Andrew, not to butt in, but you DO NOT want to get ANY oil finish on the leather. The oils and solvents in them are harmful to both the finish and the hides. Removing the cushions, which can be a chore and, properly done requires some care, is the only practical way to avoid this. And, if you you're really anal, the chair can be further disassembled so as not to slather oil on the aluminum and plastic parts, too.
Realistically, though, it shouldn't be necessary to re-oil the chair very often. One sometimes hears the old-timer's saw about once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year for life, but that's really more about building a durable finish for tabletops and such. If you keep your chair clean and out of direct sunlight, once every few years is probably going to be good enough. I always recommend a paste wax after oil has cured and, once the chair has been re-oiled a few times, a fresh coat of wax is often all that's necessary.
Hi Andrew, previous owner had chairs in "storage" for 20 years or so but they were exposed to a bit of moisture, dirt etc,the cushion zippers were also shot but was restored and conditioned by my leather guy. Lacquer would be more difficult to work with unless it was done professionally with a spray gun. Lots of effort to restore but well worth it given results. You do want to get oil on your cushions so they would have to be removed first. I also waxed my chair after the oil finish cured for about 3 weeks. Here are a few before pics
Tks tktoo, have only sat in chair a few times as this one is for sale currently. Funny thing is every time I sit in it I do so very gingerly as I am paranoid that I damage the thing lol. I have a second lounge and ottoman with more figured rosewood that I am currently working on that I will keep for myself.
Thank you all for the comments and advice on the purchase of my new chair. After much deliberation I decided to purchase a new chair rather than the new one shown in my post above. While I did like the specific grain on this pre-owned chair I felt that going with the upgraded Edelman All Grain leather and non-oiled Palisander finish was a better choice for me. The pre-owned oiled version above I'm sure will find a nice home where it will be appreciated, in fact I have a friend who is now seriously considering it.
I look forward to recieving the new on in few weeks and wanted to say thanks again for those who weighed in on my questions and helping me make the decision.
-Andrew
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