Fine cheeses--roqueforte, bleu, brie, Brooks

It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned? More
Proofide indicated? Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound
of some sort? A drier environ is not in the cards until
spring.

Apologies for the bike-related post.

pH in Aptos

On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:56:01 -0800 (PST), pH wrote:

It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned? More
Proofide indicated? Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound
of some sort? A drier environ is not in the cards until
spring.

Apologies for the bike-related post.

pH in Aptos

Who knows, the "Poofide" maybe what's feeding the stuff :-)

"Proofide" by the way is a Brooks product, I believe, and appears to
be similar to "saddle soap" which has been used for years to treat
leather goods.

Brooks recommendation is to "Apply a little Proofide to the finished
side of the leather. Allow the Proofide to permeate until dry and then
polish off."
--
cheers,

John B.

On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:56:01 -0800 (PST), pH wrote:

It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

It's mushroom season.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

Yep. My ancient Brooks gets that in some years. Vinegar, water, and
scrubbing with a rag cleans it off nicely:
https://www.originaltuscany.com/en/blog/how-to-remove-mold-from-your-leather-bag--n18
The catch is that the vinegar doesn't actually kill all the mold. If
you just wipe and put the bicycle back in the car port, the mold will
return. If you can't sun dry the saddle, remove it from the frame and
bring it inside where it can dry out.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

Yuck.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/470679-proofide-recipe-cross-posted.html
I've never tried the stuff. I prefer Obenauf's:
https://www.obenaufs.com/natural-preserving-oils-p/leather-oil.htm
Most leather preservatives contain some kind of hydrocarbon oil.
That's what the mold is eating.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/how-mushrooms-can-save-the-world
It had long been known that mold and mushroom species called
"white rot" fungi could eat the lignin in wood, using enzymes
to convert its complex hydrocarbons into nutritious carbohydrates.
Molds also sometimes colonize fuel tanks, where they use
those same enzymes to consume petroleum products.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned?

Nope.

More Proofide indicated?

Nope. There's nothing in the recipe that kills mold or retards mold
growth.

Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound of some sort?

I suggest you avoid using poisons on surfaces which you are in
contact. If wet, the fungicide might leach through your pants.

A drier environ is not in the cards until spring.

Like I suggested, remove the saddle, clean it, and take it inside
until the weather improves.

Apologies for the bike-related post.
pH in Aptos

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:56:01 -0800 (PST), pH wrote:

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

Incidentally, if you want me to check if it's really mold, drag a
sample to my palatial office and I'll put it under the microscope.

I had a similar problem with what looked like white mold growing on my
plastic Xclite and Vaco driver handles:
http://www.learnbydestroying.com/jeffl/pics/white-plastic-rot/slides/Vaco-driver-rot.html
Under the microscope, I discovered that it was just plastic "growing"
out of the handle.
http://www.learnbydestroying.com/jeffl/pics/white-plastic-rot/index.html
Sorry about the lousy photos but my microscope camera is a cheap piece
of junk. It's not very clear, but the lack of a cellular structure
indicates that it's NOT mold spores.

Leather Saddles by Sheldon "Hidebound" Brown
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Once mold arrives, you'll be fighting it forever. Jeff's suggestion of vinegar is the best you're likely to hear. Mold hates the taste of vinegar. But use it sparingly as it is a meat-tenderiser and leather is just the outer layer of meat.

The worst thing you can do is to give the saddle more Proofide or Obenauf's or what whatever gunk you got from Rivendell or Orange or whoever. That'll just seal in the mold, and attract more. Actually, there's one worse thing you can do, and that is take Slow Johnny's advice and use equine-niche leather care products. Using neatsfoot oil is like broadcasting "Hey, mold, lunch is served, and my Brooks saddle is it." It's hard to think of anything that real horse-lovers use that isn't animal-based, and therefore food to mold. Neatsfoot, for instance, is oil recovered from boiling the feet and shinbones of cattle.

Andre Jute
You don't have to know weird stuff to be a cyclist but it helps, a lot.

On 12/25/2019 10:02 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:56:01 -0800 (PST), pH wrote:

It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

It's mushroom season.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

Yep. My ancient Brooks gets that in some years. Vinegar, water, and
scrubbing with a rag cleans it off nicely:
https://www.originaltuscany.com/en/blog/how-to-remove-mold-from-your-leather-bag--n18
The catch is that the vinegar doesn't actually kill all the mold. If
you just wipe and put the bicycle back in the car port, the mold will
return. If you can't sun dry the saddle, remove it from the frame and
bring it inside where it can dry out.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

Yuck.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/470679-proofide-recipe-cross-posted.html
I've never tried the stuff. I prefer Obenauf's:
https://www.obenaufs.com/natural-preserving-oils-p/leather-oil.htm
Most leather preservatives contain some kind of hydrocarbon oil.
That's what the mold is eating.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/how-mushrooms-can-save-the-world
It had long been known that mold and mushroom species called
"white rot" fungi could eat the lignin in wood, using enzymes
to convert its complex hydrocarbons into nutritious carbohydrates.
Molds also sometimes colonize fuel tanks, where they use
those same enzymes to consume petroleum products.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned?

Nope.

More Proofide indicated?

Nope. There's nothing in the recipe that kills mold or retards mold
growth.

Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound of some sort?

