools are made to be your constant companion throughout your everyday routine, it is even more evident that they will show the characteristic of use.
Leather that can be maintained through daily use
When we designed PLOTTER leather binders, the desire for them to be reliable is already a condition as we pick and choose the type of leather to use. Liscio and Pueblo leather comes are top-grain leather from Tuscany, Italy that has gone through an intensive oil-smooth process—its superior leather quality is smooth to touch and shows a dynamic aging look with daily use. The special oil used in the process also keeps the leather moist for a long time. Shrink leather comes from the United States but is processed by craftsmen in Himeji, a region known for its leatherwork and craftsmanship.
Even if you didn’t apply any special conditioning, the leather becomes supple through daily use. This is why our best recommendation for maintaining your leather products is to touch and use them every day with care.
Recommended tools for PLOTTER Leather
There are times when you might want to apply extra conditioning to leather products, especially PLOTTER tools– If you live in a particularly dry area, or you plan to put away your PLOTTER for an extended period. Some people also prefer to speed up the process of patina by applying extra conditioning cream to further progress the character of the leather.
Columbus Company is a Japanese brand with 100 years of history that excels in creating high-quality shoe care and leather care products. We have found a conditioning cream that is well suited to maintain your PLOTTER analog tools. Brillo Cream is a special water-based leather cream that has both moisturizing and emollient properties. It contains natural beeswax, sunflower wax, and jojoba oil that improves the shine and smoothness of the leather.
Just like how we apply facial cream to dry skin, a water-based type conditioning cream is a good way to care for leather when it feels a bit dry. Its creamy texture makes it easier for its essence to penetrate the surface of the leather and dissolve into its body. Especially for oil-smoothed leather types like Liscio and Pueblo, other wax-type oil may simply sit on top of the surface and not penetrate the fibers. Although Shrink leather has a coated surface, the cream texture makes it easy to cover the surface fibers on a microscopic level and helps the leather last longer.
Steps to maintaining your PLOTTER leather binder
Step 1: Remove dust
The first step to cleaning and maintaining your leather product is to clean off dust or debris on the surface of the leather. Start by lightly brushing the surface with a cloth or a horsehair brush. Natural horsehair brushes are great for cleaning leather products like shoes and bags because the bristles are delicate enough to not scratch the surface of the leather. At the same time, they are moderately stiff enough to remove dirt and dust before polishing.
Step 2: Apply a small amount of cream with a brush or cloth
Over-applying the moisturizing cream is not effective for leather maintenance. A good way is to use the cap of the Brillo Cream container to take only a moderate amount of cream. As a rule of thumb, always apply a small amount to an inconspicuous part of leather first before applying it to the whole surface. Leather properties may change and darken with the use of conditioning cream, so that is a good way to check if you prefer the results.
Step 3: Gently buff the cream onto the surface in a circular motion
You can start by applying the cream using a horsehair brush to spread it evenly across the surface.
The horsehair brush is great for reaching the crevices and grooves of the leather binder. Its bristles also help lift off excess with the application. You can follow up by rubbing it into the leather using a soft cloth.
It is not necessary to apply leather cream on the inside of the cover. The interior fiber may cause staining or color fading if you apply a cream to it. The inside of Shrink leather is completely coated with paint so the application of the cream will have no effect.
Step 4: Remove excess cream and let dry.
Wipe up the excess cream with a clean cloth after application. Excess cream that does not soak into the leather fibers will remain on the surface of the leather and may transfer to other items. There is no color-transfer concern if the cream is cleaned up properly after application.
The charm of leather is the way it transforms and ages with marks of your journey. We wish that PLOTTER Leather binder can continue to be a reliable companion in your creative process. We hope that our recommended tools can help you maintain it for years to come.
