Acura Integra Leather Seats

Hi all, I think this is a really cool site. Im a bit overwhelmed by all the information and the different subforums/categories. Im an auto enthusiast and for years I basically would either buy new seats or spray some meguires leather care on seats and think that was as good as they could get. I recently bought an Acura Iintegra GSR and the seats are leather and they are very hard and tough. Would someone be able to point me to a link or recommend a plan of action flr restoring them? I see the different kits and products (fatliquor etc.) but Im not sure what type of leather this is or where to start. I will post before and after pictures of my progress to contribute to this site. Thanks for your help!

>>> Acura Iintegra GSR and the seats are leather and they are very hard and tough.
Hardness, toughness or stiffness is the result of the leather shrinkage or the leather fiber structure becomes stick together due to the loss of original fatliquor (ionic charged fat and oil content) within the leather structure. An average of 15% fat and oil content is the original moisture level and should be impart the ideal suppleness. I would assume that this leather would need at least an increase of 10% of fatliquor to restore back to its original suppleness.


>>> ‘Im not sure what type of leather this is
This is the average auto pigmented leather and usually they are chrome-tanned unlike the Ford King Ranch.


>>> Would someone be able to point me to a link or recommend a plan of action for restoring them?
Leather Doctor Kit-At5.ws – Auto Leather Rain & Sun Stiffness Restoration Kit
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-at5...storation-kit/
is recommended.
Attachment 6923
Leather Doctor® Kit At5.ws, auto leather rain and sun damaged stiffness restoration kit is formulated to restore leather stiffness due to water pH value related issue in combination with excess heat from the sun. Rainwater may be slightly acidic but still higher than the pH neutral (iso-electric point or pI) of leather between 3 and 5, thus causes the leather constituents to leach out especially the fatliquor besides the tanning agent, which result in stiffness. When heat is present during the accelerated drying process it causes the leather fibrils to become stick together due to the “Van der Waal or London Forces” phenomenon. A holistic leather stiffness restoration approach is first performing a restorative cleaning prior to leather rejuvenating it and applying a rub-resistant protector thereafter. Depending on the severity of finishes damages in question, where a new color refinishing is deemed inevitable it will require a related refinishing kit to accomplish the restoration. Embossing damages becomes permanent and is not practical to recreate without pressure, heat and an embossing plate. Shriveled finishes may be too delicate to work during the stretching to relax it and may result in delamination. In such situation the entire damaged panel may be shaved with Razor-60 for ease of relaxing the leather structure with Hydrator-3.3 is recommended. Leather stiffness is perform after CleanPro-1.5 > Acidifier-2.0 system with horsehair Brush-1 and cotton terry towel extraction until the towel shows clean. This restorative cleaning is formulated to remove most general soiling and pH balance the rain water to charge the amphoteric leather protein fiber ionic more positive (+ve) for increase attraction. It is thus logical that the Acidifier-2.0 reaches out to the thickness of the damages. Hydrator-3.3 is the preconditioner for Fatliquor-5.0 as the shrunk leather will need to be relaxed and separate the stick together leather fibrils in order for the Fatliquor-5.0 to reach every inter connecting fibrils behaving like hinges to lubricate and plumps it when dry for the return of suppleness. Rainwater may seep into the damaged areas through the perforation, stitching rows and micro crazing. To follow the path of water damages Towel-5 acting as reservoir containing the Hydrator-3.3 is placed with evaporation control with a plastic sheet or cling wrapper. This technique ensures the Hydrator-3.3 penetrates into the leather structure instead of evaporating and wasted. The dwelling may take up to 72hours with periodic refill until the leather structure is plump with fullness for a re-stretching back to its original dimension. Stretching with a smooth spatula like the end of a spoon indirectly over a plastic sheet helps reduce friction damages to the finishes. When the stretching and relaxing is satisfactory Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing process begins. It is the ionic negative (-ve) charged 16.66% of fat and oil remains behind that will soften or supple up the leather when dry. The 83.33% and the water contents from the Hydrator-3.3 will eventually evaporate. The remaining fat and oil content is measurable with a leather moisture meter or other equivalent and averaging 15% would return to original suppleness. The leather is then flexed or massaged to impart suppleness without cracking it. Protector-B application will reduce friction rubs to prolong the useful life of the finishes.

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