Eames Leather Sofa - Lost some of it's suppleness and pliability.

I have a Eames leather sofa from the late 1980s and I'm considering replacing the seat cushion foam. However, I'm afraid that it will cause more harm to the leather itself because it has lost some of it's suppleness and pliability. I do not think it needs to be fully reupholstered, but I would be interested in what my options where for rejuvenating the leather a bit?
Please see the below, I’m interested in bringing back some of the suppleness/pliability to the seat cushions before adding new foam as I’m afraid new form will cause the leather to delaminate they remain in the current condition.


#1
Attachment 6605


#2
Attachment 6606


#3
Attachment 6607


#4
Attachment 6608


#5
Attachment 6609

>>> I’m interested in bringing back some of the suppleness/pliability to the seat cushions before adding new foam as I’m afraid new form will cause the leather to delaminate they remain in the current condition.

Bring back some of the suppleness/pliability or leather rejuvenating it is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.

However, the surface have to be free of soiling as not to contaminate the leather rejuvenating products as it has to hydrogen bond with the leather structure. The restorative cleaning recommended would be Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 system.

Color intensity lost could be improved if this leather is dye-through, and this can be confirm from the reverse suede side, if the color is more intense then it could be activated and redistributed to the surface.

Surface cracking are topcoat damages and repair is done with AnilineTop-76G, the damaged existing topcoat are removed with 2000grit sanding prior to new topcoating.

Protector-B (scentless) or Protector-B+ (leather-scented) helps reduce surface wear with a soft buttery-feel to the touch that also shield against soiling.

Let me know how far you wish to go both rejuvenating the leather structure for suppleness and rejuvenating the finish for appearance newness.

Here is a general description on Fatliquor-5.0 and Hydrator-3.3

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 to 14% 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 to 14% fatliquor content.

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.

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.

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.

Products mentioned are found in this Kit-A3 for Restorative Care – Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 >> Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 >> optional AnilineTop-76G >> Protector-B+.

http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-a3-...ther-care-kit/
Attachment 6610

Restorative Care:
This is the ultimate restorative or salvage care system that removes accumulated soiling including aged conditioners. Accumulated soiling that fills creases is often mistaken for cracks. Using Prep-4.4 performs restorative cleaning. It works by chemical reaction to emulsify soiling through its penetrating, lubricating and suspending power. Horsehair detailing Brush-1 is recommended to worked into heavily soiled areas sufficiently to avoid excessive agitation that might damage already weaken finishes especially on heavily used areas.

1st phase - Restorative Cleaning:

1. Apply Prep-4.4 and agitate with horsehair Brush-1, ensuring a uniform application over the entire surfaces a section at a time.
2. Allow a dwell time of 10 to 30 minutes or before it dries prior to towel extraction until it shows clean.
3. Sticky residue is removed by Cleaner-3.8 with gentle brush agitation and towel extracts until it shows clean.
4. Remaining residues are spray rinse with Rinse-3.0 and towel extracts to a squeaky-clean.
5. Let dry and inspect for satisfaction, otherwise repeat cleaning process as necessary or proceed to hydrating.

2nd phase – Hydrating:

Hydrating is essential to relax and separate the stick together collapsing fibrous structure. Its surfactantcy helps check for surface tension of blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing.
1. Spray Hydrator-3.3 to saturate with an even appearance to soften up the leather.
2. Let dwell 10 to 30 minutes and towel extract wick up soiling until it shows clean.

3rd phase – Fatliquoring:

Fat and oil replenishing maintains the leather’s structure integrity and pliability thus strengthen these exposed leather from cracking.
1. Spray Fatliquor-5.0 in like manner as Hydrator-3.3 and let dry naturally.
2. Repeat application in between drying until saturated.
3. The leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4. Surface strays are wiped with Hydrator-3.3 to free of sticky residue.

4th phase – Preventive Care:

1. Mist sprays Protector-B spread with lint free towel and is ready for use when dry.

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

To include a topcoat repairs and refinishing Kit-A6.tc is recommended from
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-a6-...finishing-kit/
Attachment 6613
Leather Doctor® Kit A6.tc, aniline leather topcoat refinishing kit is designed for topcoat repairs from friction wear, accidental scratch, scuff and abrasion to deteriorating greasy sweat stains. These topcoat damages are identified as white, dull or darkening stain from bare body contacts. Accidental whitish damages in most cases are free of soiling and direct AnilineTop-21G application with in between dry sanding rectifies most damages. Repairs to topcoat from daily wears that dulls will require a degreasing to remove penetrated rub-in soiling prior to topcoat application in a sequence process including Degreaser-2.2 follows with Rinse-3.0; Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0 prior to topcoat application. In a greasy and sweaty topcoat damaged areas especially to the headrest and armrest, a deep degreasing is essential follows with Acidifier-2.0 to stabilize the hydrogen bonding between the protein fibers with the other leather constituent like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. This deep degreasing process is assisted by leather Eraser-4 in both the wet and dry cleaning process to remove soiling particulates off the leather surface. Hydrator-3.3 helps in the colloidal water movement bringing suspended soiling particulates to resurface through a dwelling and wicking process. Fat and oil is replenished by Fatliquor-5.0 in an emulsion form to penetrate into the leather structure. Once the fat and oil is hydrogen bond with the protein fiber, the water content breaks free leaving a breathing space for natural transpiration. The fat plumps the leather with fullness preventing the leather structure from collapsing during compressing and flexing while the oil lubricates the fiber from sliding smoothly over one another like millions of connecting hinges. Protector-B impart a non-stick, rub-resistant surface with a buttery feel helps reduce friction wear to the topcoat and extended a high level of appearance for a longer period of time. When the leather is contaminated with foreign soiling, it is essential to look at topcoat refinishing in a holistic approach. Note that the cleaning and rejuvenating products suffix denotes its pH value in this leather-safe aniline leathers topcoat refinishing system.