One question that we get asked all the time is how Bickmore Bick 4and Lexol 1013 leather conditioners compare to each other.
Reading on Reddit’s Goodyear Welt crowd, Bick 4 is often exalted as one of the best leather conditioners because it promises to never darken your shoes. Too good to be true? We developed a quick review of this product alongside its closest counterpart: Lexol 1013 Leather Conditioner.
Bickmore Bick 4 Leather Conditioner Overview
Bickmore has been in the leather care field since 1882 when they began by making products to soothe sores on horses that were caused by harnesses.
In the early twentieth century, Bickmore started branching out into shaving cream and toothpaste. Eventually, their journey through the oozy cream led them to produce Bick 4, one of the most popular boot care products in the world.
Bick 4 Leather Care Ingredients
In simple terms, Bick 4 is a proprietary blend that contains emulsifiers, conditioners, and moisturizers. It is wax-free and does not darken leather.
We don’t know much about what this product is actually made from, but it’s advertised as “specially formulated to condition clean, polish and preserve all smooth finished leather.
The manufacturer also claims the product is ideal for reconditioning old or dry leather without leaving residue behind.
Thus far, as far as ingredients go, all we know is that it’s wax-free, which according to Bickmore, makes the Bick 4 effective without clogging the pores in the leather.
Bick 4 Results Explained:
Indeed, the leather won’t darken at all. The results are exceptionally rare, even among higher-ranked quality products such as Venetian Shoe Cream. Bick 4 leather care product is meant to make the leather more supple and pliant right after application.
However, similar to neatsfoot oil, Bick 4 doesn’t sink very deeply into the leather, meaning you might have to apply it more regularly, which is not the case with things like mink oil. It does a great job of giving a vibrance appearance to the leather, making it noticeably more supple and pliant.
Bick 4 also works decently at reducing scuff marks. It comes at an impressive price, yet it’s still as great as pricier products like Saphar. Bickmore Bick 4 is arguably the best leather care product for the budget crowd, coming in at $17 for 16 ounces, slightly above $1 per ounce. The price becomes even more friendly, in comparison to the industry leader Venetian Shoe Cream that costs $3 an ounce, Otter Wax, and Cobbler’s Choice for between $4 and $7 an ounce, and Saphir Renovateur for $9 an ounce.
Bick 4 Pros and Cons
Budget price moisturizes leather, and won’t darken your shoes. Bick 4 is more like a slam dunk. It’s not as great as pricier products when it comes to removing scuffs. It needs to be applied more often since it doesn’t penetrate all that deeply. But overall, it’s a good product worth considering. Now let’s turn the focus to Lexol 1013 Leather Conditioner.
Lexol 1013 Leather Conditioner: Composition
Lexol Leather Conditioner is made purely from emulsified tanning oils. The most common source of emulsified tanning oils is animal brains. And just like Bickmore, Lexol won’t explicitly say what their conditioner is made from so people draw their own conclusion.
The best part, however, is that the Lexol 1013 is an odorless and nongreasy aqueous emulsion.
The product does not contain solvents or harsh chemicals. The leather conditioner has been made with just the right amount of performance, which makes it effective at maintaining leather strength and durability.
The Lexol 1013 doesn’t overdo it. Instead, it keeps into account safety and environmental concerns. After all, you don’t want a layer of slick grease over your shoes. They’ll look cheap and bland.
Another thing worth mentioning about the Lexol leather conditioner is the simple application process. You just need to apply it liberally to the leather surface with a cloth. The product takes 15-20 minutes to fully absorb. After that, just buff the excess.
The entire process is quite easy compared to other brands, where you’ll have to take a substantial amount of time to achieve just about the same results.
Lexol 1013 Leather Conditioner Application
As mentioned above, the application method is simple. One dry washcloth and a dab of the leather conditioner until it’s consumed.
With some wax-based conditioners, it is essential to heat the leather to ensure the wax melts and saturates the leather. All that is not necessary with the Lexol 1013; the liquid is meant to soak into the leather nicely at room temperature.
Frequency of Application
For high-quality leather, you really don’t have to condition often. However, it can last longer if you do. Besides, the patina that’s brought about by worn but well-conditioned leather is beautiful.
The larger bottles of Lexol are usually of better value and last quite a while. One liter bottle will last you many applications. Speaking of cost, Lexol is a great value leather conditioner, coming in at around $12 per litter (as opposed to the normal $20 from its competition).
The Bottom Line
Overall, both the Bickmore Bick 4 vs Lexol are excellent products for conditioning and maintaining your leather. They are relatively priced and will work as great as other pricy brands.
That said, you might want to choose Bick 4 if you’re worried about darkening your leather. This product works great at restoring old and worn-out leather, delivering a new shine.
Most brands on the market will typically change the shade of the leather and compromise breathability. With the Bick 4, you don’t need to stress about wrapping or discoloration.
Meanwhile, if you want to follow the popular vote, then the Lexol 1013 Leather Conditioner is the way to go. It is often considered the best leather conditioner by auto restorers. It’s a deep leather care product that restores oil in the leather.
We don’t recommend using it on napped leather, suede, or glove leather. It is particularly best at maintaining a soft/delicate texture in your leather.