Roger,
We have a client with this old leather chest. S
he left a glass of water on it and left it dark and cracking. Let me know if there is anything we can do to restore it? It looks too old and dry to me.
Attachment 6784
Printable View
Roger,
We have a client with this old leather chest. S
he left a glass of water on it and left it dark and cracking. Let me know if there is anything we can do to restore it? It looks too old and dry to me.
Attachment 6784
The most likely cause of the darkening effect is the pH value of the water that makes the tanning agent leach out; it also dries out the leather resulting in cracks.
The solution is to pH balance the affected areas with a low pH value VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system below this vegetable-tanned leather pH neutral of 3 – 4. A low pH system will strengthen the ionic positive (+ve) leather protein fibers and stabilize its pH chemistry integrity. Thus the ionic negative (-ve) Fatliquor-5.0 will hydrogen bond more effective with the ionic positive (+ve) leather protein fiber.
Note that the suffix product name number represent its pH value, thus VachettaPro-1.2 has a pH value of 1.2 and vegetable-tanned leather pH value is about 1 point lower than chrome-tanned leathers, thus more pH sensitive.
As the leather “looks too old and dry” it should not be let to dry until the last fatliquor process during the stages of the wet cleaning process otherwise the cracks will accentuate or get worse.
The wet process is a continuous process and ends at Fatliquor-5.0 and the sequence is as follows:
VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0
Take note that the percentage of fatliquoring when dry should be at least 14% to ensure not further crackings.
Further treatment is then possible by “reverse-transfer” with Hydrator-3.3 to further moves the dark stain off the leather by peeling off the Towel-5.
Residues are erased with Eraser-4.
Vachetta-2.8 redox (reduction-oxidation) treatment is used for improving the general darkening effect. As it dries the appearance improves.
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 Hydrator-3.3 system may follow for the last wet process of penetrated stain removal and leather rejuvenating for suppleness.
Protector-D or D+ with the classic leather scent is the last application.
Products mentioned and further tips can be found with this Kit-V3+
Attachment 6785
from this link:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-v3-...f-removal-kit/
Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]