2007 Lexus ES350 leather condition, the best way to correct the problem!

>>> I was told it is Semi-Aniline Leather.
You can confirm it by looking at the reverse suede side; it should have the same color range as the front side.
Take a look at the cross section, a complete dye through shows a solid color that will have more dormant dyestuff to be activated, then those with a center whitish/greyish line. This full-saturated aniline structure becomes useful when the cracked surface structure is exposed as seen in picture #1. Including the perforated holes as seen on picture #2. All these cracks and perforated holes color contrast becomes less evident when the aniline dyestuff becomes activated and resurfaces with Hydrator-3.3.

For your reading - how to activate the dormant dyestuff to resurface and other functions of Hydrator-3.3 . . .

Leather Doctor Hydrator-3.3 is a waterbased pH 3.3 leather-safe hydrator. It is a fatliquor preconditioner with multi functional abilities. Surface application is primary to check for even surface tension free of blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing. Structural application will require saturating to an optimum level with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers. This universal Hydrator-3.3 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Size options are available in RTU, Fill and Conc. RTU is (ready-to-use) straight from the bottle. Fill is concentrate ratio in the same spray bottle to be cut and fill with distilled water prior to use to save on shipping. Conc is the 60ml concentrate to be cut with distilled water at a ratio of 1: 25 that makes 1.64 quarts prior to use to save on shipping.

The multi functional abilities include:

a) To check for surface tension for an even appearance free from blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing.

b) To plumps, relaxes and separates crushed, shrunk and stick together fibrils for manipulating away-unwanted creases and wrinkles.

c) To clean the leather of structural foreign contamination, the plump and limp leather is squeeze with towel laid between the leather and a smooth spatula or equivalent.

d) To rectify alkaline overexposure areas by facilitating colloidal water movement to redistribute the leather constituents from surrounding areas.

e) To activate the dormant dyestuff within the leather structure for color refreshing.

f) To facilitates colloidal water movement within the inter-fibrillary spaces for wicking foreign soiling particulates to resurface.

g) To stabilize, pH balance and charge the protein fiber below its iso-electric point (pI) ionic positive to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively.

Instruction:

A. Surface Tension Inspection:

A1. Spray Hydrator-3.3 evenly and wipe with lint free towel to free of surface tension for an even appearance prior to fatliquor replenishing.

B. Stiffness, Creases and Wrinkles:

B1. Saturate the thickness of the leather to an optimum level with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers.

B2. Cover up with plastic wrapping to control evaporation and let it dwell up to 72hrs for softness.

B3. Manipulate by stretching and cross flexing to relax the leather to satisfaction prior to fatliquor replenishing.

B4. With satisfaction the Fatliquor-5.0 has to be immediately replenished while the leather is perhaps at 25% Hydrator-3.3 moisture level.

C. Cleaning:

C1). A combination of cleaning while saturating the leather is done with horsehair Brush-1 on the surface and towel extracting it. Deep cleaning beneath the surface from the leather structure for liquid stain is done with squeezing the leather with a smooth spatula with a towel in between to reduce abrasion and absorbing the foreign contamination – See F below

D. Rectify Alkaline Overexposure:

D1. Saturate the thickness of the leather to an optimum level with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers.

D2. Cover up with plastic wrapping to control evaporation and let it dwell for redistributing of the leather constituents from surrounding area.

D3. Observe for appearance and test by finger for tactile squeaky feel prior to fatliquor replenishing.

E. Activating Dormant Dyestuff to Resurface:

E1. Saturate the thickness of the leather to an optimum level with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers.

E2. Cover up with plastic wrapping to control evaporation and let it dwell up to 72 hours for excess dyestuff to resurface.

E3. Remove plastic cover and let it natural dry to observe color improvement prior to fatliquor replenishing.

F. Removing Penetrated Stains:

F1. Saturate the thickness of the leather to an optimum level with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers.

F2. Cover up with plastic wrapping to control evaporation and let it dwell up to 72 hours for foreign soiling particulates to resurface.

F3. Remove plastic wrapping, replace with tissue paper without airspace to trap stains as it dries instead of remaining on the surface. Recommend that Fatliquor-5.0 is replenished in combination at this stage especially if the leather has already show signs of cracking.

F4. Peel tissue paper when crispy dry and erase with Eraser-4 or Eraser-5 for suede accordingly prior to fatliquor replenishing.

>>> Please advise what will be the best way to correct the problem.
The color system have suffer cracking due to the dryness of the leather becoming like dead cells deteriorated and weakens to hold the color system, thus the color system is easily rub off from the weak leather crust. Before any new color system is reapplied, the pH chemistry integrity of the leather structure need to be restored and original leather fatliquor (ionic negative –ve charged fat and oil) need to be top-up to average of 15% to restore suppleness.

For your reading how to supple-up the leather . .

