Vintage 1980's Coach Bag Restoration help

This leather type is identified as “Vachetta” or vegetable-tanned unfinished leathers.

Vachetta leather derives its popular brownish range of color from the tannin found in vegetable matter such as tree bark. Its exact shade depends on the mix of the tanning agent and the color of the skin. It is popularly made into luggage including trimmings of Louis Vuitton and Coach handbags. This leather is left unfinished or naked; therefore, it is susceptible to body oil, grease, sweat, water and other liquid stain. It is more pH sensitive than most leather types thus the common sweat and cleaning products alkaline overexposure darkens and denatures the leather and eventually cracks when flexed. Sunlight will cause the natural leather to darken in shade or suntanned, just like our skin; unlike aniline dyes that fades.

>>> I was wondering if there is a special technique that will not darken the leather so much when conditioning it,

Since Vachetta is absorbent any products will have an effect to this pH sensitive leathers, a high pH value above 7 products will browns it and the higher the pH the darker is the browning. A low pH value will lightens it significantly to the leather safe range of 3 to 5. Oils alone of any kind will darken it.

>>> since id like to keep it a similar color, however i'm willing to forgo the color to make sure it will last a long time.

Leather rejuvenating or structural conditioning is necessary to keep the leather supple and proven leather-safe system is with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system. To make sure it last a long time periodic replenishing the fatliquor up to 14% when read with a leather moisture meter or an equivalent moisture meter is recommended

Vachetta leathers behave just like our light colored skin and become darken when exposed to sunlight. Correction of darkening effect from sunlight exposure and pH related darkening or discoloration is rectified with Vachetta-2.8

Use this Vachetta (V) – Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference:
Attachment 6368

>>> how to go about restoring it and conditioning the leather.

Restorative cleaning depends on the soiling level or type of stain to be removed that becomes the phase-1 of this project. Phase-2 is rejuvenating the leather structure for suppleness that prevents it from cracking with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3. Phase-3 is sun tanning or pH related browning correction with Vachetta-2.8. Phase-4 is sealing and concealing the naked surface scuffing with Protector-D.

Products mentioned are found on this Kit-V3+
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-v3-...g-removal-kit/

Attachment 6369
Leather Doctor® Kit-V3+, is an upgrade from Kit-V3 formulated for corrective appearance of vachetta, leathers from general soiling and browning liquid stains. These alkaline pH sensitive leathers when neglected often suffer unsightly browning stain marks from a variety of liquid sources. Even apparent clean rain and tap water often leave a lightening spot with an outer ring. The pH 7 alone of water will often cause a rippling effect on the tannin that destabilize and causes it to moves. Alkaline leather cleaners often worsen the browning discoloration and would further need to be neutralized with a low pH system with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system. Note the products suffix numbers denotes their pH value. A holistic cleaning system approach is using the Vegetable-Tanned – Vachetta (V) Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference.
Known stain or unknown stain is first removed with Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 system before going into other group stains until the stain is removed.
Original pH value related stain or compounded stains from alkaline cleaners is rectify with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system.
Rejuvenating the leather is perform with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system. As the appearances of the leather is much relied on the tanning agents and fatliquors, redistributing fugitive tanning agents from the center of alkaline over-exposure and replenishing leached fatliquor is vital to even out the appearance.
Overall browning correction is performed by using Vachetta-2.8, a pH 2.8 specialty reduction-oxidation (redox) leather cleaner that is particularly effective in lightening suntan and liquid browning discoloration.
A breathable protection against sticky soiling, concealing scuffmarks and enhancing a rub-resistant draggy-feel is performed with Protector-D

Tips 1 – Cracks Control:
Aged, dried or signs of leather cracking should be first leather rejuvenated with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system and let dry prior to Vachetta-2.8. Alternatively a continuous wet system applies as well with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 not allowing the leather to be wet and dry again without Fatliquor-5.0 as the last step of the wet process. This precaution is to prevent any further cracking accelerated to the leather without sufficient fatliquor. In other words, any leather dryness less then 7% of original fatliquor moisture content measured with a leather moisture meter or an equivalent wood moisture meter should first be rejuvenated to top up or replenish to its original fatliquor up to 14% prior to allow to dry. Due to “Van der Waal or London Forces” phenomenon in the drying process, the empty or insufficient of fatliquor in the leather fiber structure is likely to result in stiffer leather as the fibers becomes stick together. A slower natural drying will reduce the stiffness ill effect from the lack of fatliquor

Tips 2: Sequence of Wet-Processes
A wet process is a continuous process where the leather is constantly keeps at the lowest moisture level about 25%. This minimum moisture level is important not allowing the leather to dry before the final fatliquoring process with Fatliquor-5.0 otherwise existing cracks will accelerate, accentuated or magnified. Optimum fatliquor (fat and oil) moisture level should reach 14% when dry to avoid the ill effect of drying without sufficient fatliquor. Fast drying will stiffen the leather and slow natural drying will produce a softer leather.

