# Reproofing Barbours



## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Several questions -- I need advice!

1. How do you know it's time to reproof a Barbour waxed jacket? How often do those of you who wear them regularly do it?

2. Can I reproof it myself, or is there risk of me ruining the jacket/messing it up? What's the worst that's going to happen?

3. How do I reproof it myself?

4. To whom should I send it for reproofing (assuming I shouldn't do it myself), and how long will it take?

5. My Barbour is very broken-in, which I like. Will it come out of the reproofing process (by me or professionally done) looking brand new again? (I hope not.) Is it possible to preserve the worn-in look while restoring the waterproofing?

Thank you!


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

Some of your questions are addressed by Barbour's web site.


When it's re-waxed, the jacket will look a little darker and newer again (for several weeks). I have mine re-waxed almost annually. I sent mine in 5 weeks ago through an authorized store, and it's supposed to come back next week.


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## R Rackley Adams (Jul 19, 2006)

Take it into an Orvis retailer, and they'll ship it in to have it reworked for you. One of the best things they do is go over a checklist of modifications/repairs they can make while it's being recoated. For example, if the cuffs are tattered, they will put a small, barely noticable leather cuff around the edge. This is a sweet addition to the coat, as it's subtle-yet-strong like the 3rd button on a sack jacket. Other things they'll do include restitching the handwarmer pockets if they've began to rip. Lastly, they'll patch any significant holes with an appropriate-sized piece of new oilskin.

Bottom line...I recommend sending it in...you'll retain all of the character that makes them great and add even more character while adding years to the life of the coat.


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Are these leather cuffs visible from the outside of the jacket, or are they simply on the inside of the cuff?

One thing I've wanted to have done on my Beaufort is have them sew an inside breast pocket on each side of the jacket, similar to the single interior breast pocket on the Bedale -- I think one should be zippered, one not.

So maybe I will send it in.

But how about reproofing? Is it possible to ruin one's jacket if doing it oneself? Or is it idiot-proof?


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## Trilby (Aug 11, 2004)

qwerty said:


> Are these leather cuffs visible from the outside of the jacket, or are they simply on the inside of the cuff?
> 
> One thing I've wanted to have done on my Beaufort is have them sew an inside breast pocket on each side of the jacket, similar to the single interior breast pocket on the Bedale -- I think one should be zippered, one not.
> 
> ...


The leather "cuffs" are a thin strip of leather sewn around the end of the cuff to bind the edges of the cotton when it starts to fray. It is visible from the outside - it's a band around the end of the cuff about 1/4 inch wide - but it doesn't affect the look of the jacket at all.

You can do the reproofing yourself. Buy a tin of the Barbour wax and follow the instructions on the tin. It's easy to do. Basically heat up the wax so it softens and then rub it all over the jacket. For best results, run a hairdryer across the jacket so the wax fully melts and penetrates into the cloth. It's a bit messy and time consuming. If I'm in the mood I do it myself; otherwise I send it back to the factory.


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

qwerty said:


> Are these leather cuffs visible from the outside of the jacket, or are they simply on the inside of the cuff?


It's a pretty thin, narrow, dark brown leather strip. It looks very nice in my opinion.


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## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

There used to be an excellent thread on Ask Andy about reproofing Barbours. I believe that's how I made my way here so long ago, but things start to get fuzzy... Anyhow, after searching it appears that this thread may have been lost in oblivion. However, one of the more interesting things I remember reading was one user who said that after he applied the wax when reproofing his jacket, he put in either a Dryel bag (do they still make this product?) or a sealed-up pillow case and put it in the dryer. This let the wax heat up and distribute a little more evenly. I've never gotten around to trying it, so I can't vouch for the technique myself.


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## knickerbacker (Jun 27, 2005)

As a motorcyclist of an age where past experience includes much wet weather riding in barbours, belstaffs and the like (an oft overlooked fact is that the UK "rockers" of the ace cafe / mods vs. rockers era wore barbours much much more often then the US leather jacket later popular with punks) I have a couple of tips:
1) the dryer bag works well but put the coat in immediately BEFORE applying the wax to heat it up as well. If you do not wish to risk the wrath of the significant other / roommates use two pillow cases or bags, wipe the dryer just in case while warm. If you have no morals, go to the laundry-mat instead.

2) If you have no dryer, an alternative to the hairdryer is to just leave the jacket out in the sun to get warm, especially on a roof. Wipe the jacket down to remove any old wax as well.

3) The easiest way besides sending it out is to use the Nickwax's wax cotton treatment- a two spray bottle affair: one being a cleaner, the other being a dressing that works very well. Having commuted in deluge conditions in wax cotton and then goretex, I am poignantly aware of when "waterproof" garments are overwhelmed by water or wind and the nixwax wash in treatment works very well for goretex, inmho.
Aerostitch used to carry the nickwax for the waxed cotton.


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## fishertw (Jan 27, 2006)

*Orvis service for reproofing*

I sent my Barbour through the Atlanta Orvis shop in Buckhead a couple of years ago. They send them to a factory supported service. The reproofing was outstanding, and as someone else has posted, they repaired all the small holes and tears plus added some patches for areas needing more attention.
I could not be happier with the service or the price. I believe the total bill was less than $50.00.
Good luck.
Tom


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

fishertw said:


> I sent my Barbour through the Atlanta Orvis shop in Buckhead a couple of years ago. They send them to a factory supported service. The reproofing was outstanding, and as someone else has posted, they repaired all the small holes and tears plus added some patches for areas needing more attention.
> I could not be happier with the service or the price. I believe the total bill was less than $50.00.
> Good luck.
> Tom


Barbour always does a great job. Re-waxing alone will cost you about $30. I always have mine done in the summer as they tend to have a big backlog in the fall.