Leather Doctor Fatliquor-5.0 is an anionic negative (-ve) charged micro emulsion of fat, oil and water for rejuvenating all leather types. It is typically used in conjunction after Hydrator-3.3 relaxing and opening up the fibrous leather structure. It softens the leather when dry with stretchability, compressibility and flexibility, while enhancing its rip tensile strength greatly. It is for replenishing the original fat and oil that diminishes thru sun bleaching, ageing, heat and alkaline overexposure or cleaning. On application, the water-encased molecule breaks free when ionic attraction takes place between the fat and oil with the leather protein fiber. The excess free water content wicks out leaving a breathing space behind for leather natural transpiration. The fat plumps the leather with fullness from easily collapsing into creases and wrinkles during stress or flex, while the oil lubricates the fibers so that they slide over one another smoothly like millions of inter-connecting hinges. Thus helps to keep leather at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing. This universal Fatliquor-5.0 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Leather Approximate Quantity or Percentage of Fatliquor:

The quantities of fatliquor (fat and oil) contents retained in the leather after an universal tannery fatliquoring process may varies up from 14% to 16% depending on the leather types and it usage. This percentage drops as the fat and oil content diminishes or leaches through ageing, water, heat or chemical overexposure.

Leather rejuvenating or fatliquor replenishing is base on weight of the leather in relation to the percentage of remaining fatliquor. A simple calculation of percentage of fatliquor topping up requirement would be as follows:

If the weight of the leather in question is 100gm and fatliquor (fat and oil) content meter reading is less than 1%.

By applying 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to it will deliver an end result incremental of 13.3% fatliquor when dry as the 66.6% water contents evaporates.

In the leather rejuvenating Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system, Hydrator-3.3 plays an important role by relaxing, opening up the inter-fibrillary spaces, facilitating and redistributing colloidal water movement, protonating and doing all the pre-conditioning work prior to fatliquoring including cleaning up any excess surface remnants to have a sticky-free surface. In practice with severe dryness the ratio for Hydrator-3.3 is 2 to 1 of Fatliquor-5.0.

It works out to be approximately 160gm of Hydrator-3.3 plus 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to replenish a 100gm dry leather from less than 1% back to the original tannery up from 14% to 16% fatliquor content.

In every bottle of Fatliquor-5.0 by weight content is comprises of 16.66% ionic negative (-ve) charged fat and oil, and 83.33% of water, the water content that encased the fat and oil molecule in an emulsion suspension when hydrogen bond with the ionic positive (+ve) leather protein fiber will break free and discharged clear from the leather structure to the surface.

Instruction:

1 Warm-up and shake well to a full emulsion for better penetration.

2 Apply Fatliquor-5.0 and redistribute with foam brush until saturation.

3 Repeat applications each time water contents evaporate until fully saturated.

4 Drive remaining surface remnants free of milky fat and oil until it turns clear with Hydrator-3.3.

5 Allow natural drying for extra softness.

6 Suppleness for vegetable-tanned leathers is further stake or massage or flex accordingly with a little wet back with Hydrator-3.3 prior to doing so to prevent cracking from under replenished leather.

Tips:

1 When crispy dry, prior surface contaminations/damages may darkens as soiling particulates resurface.

2 Removes soiling particulates with Eraser-4 for all leathers including nubuck and Eraser-5 for suede.

3 Stretching the darken areas lightly will also lightens the appearance.

A holistic approach to bring back the structural integrity, suppleness and appearance is with this Kit-Ap7.cl and we can go into the details accordingly to match the leather condition in question. Besides a airbrushing system would produce a professional result when comes to the color application.

Attachment 7118
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-ap7...finishing-kit/
Leather Doctor® Kit-Ap7.cl, auto pigmented/perforated leather color refinishing kit is design for abrasion damages especially from friction rubs while getting in and out of seat. Most of these repairs may range from missing finishes to abrading damages into the leather structure. Some expose areas may be contaminated with foreign soiling that includes conditioners, protectors, body oil, grease and sweat or alkaline overexposure with all-purpose cleaners. A comprehensive repair for a long-term lasting solution will require a holistic approach to deal with both the exposed structure and surface finishes. The practical and functional softness and strength of the leather depends on the health of the structure with average thickness between 0.9 to 1.2mm from stiffness and cracking. The aesthetic aspect of the leather finishes averages 0.02mm (or 20 micron) in thickness for practical compressing and flexing from cracking. A preview of a leather-safe restoration system begins by stripping with Stripper-2.3 and rinsing with Rinse-3.0. Degreasing with Degreaser-2.2 follows with Acidifier-2.0. The suffix numbers of these four products denotes it pH value for recharging the protein fiber ionic positive besides the act of decontamination. The leather integrity is revitalized once the ionic attraction between the positive protein fiber and its negative leather constituents like the tanning agent and fatliquor (fat, oil and water) is activated. Leather rejuvenating system for softness and strength is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0. Structural weakness from overstretching is re-strengthened with Impregnator-26, while surface uneven absorption is sealed with Adhesor-73. These repair and auxiliary products where necessary reduces the need for color over-coating thus increase its flexibility and stretchability from premature cracking. Protector-B imparts a non-stick rub-resistant surface with a buttery feel, reduces noises that translate into less friction wear. As the leather surface is well lubricated it reduces compression when comes to heavy body contact thus reduces compressed creases and wrinkles.

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