Tips 3 – Appearance Control:
Water stain spotting may be done with a cotton swab until it shows clean with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system. It is recommended that the entire panel be treated equally to an even appearance to eliminate any rings when dry. Spotting browning correction may become lighter in appearance, the entire panel is clean thereafter to balance appearance. An overall appearance including reducing the seasoning effect from sunlight and UV light is further improved with Vachetta-2.8.

Tips 4 – Suppleness Control:
Unlike other leather tanning type, vegetable-tanned leathers including unfinished vachetta are more susceptible to cracks as it is characteristically more fatliquor thirsty. Dry leathers are handle with care for inspection and continue with rejuvenating it with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.

Tips 5 – Sealing and Concealing Scuffing Control:
The final of the holistic Vachetta care system ends with Protector-D or the leather scented version of Protector-D+ to seal and conceal scuffing leaving the leather with its natural transpiration.

Instruction

A – Browning Discoloration or Alkaline Cleaner related Stain Removal with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 System:
A1 - Dry soil removal with horsehair Brush-1, Eraser-4 or terry towel depending on soiling severity prior to product application.
A2 - Spray VachettaPro-1.2 and saturate brushing with horsehair Brush-1 or FoamBrush-3” for an even appearance without dry edges and towel extract until it shows clean.
A3 – Spray Acidifier-2.0 and towel extract until towel shows clean without any dry edges or blotchy appearances.
A4 – As most stains are penetrated, both products used should follow suite below the stain.
A5 – When towel shows dry (at least a combination of moisture level of about 25% still present) at this wet stage, Hydrator-3.3 process commence.

B – Structural Water Movement and Surface Tension Inspection with Hydrator-3.3
Structural stain suspended will need to move to the surface for towel extraction, otherwise it still remain within the structure and may be seen as a shadow of the stain when dry. Enough hydrator is needed for the stain to wick to the surface and dwelling for the slow movement may facilitate it more effectively. Hydrating the stain area until a little moisture ooze out when press between thumb and finger, wet stretch over with Towel-T5 and cling wrapped it to control evaporation and leave to dwell up to 72hrs before releasing the cling wrapper and still having the stretch out Towel-T5 in place to dry out will see the stain caught by the extended towel. The wick-up stain is then peel off from the leather surface. Without this towel the stain may still remain on the leather surface and need to be dry erased off with Eraser-4. When the staining residue is off the leather, the surface is again inspect for any blotchiness or surface tension with a light spray to check for evenness of appearance prior to Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing process.

C – General Soiling Removal with Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 system.
General soiling may proceed with Prep-4.4 if so desired. Prep-4.4 is applied and agitates with the detailing horsehair brush to the general soiling areas and feather out entirely to the remaining surface area without any dry edges. Let to dwell 5 to 30 minutes or before it dries and remove the sticky residue with Clean-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 and towel extract until towel shows clean for an inspection. If in doubt leave the leather for a dry inspection after Eraser-4. With satisfaction mist the leather surface entirely for an even appearance and proceed with Fatliquor-5.0 process.

D – Leather Fatliquor Replenishing with Fatliquor-5.0
Fatliquor-5.0 is a continuous process that proceeds immediately after satisfactory Hydrator-3.3 appearance inspection.The process is repeated when the leather is almost dry until the leather is saturated before it is let to a slow natural drying process. It will take up a seasoning effect in relation to the amount of fatliquor intake.

E – Cleaning up Fatliquor-5.0 Surface Residue.
Any whitish fatliquor residue is reactivated with Hydrator-3.3, by brushing and towel extracting of any milky residue and let to slow natural drying.

F – General lightening the appearance of Vachetta-2.8 from undesired color intensity, seasoning, sun tanning or UV effect
Test product in an inconspicuous location to determine the desired lightening effect when dry.
Adjust with distilled water to match desired appearance.
F1 – Light mist evenly and spread with horsehair Brush-1 or foamBrush-3 or Towel-T5 for an even appearance.
F2 – Leave to natural slow dry for reduction-oxidation (redox) chemical reaction to take place.
F3 – Inspection for satisfaction or further treatment to satisfaction.

G – Sealing and Concealing Light Abrasion and Scuffing:
Protector-D is applied for sealing and concealing light abrasion and scuffing, besides shielding the leather from the detrimental effect so soiling and easier removal during the routine cleaning process.