I suggest you avoid using poisons on surfaces which you are in
contact. If wet, the fungicide might leach through your pants.

A drier environ is not in the cards until spring.

Like I suggested, remove the saddle, clean it, and take it inside
until the weather improves.

Apologies for the bike-related post.
pH in Aptos


My understanding is that animal and vegetable products mold
but not mineral, that is, Proofhide made with tallow will
mold and gasoline with ethanol turns into pond scum in a
carburetor but machine oil or actual gasoline doesn't.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Talking of blue cheeses, I see a Blue d' Auvergne in the fridge. Until now I thought the only blues which came from the Auvergne were voiced by Victoria de los Angeles. -- AJ

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 2:56:03 AM UTC, pH wrote:
It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned? More
Proofide indicated? Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound
of some sort? A drier environ is not in the cards until
spring.

Apologies for the bike-related post.

pH in Aptos



On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 2:56:03 AM UTC, pH wrote:
It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned? More
Proofide indicated? Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound
of some sort? A drier environ is not in the cards until
spring.

Apologies for the bike-related post.

pH in Aptos

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 5:51:30 AM UTC-8, AMuzi wrote:
On 12/25/2019 10:02 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:56:01 -0800 (PST), pH wrote:

It's rainy and moist in the Santa Cruz Mountains these days and
in the redwoodsy area in which I live.

It's mushroom season.

I went into my carport and noticed the Brooks B17 on my good old
Cannondale had a fine layer of white (appeared to be mold) on it,
much like the powdery outside of a brie cheese.

Yep. My ancient Brooks gets that in some years. Vinegar, water, and
scrubbing with a rag cleans it off nicely:
https://www.originaltuscany.com/en/blog/how-to-remove-mold-from-your-leather-bag--n18
The catch is that the vinegar doesn't actually kill all the mold. If
you just wipe and put the bicycle back in the car port, the mold will
return. If you can't sun dry the saddle, remove it from the frame and
bring it inside where it can dry out.

This saddle gets a coating of Poofide (Proofide? Whatever
the name of that stuff that Rivendell sells is) a couple times
a year.

Yuck.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/470679-proofide-recipe-cross-posted..html
I've never tried the stuff. I prefer Obenauf's:
https://www.obenaufs.com/natural-preserving-oils-p/leather-oil.htm
Most leather preservatives contain some kind of hydrocarbon oil.
That's what the mold is eating.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/how-mushrooms-can-save-the-world
It had long been known that mold and mushroom species called
"white rot" fungi could eat the lignin in wood, using enzymes
to convert its complex hydrocarbons into nutritious carbohydrates.
Molds also sometimes colonize fuel tanks, where they use
those same enzymes to consume petroleum products.

The mold/whatever wipes right off; need I be concerned?

Nope.

More Proofide indicated?

Nope. There's nothing in the recipe that kills mold or retards mold
growth.

Some sort of fungicide, say a copper compound of some sort?

I suggest you avoid using poisons on surfaces which you are in
contact. If wet, the fungicide might leach through your pants.

A drier environ is not in the cards until spring.

Like I suggested, remove the saddle, clean it, and take it inside
until the weather improves.

Apologies for the bike-related post.
pH in Aptos


My understanding is that animal and vegetable products mold
but not mineral, that is, Proofhide made with tallow will
mold and gasoline with ethanol turns into pond scum in a
carburetor but machine oil or actual gasoline doesn't.

One word: plastic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCHH5D74Fs I finally wore the cover off my Cinelli Unicanitor, but I think almost 45 years of service is pretty good. I still have an Ideal 2002 from 1981. My Brooks grew fuzz up here in Rainlandia, and I didn't feel like massaging it with oils or engaging in other preening activity. It's not a show pony, plus I didn't like the butt-feel. My wife liked it for some reason, so it went on the back of the tandem, which was a pure fair-weather bike.

-- Jay Beattie.

On Thu, 26 Dec 2019 07:51:23 -0600, AMuzi wrote:

My understanding is that animal and vegetable products mold
but not mineral, that is, Proofhide made with tallow will
mold and gasoline with ethanol turns into pond scum in a
carburetor but machine oil or actual gasoline doesn't.

Cladosporium resinae fungus will grow on gasoline but prefer diesel.
https://fuelandfriction.com/trucking-pro/microbial-growth-in-fuel-prevent/

Incidentally, some artificial leather is made from mushrooms (a
fungus):
https://www.fastcompany.com/40562633/this-leather-is-made-from-mushrooms-not-cows
In an emergency, you could probably eat one of these artificial
leather saddles.

The basic idea behind preventing mold growth on leather is to remove
one of several conditions needed for mold growth. High humidity,
still air, high humidity, and a source of hydrocarbon food. The
definition of rain is where the air can't hold any more water (100%
humidity). Controlling humidity is difficult and might involve moving
away from the clouds or ocean. Still air is fairly easy. A small fan
will provide enough air circulation to reduce mold growth. I did that
in a rental that was prone to growing mildew behind the furniture.
Moving them away from the wall and blowing some air around made a big
difference. Preventing the mold spores from getting to the (leather)
food is what many of the leather conditioners seem to be doing. They
simply seal the leather pores with oils, and the surface with wax. As
long as those remain in place, mold will have problems finding a free
lunch. As I previously mumbled, removing the leather saddle and
taking it indoors is probably the easiest way to reduce mold growth
problems.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558