Stickley Rocker and Ottoman - body oil, grease and sweat, sun fading & crackings

The sequence of restoration is recommended as follows:

Phase-1 – Degreasing – “The leather is stained with oils at the head of the back cushion.”
Degreasing is perform by Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.
Stains are penetrated below surface, thus Degreaser-2.2 has to follow the depth of the stain in order to emulsify it. Surface soiling is removed by Eraser-4. Acidifier-2.0 is for surface rinsing and Hydrator-3.3 is for bringing the suspended soiling particulates to the surface. Towel-5 is used for reverse-transfer of soiling particulates to be peel off rather than letting them remaining of the leather surface.

Phase-2 – pH balancing – “The portion at the top has oil/stain from head and neck.”
Amphoteric leather fiber exposed to body sweat cause damages and may reveal as tackiness when damp and should be neutralized with Acidifier-2.0 until it returns to a healthy squeaky-feel. When sweat ages the ammonia contents shift the amphoteric leather fibers ionic positive (+ve) to negative (-ve). Thus the leather protein fibers repel the other ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor.
Signs of leather denaturing is when the exposed area feels tacky with wet fingers, a healthy leather have a squeaky-feel to it just like fresh fish.
Dye bleeding when wet clean with a white terry cotton towel is another sign of leather denaturing from alkaline pH exposure. Cracks on alkaline overexposure areas is also a sign that the original fatliquor have leach out or break the hydrogen bond with the leather protein fiber. Acidifier-2.0 a pH 2.0 leather safe pH conditioner helps to strengthen the positive (+ve) attraction of the leather protein fibers, the leather returns to a healthy squeaky-feel and dye bleeding stops.

Phase-3 – Hydrating – “Cracks are showing at stress points on the seat cushion and ottoman.”
Cracks are progressive, as the leather is dry of its original fatliquor ‘ionic negative (–ve) charged fat and oil’ from 14% - 16% and diminishes suppleness is reduced and stiffness begins, and when flexed will leads to cracks. Hydrating with Hydrator-3.3 is to relax and swell the leather structure. Hydrating up to 72hrs with control evaporation will helps to close up the finer cracks. Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing once the leather is plump and surface towel extract until towel shows dry.

Phase-4 – Fatliquoring - “Also I would like to bring the red color back.”
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system not only returns the leather to suppleness, reduce micro-cracking it will also rejuvenate the surface color from within the leather structure. 1/6 part of Fatliquor-5.0 will remain in the leather structure with the fat content that plumps the leather for fullness and the oil content lubricates the interlocking fibrils with suppleness. The tear or crack strength of the leather is in direct proportion with the amount of fatliquor contents and up to 2000psi is achieved with sufficient fatliquor (fat and oil) content. A higher content of fatliquor also increase the color intensity after the dormant dyestuff within the leather structure is reactivated and resurface for a richer appearance.
Aniline-76 a coating transparent dyestuff is recommended when additional coloring is desired.

Phase-5 – Dry Soil Removal
Eraser-4 removes wick-up soiling particulates. It will also remove damaged skin cells that result in an inevitable nubuck napped effect.

Phase-6 - Repairs
Depending on the strength of the deteriorating leather surface, a fine 2000grit sanding may reduce the nap. Any napped surface will result in a darkening effect, thus Adhesor-73 may not be ideal unless the new coloring will be able to camouflage it. Repairs is only limited to AnilineTop-76G to retain color intensity. The whitish cracks and scratches are signs of topcoat damages and this is repair with AnilineTop-76G.

Phase-7 – Refinishing – “My goal is to improve protect recolor and preserve the leather.”
A - Preserve the leather below surface is to have the leather returns to its original pH chemistry integrity with a pH range between 3 and 5 and this is done with a range of products leather-safe products formulated to preserve it.
B - Color need to be restore and by reactivating existing color to resurface with the Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 is the best option, unless there is not sufficient dyestuff or insufficient hydrating new transparent coating dyestuff with Aniline-76 is recommended.
C – Dyestuff will need to be sealed or protected with a topcoat like AnilineTop-76G, besides it will help to magnify and amplify its richness of appearance.
D – To reduce surface wear to the leather Protector-B or B+ is recommended.

Let me know how far you wish to go and we can discuss further.

You may use this Aniline (A.fs) Full Sauvage Leather Problem Solving Matrix as guide
Attachment 6762

Standard aniline topcoat refinishing is available as Kit-A6.tc
Attachment 6763
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-a6-...finishing-kit/

Standard Aniline leather dye refinishing kit is available as Kit-A7.cl
Attachment 6764
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-a7-...finishing-kit/

More readings on
Hydrator-3.3
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/hydrator-3-3/

Fatliquor-5.0
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/fatliquor-5-0/

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]