Several of my Berkline 090 theater seats have rings from what I assume is head oil. One has a white powdery substance. I need advice please on how to fix this.
Attachment 1937
Several of my Berkline 090 theater seats have rings from what I assume is head oil. One has a white powdery substance. I need advice please on how to fix this.
Attachment 1937
>>> Several of my Berkline 090 theater seats have rings from what I assume is head oil. One has a white powdery substance. I need advice please on how to fix this.
The first step is leather identification so that we can match up with the appropriate Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference (will need more pictures including the reverse side of the leather to see if it is dyed through). Only aniline and semi-aniline is dyed through. A test for semi-aniline is to use Stripper-2.3 on hidden areas to check for crumpled color coating.
Head oil grease, oil and sweat in this situation have penetrated into the leather structure and it is the “sweat” that is the main culprit that disrupts the chemistry balance of the leather. Leather protein fiber is an amphoteric material while else its other leather constituents are not, in this picture example is the fatliquor that is displace from the shifting of the protein fiber to ionic negative (-ve) that repels the ionic negative (-ve) fatliquor that resurface as leather spew. During the degreasing process to remove the contamination, the Degreaser-2.2 at pH 2.2 protonate the protein leather fiber as well shifting it back to ionic positive (+ve). Rinsing with Acidifier-2.0 (pH 2.0) accomplish the same protonating effect to increase the ionic positive (+ve) strength of the protein fiber for more effective ionic strength attraction.
The white powdery substance is typically from the fugitive fatliquor, from breaking of hydrogen bonding with the protein fiber most probably in this situation. Extreme temperature fluctuation from cold to hot will also produce such phenomenal and such is rectify with d’Spew-4.8. d’Spew-4.8 treatment is only a secondary back-up if the spew does reoccurs in extreme temperature fluctuation.
Inspection below surface will determine the severity of the body oil, grease and sweat contamination. The reverse side of the leather thickness is much more porous and will contain more of the contamination than the tighter surface. And in severe situation more that one degreasing process will be necessary to remove the contamination out (easier to work on the reverse side with no worry of finishes over cleaning damages). In such situation the topcoat will need to be refinished, color coat is an option especially for aniline leathers, semi-aniline or pigmented leather will require a matching color refinish as the last resort.
Assuming that the leather is “Aniline” then this is the Kit A6.tc (without dyeing) is probably the closest kit to test it out. Dyestuff or pigment if necessary will depends on the outcome of the degreasing as deteriorated finishes may also be removed as well.
Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor
Product information from http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet/StoreFront
Attachment 1938
Leather Doctor Kit A6.tc – Aniline Leather Topcoat Refinishing Kit
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.
Here is a photo of the back side.
Attachment 1940
To identify the leather finish type, need to see the color of the reverse "suede" side of the leather.
OK, Roger.
Help me out here. How do I do that?
Skip
Remove 1 or 2 staples, turn the suede side out and take a picture against the smooth side.
In the above photo, I reversed the strip just above the plywood frame to expose the other side (grey area). Is this what you are looking for?
Skip
Is the reverse (grey) side natural suede or synthetic fiber?
Take a close shot of the cross section please.
Alternatively, you may slice a piece of the excess after the staple and mail it to me for a positive identification.
Roger Koh
[email protected]
Roger, it has been a number of years since I bought these chairs. IIRC, part of the chair was vinyl which I think was the original photo. This photo looks like the suede you were looking for.
Skip
Attachment 1961
Thanks, if part of the leather is vinyl, then this probably be a “semi-aniline” or micro-pigmented leather rather than “aniline”.
You may go and do a little test by removing the top finishes by using a cotton swab soaked acetone or nail polish remover.
Like to see if there are solid crumbling that are removed.
When test reveal some solid crumbling it is most probably a “semi-aniline” finishes and without is “aniline”.
Reason for the test is essential as most like the deteriorated finishes will probably be removed during the deep degreasing and need to prepare the correct finishes in terms of color matching prior to the actual degreasing process.
The finishes testing both removal and refinishing is best done on this hidden area for practice.
Roger Koh
Leather Care consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
Here is a photo after rubbing on acetone based nail polish remover. There appears to be no crumbling.
Attachment 1972
From this test we can see some solid crumbling which is more associate with semi-aniline or micro-pigmented than aniline.
The reference for this leather finish type is to use the Pigmented: Semi-Aniline (P.m) as the Leather Problem Solving Guide.
