>>> if there is a difference in skins?
Important to know about Zebra Skin Rug is the tanning types used.
The first place to look for is from picture #3.
The color of the suede side will give us a clue.
A pale bluish suede side is typically derived from chrome tanning. It produces a more supple and pliable leather and does not discolored or loose shape as alum-tawed.
Pale creamy white suede is transform using aluminium salts with a variety of binders including flour and egg yolk. This alum-tawed leather is technically not tanned and will revert to rawhide if soaked in water long enough to remove the alum salts.
Another version of pale cream or white color suede is aldehyde-tanned and this version is more durable than the alum-tawed also know as “chrome-free” leather or suede.
Tanning preserves the skin and transforming the perishable skin into non-perishable leather, however it is the fatliquor that makes the skin soft and supple and retain its strength from stress. While the tanning agent is more permanent except the caution from leaching out with alum-tawed, fatliquor is an organic substance and is volatile, heat and ageing will cause the volatile organic compound (VOC) to turn into gases and vanish into the atmosphere.
As the skin dries from ageing and heat the skin shrink and result in creases and wrinkles and the ending or edging will not lay flat. As one walk on them it becomes noisy on a dry skin than a healthy skin.
>>> To keep it soft, keep it strong, and healthy and keep the hairs from coming off if ever the mane, the tail and prevent cracking etc.
Periodic rejuvenating the suede side is the answer to keep the skin soft, strong, healthy and keeps the hairs from coming off the mane, tail and prevent cracking. This is done with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system.
>>> Additional pictures I took quite a few, some of back where the tail is, and there is no felt, some of where the felt ripped, so you can see a bit of underside, and then back by tail also has something in marker.
Picture #3 shows some application to the suede side that may hamper, impede or obstruct the rejuvenating process.
Depending on the substance used it may have to be remove with the help of Eraser-5 prior to Hydrator-3.3 to relax the skin of unnatural creases and wrinkles prior to Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing it.
The marker marks is removable with Prep-4.4 using a stretchable paper “reverse transfer” technique to absorb the suspended ink from being reabsorbed by the suede instead.
Soiling on the suede side is clean with Clean-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 prior to the rejuvenating process in a holistic approach.
The hair face or side is clean and sanitize with Clean-5.5 follows with Rinse-4.0. Thereafter when dry the hair is treated with a non-stick, rub-resistant protector that impart a silky feel to lubricate the hairs from friction abrasion and wear or breaking off.
Kit H4 is the recommended kit for both faces and for the ink removal Prep-4.4 is recommended as an add-on.
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Leather Doctor Kit H4 – Hair-on-Hide Care Kit
Leather DoctorŽ Kit H4, hair-on-hide care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system designed for keeping zebra / cowhide at their highest level of appearance, enhancing their softness and strength and prevents premature ageing. The tell tale sign of hide starving for fat and oil is the creases, wrinkles and fold lines during shipping or storage that fail to make the rug lay flat. As the hides are almost returning to rawhide with lack of fat and oil it becomes noisy as the fiber becomes stick together. The reverse suede side, which we do not see, is vital in producing a pleasing appearance and need to be relaxed and soften up. Rejuvenating the suede side is accomplished by Hydrator-3.3 first to relax and separate the stick together fiber prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fatliquor-5.0 with its fat plumps the suede and the oil lubricate for softness without darkening effect. A well-rejuvenated hide will lie as flat without curls to the edges is a job well done. Cleaning to the suede side is performed with Cleaner-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 using a suede Brush-3 / Eraser-5 and towel extract. The hair side is clean with Cleaner-5.5 follows with Rinse-4.0 towel extracts and groom with suede Brush-3. Protector-3+ imparts is silky-feel rub-resistant to lubricates the hair from abrasion wear when the hair is rubbed and a non-stick properties to shield the hair from silky soiling as a preventive care. Moreover, it diffuses a classic leather scent to charm. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system for hair-on-hide.
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Leather Doctor Prep-4.4 (Aniline, Nubuck & Suede)
Leather DoctorŽ Prep-4.4 is the leather-safe milder version of Prep-7.7 with a pH value of 4.4 for pH sensitive leathers. This universal prep cleaner is for all leather types including the common vachetta, nubuck, suede, wet-white and all aniline leather types This prep cleaner works by allowing sufficient dwell-time to penetrate, lubricate and suspense prior to towel extraction. Proven technique include “reverse transferring” suspended stain during dwell time through a stretchable absorbent paper rather than being reabsorbed by the leather instead.
It is design to remove stain such as:
a) Blue Jean Dye
b) Leather Belt
c) Plastic Ink Print
d) Newsprint,
e) Ballpoint Ink,
f) Stamp Pad Ink
g) Sticky Label Residue,
h) Crayon,
i) Chewing Gum,
j) Silicone Shine
k) Permanent Marker
l) Accumulated Soiling
It is highly recommended that the remaining sticky residue is thereafter remove in conjunction with Cleaner-3.8 and Rinse-3.0 as a holistic leather-safe system.
Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]