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View Full Version : Aniline (Sauvage) - A 1970’s Tessa Lounge Suite – aniline leather is rough dry, cracks on the surface and darkened by sweat or oils; any ideas and help!



Questions!
04-17-2012, 07:03 PM
Hi
I have recently joined the leather cleaning forum after that having the only ideas and help for leather that is rough dry, and darkened by sweat or oils.
I have a 1970s Tessa lounge suite which we bought 7years ago; it had been reupholstered by Tessa about a year before we got it.
As it had a shiny look to it I was relaxed about protection until we started to notice dark areas at the head of the cushions, so I bought some 'leather doctor' leather lounge cleaner and conditioning cream.
This didn't change the darkened areas but it seemed to be a good cream.
Then I found 'Oakwood' leather care kit, which on the box said to not use on nubuck or suede, and seemed to help the leather better as I was worried about it getting a bit harder, also the leather started to show obvious small cracks on the surface, especially on the back of the cushion sides, and the footstool.
Now as the photos show, the head areas are still darkened but at least they feel good whereas the bottom of the seats and the footstool leather is rough dry and also a bit darker.
I have since read on the actual containers that they are not meant for aniline leather; so not happy.
The lighter photo is close to the original leather.
I have joined photo bucket but don't understand how to attach photos to this so you might get a few sent separately,

Yes, the leather doctor cleaning solution ingredients are, Sodium metasilicate, detergents, builders, water.
I contacted Tessa a couple of years ago to get replacement teak feet and they put me on to leather master products, have been using soft cleaner protection cream and on the harder bits leather vital.
Thanks Kathy


#1
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-4d8.jpg


#2
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-dd9.jpg


#3
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-2d7.jpg


#4
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-a2a.jpg


#5
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-825.jpg


#6
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-994.jpg


#7
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-607fa.jpg


#8
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Upholstery/AnilineGreaseStain-Kathy-468.jpg

Roger Koh
04-19-2012, 01:50 PM
From pictures, it is sure aniline leathers with a gloss finish.

Picture #1: Darkened by Oil, Grease and Sweat.
Headrest, armrest and front seat cushion are where the bare body contact that the body oil, grease and sweat gets absorbed by the leather.
The deeper it penetrates the darker the color is.
Moreover alkaline cleaners that have a pH value above 7 will further contribute to the darkening.
Conditioning creams will further add to the darkening as well.
All the above contributing factors that contaminate the leather have to be degreased and removed from within the leather structure, more than from the surface.
A tackiness or sliminess check is done with tap water and running through with finger tips to detect such alkaline overexposure.
A pH 2.0 acidifier is spray on to affected surface soaking into the leather structure to reduce such alkaline overexposure.
Leather protein fiber is influence by its surrounding pH value of solution shifting from ionic positive (+) to ionic negative (-).
To return the leather to its chemistry integrity, the leather has to be shift back to ionic positive (+); so as to stabilize the other ionic (-) negative leather constituents, especially the dyestuff from bleeding and the fatliquor from leaching out.
This maintaining and restoring the leather chemistry integrity is further strengthen with the use of a pH 2.2 degreaser while doing the degreasing from within the leather structure.
The detail instructions will be further explained for the above process.

Recommended Products Sequence:
Acidifier-2.0 > Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0


Picture #2 & #8: Darken with Contamination:
This soiling level is moderate, easier to manage as compare to Picture #1 with hidden damages may be concealed by the contamination.


Picture #3: The Original Color:
Depending on the outcome of the headrest which is almost black, may not be possible to restore to its original lighter shade if the refinishing is done with aniline “transparent” dyestuff retaining its original leather finishes. The logical color choice is still to retain the higher value of aniline leather by going darker to camouflage the stain if any. To retain its lighter color is only possible to use “translucent” hybrid dyestuff which also obscures the leather natural beauty. Using “opaque” pigment is sure to “what you see is what you get” as it block off what’s below the pigment, just like using paints instead of varnishes.

Recommended Products System (depends on the outcome of the degreasing result):
1] Aniline Finish:
Aniline Dye-21 + Adhesion-73 > Aniline Topcoat-79G
Option is -
2] Translucent Finish:
Adhesion-73 > 2-Tone > Micro Topcoat-72S
Or
3] Opaque Finish:
Adhesion-73 > Micro Pigment-54 > Micro Topcoat-72S


Picture #4: Shows Scuffing of the Topcoat:
This types of scuffing if happens again in the future after a complete restoration would simply done by fine sanding off the roughness and reapply the topcoat.

Recommended Products Sequence:
Sanding with 2000grit > Topcoat-79G


Picture #5 & #7: Shows Dryness that leads to Cracks:
These pictures shows the result of the lost or diminishing of original fatliquor that keeps the leather supple; without the softening effect of fatliquor that diminishes through evaporation and leaching from alkaline overexposure eventually leads to cracking. Using alkaline based cleaners aggravates the leather further; as alkalinity shift the protein fiber ionic negative (-) that breaks the hydrogen bond of the negative (-) fatliquor. Behaves just like magnet “like poles repel”. The cause of the cracks is the effect of the leather denaturing from alkaline overexposure.

Recommended Products Sequence:
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0


Picture #6: Shows Crack Through:
This is done with repairs after leather rejuvenating it to close up the gap.

Recommended Products Sequence:
Leather Bond-3D > Stucco-90 > Bond-7A


Here’s the recommended Restoration, Repair and Refinishing Kit


Roger Koh
[email protected]



http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Leather%20Doctor%20products/KitA7.jpg
Leather Doctor® Aniline Leather – Restoration, Repair & Refinisher – Kit A7

Standard Colors:
Black,
Yellow,
Orange,
Red,
Red Brown,
Rubine,
Blue &
Dark Brown

Questions!
04-23-2012, 06:42 PM
Hi Roger,
Thanks for the information, I keep forgetting to tell you the scuff marks occurred after the leather in those areas- bottom of cushions on 2seater and single seater and the footstool- went a bit darker and initially felt rough so I'd put on more cream to soften and protect, and to me the other thing in common all these have is feet, so obviously sweaty feet must be alkaline as well.
How much will this cost? Tessa cushions are one big one top to bottom, with stitching so might be impossible to protect the inner while doing treatment.
Cheers Kathy