help for vintage coach bags

Attachment 6956hi. i have several vintage coach bags i want to clean up, but this one first. it's a bucket bag from the 90s. i am the original ownerand it's had a lot of use. i'd like to know what i should do to make it look as good as possible (not neccessarily like new, hust so i can continue to use it!). especially the handles, which have stretched theinner over the years, which looks like it's messed up their finish as well as darkening them. i'm bad, in general, on handles, so i'd like to know what i can do to take care of them! thanks.Attachment 6955

>>> i have several vintage coach bags i want to clean up, but this one first.

Leather tanning “type” and “finishes has to be identified so that cleaning and restoration will return back to it original characteristic or as closed when repairs is inevitable and to conceal or camouflage them as well. From pictures it shows a ‘vegetable-tanned leather, which is more pH sensitive than the common chrome-tanned finishes. And is more ‘fatliquor’ thirsty when neglected result in cracks especially the sweat-contaminated handles. This vegetable-tanned leather may be sealed or topcoated originally or the shine is accumulated soiling and ageing conditioner used. Any hidden placed would should its original appearance and we will know if refinishing with the original topcoat is warranted.


>>> I'd like to know what I should do to make it look as good as possible (not necessarily like new, hust so I can continue to use it!). Especially the handles, which have stretched thinner over the years, which looks like it's messed up their finish as well as darkening them. I'm bad, in general, on handles, so I'd like to know what I could do to take care of them!

A systematic cycle of care will always keep the leather at its highest level of integrity and appearance, which include routine, periodic and restorative care. When a condition that has pass the restorative care level, it has to be repaired and in this case since I believe from pictures it may only have a clear topcoat any repairs has to be camouflaged to blend into the overall appearance. Then the systematic cycle of routine, periodic and restorative care kicks in. Just for a start we shall discuss how best to do the repairs.


Preparation Cleaning for a Repair for the Handles:

Pictures of the handles show the typical result of body oil, grease and sweat damages. And the main culprit is the ‘sweat’. When sweat ferments it shift the ‘amphoteric’ leather protein fiber ionic negative (-ve) causing the leather ionic negative (-ve) constituents like the tanning agents and fatliquor to leach out or breaking of its hydrogen bond (unlike poles repels, similar to a magnet reaction) thus denatures the leather. I believe when the handles is in a damp condition it will be tacky and in worse cases slimmy is the result of the tanning agent that has leach out. When the ionic negative (-ve) charged fat and oil breaks bond it also leaches out stiff and when flexed cracks. The leather structures without the ‘fat’ that plums the leather stretch and thins out just like a rubber band. Flexibility or softness of the leather depends on the ‘oil’ content in the leather structure. These deficiency is rectify with charging the leather structure ionic positive (+ve) by using products system that has a pH value lower then the leather pH neutral (iso-electric point or pI) of average 3 to 5.

Thus Degreasing is performed with Degreaser-2.2 and rinse with Acidifier-2.0 and Hydrator-3.3 for moving suspended soiling particulates to the surface as the 1st-phase. Note the product suffix numbers denotes its pH value.

Leather Rejuvenating with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 is performed as a continuous follow through of while the leather is about 25% moisture level or before it is completely dry as the 2nd-phase. The reason is that any leather when dry without ‘fatliquor’ will be dry stiff and becomes weaker.

The leather will go through a structure repairs after ‘dry preparation’ to remove wick-up soiling particulates.

(to be continued. . .)

Dry Preparation is a combination with mechanical tools such as Brush-1, Eraser-4 and Sand200grit to remove accumulated surface soiling for a general visual inspection. To reduce darkening effect a chemical redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction helps to lighten appearance with Vachetta-2.8.

Vachetta-2.8 is applied, agitated with Brush-1 and towel extracted until towel shows clean. Again fresh application is applied to the entire section and let natural drying to produce a lightening effect for inspection and repeat as necessary. This redox lightening up the leather appearance to satisfaction is achieved prior to structural repairs the leather for added strength by impregnating with a protein resin compound.

Impregnator-26 as the name suggested is to impregnate the leather structure with added strength to shrink the stretched leather structure for internal repairs. External repair to smooth the leather is accomplished with Bond-3D.

Bond-3D will bond flaps to produce a smooth surface.

Warning: However both the repairs will produce darkening effect, which is inherent and natural. To overcome the appearance it has to be camouflage with a matching pigment coloring like Micro-54 and transparent dyestuff Aniline-76 to simulate beauty of depth, then topcoat to seal the camouflaging and simulating appearance process.

Adhesor-73 is the first refinishing coating to ensure good bonding without peeling of the finishes.

Micro-54 is an ‘opaque’ pigment that will block off the darkening effect from repairs and will need be custom match close to the existing color (after Vachetta-28 treatment). General color matching examples can be found in this link:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/color-p...ding-examples/

Aniline-76 is a transparent coating dyestuff that will add more life with beauty of depth to simulated existing appearance.

AnilineTop-76 is for sealing the coloring and it comes with a choice of satin or gloss to match existing luster level.

Protector-B or B+ (leather scented) finishes the refinishing system.

Let me know if you have any questions so far with this general outline.

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