Aniline (Sauvage) - Top finish of chair cushion removed by milk, any & all help appreciated!

Glad I stumbled upon this great forum.

We just bought this new leather chair on Boxing day, the next day my wife placed a paper shopping bag on the seat which had some spilt drops of milk from my daughter's sippy cup. When the bag was removed, it took off the top finish (not sure if that's the correct term) with it, leaving these raw spots exposed. I brought it to a couple leather repair places, one said they couldn't do anything to help, the other applied some mink oil that darkened the exposed spots (see last 2 photos) and made them less, but still noticeable.

I have been advised to use some leather dye then neutral polish to restore the sheen, but am cautious to damage it further.

If anyone can advise I would be very grateful!

Jay

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Leather finishes identification is the first step to finishes repairs.

It is unusual for an aniline leather to have a whitish base, but it looks more like aniline then pigmented.

It is not an “Aniline Wax Pull-Up” because of its cracker effect from picture #1.

The finish could be re-created by Bicast-32 > Bicast-76 > BicastTop-76G system – using Bicast-32 to block off the whitish base and Bicast-76 to create the beauty of depth with an aniline look and BicastTop-76G to seal the finishes, however the natural cracker effect is a challenge to reproduce.

If the touch-up refinishing is the route to take, then the mink oil need to be degreased, otherwise the finishes will fail to adhere and starts to peel too soon. Adhesor-73 is highly recommended to seal the structure prior to the above-recommended procedure.

Note:
We have not fully positive identify the leather finishes type yet and need to do a few testing (with pictures) before the above applies.

1. Drip a few drops of water and see if it darkens the leather or it pools on the surface.
2. Take a look at the reverse suede side if it shows a range of brown color or it is the same white as the cracks.
3. Use a 2”scotch-tape, reduce to a half inch strip – press against hidden area and pull to see the peel both the scotch-tape and the leather.
4. Is the crackle effect consistent throughout even on the reverse cushion or hidden areas?


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

Roger,

Thanks for taking time to respond!

1. Drops of water absorb after a short period and darken the leather.
2. See below for a photo of the reverse side.
3. The scotch tape took some tiny specs off the surface, revealing a lighter colour underneath as in the earlier photos above.
4. The cracked effect is throughout... although on the hidden reverse of the cushions the leather only wraps a bit and the rest is fabric.

I posted a photo below of the underside of the leather.
The second photo is what I believe to be an earlier repair, perhaps even before the leather was put on the chair? Although it stands out in the photo it is very hard to detect by eye. If something like this can be done I'd be happy... not too worried about recreating the crackle effect.

Thanks again!
Jason

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My recommendation for sequence of process is as follows:

1 Degreasing or removing the Mink Oil:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0 (Tools Brush-1 and Eraser-4)

2. General Overall Cleaning:
Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 (Tools Brush-1 and Towel)

3. Leather Rejuvenation:
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 (Tools Stretchable Paper Towel for "reverse transfer").

4. Sealer Coating:
Adhesor-73 (Tools Foam Brush)

5. Pigment Coating to Block Base Color:
Bicast-32 (Fine painting brush)

6. Aniline Coating to create beauty of depth to match existing finishes.
Bicast-76 (Tool fine painting brush)

7. Color Sealing
BicastTop-76G (Tool Foam Brush)

8. Rub-Resistant, Non-Stick Protection:
Protector-B+ (Tool foam Brush)


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

Thanks very much Roger, I will order those products. Is the chair in question made from "bicast" leather?

This is aniline leather with a fashion cracker effect and not a “Bicast”, if you mentioned that the “The cracked effect is throughout...”

>>> 1. Drops of water absorb after a short period and darken the leather.
>>> 2. See below for a photo of the reverse side.

The above observation identifies the leather as aniline.
But the uniqueness of this finish is the whitish base that is throughout.
This finishes types will require a “opaque” pigment to block off the white base but will be to too flat without the beauty of depth and difference in color intensity from a “transparent” aniline dyestuff thereafter.

Bicast-32 equivalent is either Pigment-64 or Micro-54.
Bicast-76 equivalent is Aniline-76
Bicast-76G equivalent is AnilineTop-76G or AnilineTop-21G.

Recommend that you pick from the Bicast system with matching colors for the opacity and transparency combination.


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

Thanks again Roger... I was curious if there was any possibility the leather is "wax pull up"? To the eye, it looks just like all the examples I've studied on the forum of wax pull up, and what appears on my photos as a "whitish base" is actually a light tan, which I believe was originally closer in colour to the underside nap, but has been neglected and left to dry out in the harsh Canadian cold of the furniture warehouse.

Thanks for your knowledge & patience!

>>> I was curious if there was any possibility the leather is "wax pull up"? To the eye, it looks just like all the examples I've studied on the forum of wax pull up,

A wax pull-up when stretch or pull will lightens up, but if this is an old piece the lighten-up may not shows as the wax effect will dry up as well.

>>> and what appears on my photos as a "whitish base" is actually a light tan, which I believe was originally closer in colour to the underside nap, but has been neglected and left to dry out in the harsh Canadian cold of the furniture warehouse.

Thanks for clarifying that this “new leather chair” bought is in fact a neglected piece, so the crackle fashion effect is ruled out. This leather is over dry and will need Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system to rejuvenate it. Peeling is due to the drying or deteriorating of the grain surface, if you inspect the peel with a scotch-tape it will show fibers beneath. Leather hydrating and fatliquor replenishing will help strengthen the grain from further deteriorating. Sever cases will require stripping the entire topcoat and surface coating it with Adhesor-73 to restore the grain strength with a down side, the leather may not be as soft and may impede future periodic rejuvenating the leather structure for natural softness and strength.

The revised restoration with the least changes to the characteristic of the leather (a leather that breathes is more comfortable to seat and for all season then a leather that does not breathe) is as follows:

1 Degreasing or removing the Mink Oil:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0

2. General Overall Cleaning:
Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0

3. Leather Rejuvenation:
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0

4. Wax Effect Rejuvenating:
Wax Effect-8.6 (subject to confirmation of finish type)

5. Top Coating:
AnilineTop-76G

6. Rub-Resistant, Non-Stick Protection:
Protector-B+ (Tool foam Brush)


Further questions are welcome.



Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

Thanks Roger... would I need any dark brown dye for the quarter size spots and if so would it be after the Fatliquor5.0 but before the WaxEffect8.6?

Steps 3, 4 & 5 will bring the color up and dyeing may not be necessary then.

Hydrator-3.3 when fully saturate (moisture oozing out when press between thumb and finger) to the leather section, control evaporation with cling wrapper and leave it hydrated up to 72 hours will eliminate the white cracking effect as the dormant dyestuff within the thickness of the leather resurfaces.

Fatliquor-5.0 will contribute to the color intensity of the color enriching it.

AnilineTop-76G or AnilineTop-21G for wax pull-up effect finishes will amplify or magnify the color through.

If so desired after step 5. Top Coating, Aniline-76 is recommended for color touch-up follows with a topcoat touch up, then proceed to step 6.


When Wax Effect-8.6 is used the matching protector is Protector-D+ (draggy-feel), scentless is Protector-D without the "+" sign.


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com