Attachment 1974
Under the Stain Type: Penetrated Oil, Grease & Sweat we can see the steps as:
1 – Degreaser-2.2
2 – Acidifier-2.0 or Rinse-3.0
These 1 and 2 combination steps are for the degreasing system refers as phase 1.
The *3 and *4 steps are optional depending on the absorbency of the leather, more so on the finishes damages than the other areas.
*3 – Hydrator-3.3
*4 – Fatliquor-5.0
This combination system is to rejuvenate the leather for softness and prevents stiffness that leads to cracks.
The refinishing system comprises of *5, *6, *7 & *8.
*5 – Stripper-2.3 is for removing the surrounding non-contaminated damages finishes so that the entire panel looks even in appearance.
*6 – Adhesor-73 is for sealing and adhesion promotion prior to *7.
*7 – Micro-54 and Thickener-48 is the custom color that is used for refinishing the color.
*8 – MicroTop-54 that comes in 3 lusters level to match.
Non-stick, Rub-resistant Protection for the finishes is
*9 – Protector-B+ (leather scented or B scentless).
When the white leather spew do reoccur, solving the problem according to the guide is under – Leather Fatty Spew that simple require d’Spew-4.8 in one step follows with Protector-B+ or B.
The approach to this situation is to do a practice refinishing using the above steps *7 & *8 to see if the test finishes removal can be restore back close to the original finishes. Note that the need to do a refinishing on the actual stain area will still depends on the degreasing outcome. Doing the practice coloring will avoid any last moment panic.
Color selection closest could be from the Reds, Maroon with black as shading – see color range available from http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-54/Categories or a sample send to [email protected] for color matching.
Other than the color matching, an airbrushing tool for application, the remaining products are found in this Kit Sa7.cl
Attachment 1975
Leather Doctor Kit Sa7.cl – Semi-Aniline Leather Color Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Sa7.cl, micro-pigmented leather color refinishing kit is design for a holistic restoration approach to not only the finishes but also rejuvenating the leather for suppleness. 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 from 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 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 revitalizes 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 initiated. Leather rejuvenating system for softness and strength is accomplishes with Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0. Surface uneven absorption is seals with Adhesor-73 to reduce 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.
I tried with not much success. The dark stains and circle are still evident.
I did the Degreaser 2.2 with eraser, Clean 3.8 and Rinse 3.0
Any suggestions?
Skip
Attachment 2359
Picture shows that migrating stains from top and bottom still remains on the leather surface. It also shows the main stain areas still dark and saturated with stains.
To remove the main stain entirely may need repeats as each wicking cycle can only bring up so much by towel extraction while the leather is still damp. The body oil, grease and sweat stain is deflocculates or penetrated, lubricated and suspended by the working power of Degreaser-2.2 and the amount of degreaser have to be sufficient to emulsify the volume of soiling contamination as well. It then has to be rinse off the leather with either Acidifier-2.0 to control bleeding if any or Rinse-3.0. Within the leather thickness of the leather will further require the surfactancy of Hydrator-3.3 to further moves the colloid within the leather structure. This is done by hydrating the thickness of the leather with Hydrator-3.3 sufficiently (test with finger and thumb pressing to ensure moisture oozing out), let it dwell for up to 72 hours with cling wrapper to control evaporation. Thereafter the plastic cling wrapper is removed and paper towel is place skintight as an extension of the leather surface and let the colloid or migrating soiling particulates wick through the paper towel instead of remaining on the leather surface. When done accordingly with understanding of how to move penetrated stains from within the thickness of the leather to its extended surface rather than remaining of the leather surface when dry will solve most penetrated stains problems. Below is the example of how the “reverse technique” works and we have seen even in extreme cases have work out to the satisfaction of the first timer DIY’er.
Example of "reverse transfer" technique. . .
#1/3 - Brush out air bubbles
Attachment 2360
# 2/3 - Slow drying - see how taut the paper towel is
Attachment 2361
# 3/3 - Peeling off the stain trapped by the paper towel when crispy dry.
Attachment 2362
We have seen worst cases of penetrated stains, it works - http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...-from-dog-peed
#1
Dog urine damage salvages to a 1940 French Aniline Leather Sofa
Attachment 2363
#2
Close-up view of cushion
Attachment 2364
#3
After picture from “reverse transfer” technique.
Attachment 2365
Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com