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## Spooter (Jul 15, 2006)

R Rackley Adams said:


> Take it into an Orvis retailer, and they'll ship it in to have it reworked for you. One of the best things they do is go over a checklist of modifications/repairs they can make while it's being recoated. For example, if the cuffs are tattered, they will put a small, barely noticable leather cuff around the edge. This is a sweet addition to the coat, as it's subtle-yet-strong like the 3rd button on a sack jacket. Other things they'll do include restitching the handwarmer pockets if they've began to rip. Lastly, they'll patch any significant holes with an appropriate-sized piece of new oilskin.
> 
> Bottom line...I recommend sending it in...you'll retain all of the character that makes them great and add even more character while adding years to the life of the coat.


I reproof my jacket myself usually once a year. I have sent it in when I've ripped it, which in some decades was an annual occurance. As for the leather work -- Barbour will recommend the leather trim on cuffs and pockets to everyone who sends their jacket it; they claim (rightly probably) that this will retard snags, tears and wear. They started to trim in leather a while back to cut down on the number of jackets sent to them. At least this is what the repair man at Barbour told me.


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## qwerty (Jun 24, 2005)

Barbour's website notes that either "cotton or leatherette" bindings can be applied to the cuffs.

By cotton, do they mean wax cotton (so it will be identical to the rest of the jacket)?

As for the "leatherette", it sounds like some plastic faux-leather to me. Am I wrong?


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

*Turnaround time*

I just got my coat re-waxed by Barbour. I was just shocked when it came back in four days!!! For those of you considering rewaxing, this may be a good time to do it. Last year it took them almost six week.


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## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

Opus One said:


> It's a pretty thin, narrow, dark brown leather strip. It looks very nice in my opinion.


+1.

EGF


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## Congresspark (Jun 13, 2007)

These folks did a good, quick job of basic reproofing for me: https://www.greenmountainreproofing.com/


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## Good Old Sledge (Jun 13, 2006)

As to when it should be redone - you'll notice changes in color at the elbows or anywhere there's a crease that might suggest spots where the finish has worn through.
As to whether you can mess it up doing it yourself - it seems unlikely. The worst you can do is not apply it evenly and the dryer trick outlined above should sort that out nicely.


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## Danny (Mar 24, 2005)

I had my Bedale for 2 seasons and just sent it to barbour to reproof. $33 including shipping. I think it's worth it to have someone who knows what to do do it. Look for spots that look like the wax has worn off...youll know when it's time to reproof.

Danny


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

The stuff they put on my cuffs (several years ago) was definitely not genuine leather, but some other synthetic stuff. Not bad at all, though - just 3/8 of an inch (or so) wide and much better than fraying. I bought another Barbour on E-bay (cheaply) that had a similar treatment, but in corduroy, like the collar. The rest of the jacket was brand new, so I suspect it was applied as a custom measure, or to cover up a botched sleeve shortening job. The add-on is an inch or so wide. Works for a coats that hangs in the garage.

When a Barbour gets worn out, no quantity of reproofing will do it any good. I have one like that, but I can't bear to part with it.

Scott


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*Barbour Refinishing*

This may be a duplicate of another post here. However, when you take your Barbour back to the dealer, they usually send it to:
Barbour Repair
55 Meadowbrook Dr.
Milford, NH 03055
(800) 338 -3474

You can cut down the shipping time by going directly to them. They will always call you as soon as they get the garment, tell you what the cost will be before they start on your jacket.

Unrelated observations:
Unless you are an expert, they probably do a better job of refinishing than most of us.

The repair work is superb. The dog did a number on mine, and it came back in the same shape it was in when it left the factory.

The leather cuffs that they put on the bottom of the sleeves definitely extend the useful life of the garment.Cost is minimal.

If you use them, see if the sleeves are the right length. Many guys have sleeves that are too long. They will shorten the sleeves to exactly the right length.


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## Opus One (Jul 4, 2006)

Intrepid said:


> This may be a duplicate of another post here. However, when you take your Barbour back to the dealer, they usually send it to:
> Barbour Repair
> 55 Meadowbrook Dr.
> Miloford, NH 03055
> ...


I think there's a typo on the address...it should read *Milford*.

By the way, I took my coat to a retailer in New Canaan, CT where I bought the coat several years ago, and it took only four days to get it re-waxed last month....the Barbour ladies in NH must not be busy yet this time of the year.


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## Intrepid (Feb 20, 2005)

*For What It's Worth*

(You're right about my typo, Opus. Thanks, I corrected it. If you shipped it to the town that I erroneously referred to origionally, no telling where the jacket would have ended up.)

Tale of two Barbours. Both about 20 - 25 years old.

Beaufort - reconditioned in NH, about every 3 years; and still about the same shade of green that it was origionally. Waterproof, and long enough to cover a sport jacket, where appropriate. (When overcome by one of those Sam Waterson moments.)

Bedale - never reconditioned. Loading muddy dogs in the back of station wagons has really taken its toll. Several dog induced rips; color not even close to the origional patina. Color aboout the shade of, well, mud.

And yet, the Bedale has a je ne sais quoi that seems to me to be shabby elegance. Always the first one I look for in the closet. Must be a charachter flaw.

Just a thought.


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