How to help cracked vintage suede?

Hello All,

I have scoured the internet but I have not been able to encounter this exact problem anywhere... I recently got these shoes from my mum, who bought these a couple of decades ago in Italy. They are goregeous and I love them. One problem is that they have been sitting in garages for the recent decades, and now the suede, I believe, is dried out. It cracks and falls off, the insides turn into powder and stain my socks. I don't want to throw them away, so is there anything that can be done to save them? I tried applying some Dr. marten's miracle balm and leather conditioner to the inside, scared to touch the suede outside....

Thank you for your help!

AnneAttachment 2901Attachment 2902Attachment 2903Attachment 2904

>>> One problem is that they have been sitting in garages for the recent decades, and now the suede, I believe, is dried out. It cracks and falls off; the insides turn into powder and stain my socks. I don't want to throw them away, so is there anything that can be done to save them?

What you mentioned is simulated leather or faux (false) leather with the artificial maroon color finishes deteriorates with ageing. Solution is to scrape them off with a blunt object clean and refinishing it again if you wish with the following system: Adhesor-73 > Micro-54 (color match with black and maroon) > MicroTop-54 (choice of gloss, satin or matte) > Protector-B+ (for reduce friction rubs) . Body contact areas may need to be prep clean with Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com




Product information:

Attachment 2905
Leather Doctor Degreaser-2.2
Leather Doctor® Degreaser-2.2 is a pH 2.2 leather-safe waterbased degreaser with dye bleeding control. It is design for degreasing leather of penetrated oil, grease and sweat stains from skin, and hair contact, especially the headrest and armrest of upholstery, collar and cuffs of garment, handles of bag including steering wheel. It works best in conjunction with Rinse-3.0 to rinse emulsified soiling or Acidifier-2.0 for rinsing, bleeding control and pH balancing sweaty contamination from leather denaturing into rawhide. This universal leather degreaser is for all leather types including the common pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede.


Attachment 2906
Leather Doctor Rinse-3.0

Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0 is a pH 3.0 waterbased leather-safe universal rinse for all leather types that include pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede. It is to removes suspended soiling by towel extraction while neutralizing harmful alkaline residues and charging the protein fiber ionic positive to increase the attraction between the ionic negative leather constituent like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor.


Attachment 2907
Leather Doctor Adhesor-73
Leather Doctor® Adhesor-73 is an auxiliary for refinishing pigmented, aniline, bicast and simulated leathers. This is a water based compact resin adhesion promoter for:
a) Smoothening abraded surfaces,
b) Ensure proper sealing and adhesion prior to color coating and
c) Used after Wax Effect-8.6 prior to topcoat application.


Attachment 2908
Leather Doctor Micro-54

Leather Doctor® Micro-54 is design for micro pigmented leathers also known as semi-aniline. This is a waterbased compact resin blend high performance UV fade resistant pigment color coat.
MicroTop-54 is the matching sealing topcoat in this pigment series system.


Attachment 2909
Leather Doctor MicroTop-54

Leather Doctor® MicroTop-54 is available in four levels of luster - matte, gloss and satin for pigmented upholstery leathers. A dull or extra matte is created for the auto desired luster level. These lusters are intermixable to produce the in-betweens to match. These are waterbased soft polyurethane topcoats that are lightfast and non-yellowing. They have excellent flow and leveling properties, recoatable and form a flexible tough film.

Attachment 2910
Leather Doctor Protector-B+
Leather Doctor® Protector-B+, a buttery-feel with a classic leather scent is design for pigmented, aniline and nubuck oil pull-up leather types. This is a non-film forming, non-stick, rub-resistant protector that enhances a soft natural tactile feel for imparting a breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling and preventing the too common pesky ballpoint from ever ready rolling out its nasty ink. Moreover, for helping to release those tenacious blue jeans dye-transfer stains obviously on light colored leathers easily. Its natural buttery-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus reduce stretch; scuff and abrasion with reduce friction squeaks.



>>> scared to touch the suede outside....

You should be scared or course!
It is wrongly identified, should be “Nubuck” instead.
The reverse side of nubuck is suede, so the front is nubuck and the reverse is suede.
Nubuck is also known as velvet suede with very fine nap.



This Nubuck (N) Leather Problem Solving Guide will give you peace of mind from care to refinishing.
Attachment 2911

Nubuck Care Kit N3 is for general care and specialty needs are found from this link: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...uck/Categories

Attachment 2912

Leather Doctor Kit N3 – Nubuck Care Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit N3, nubuck leather care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system designed for keeping leathers at their highest level of appearance, maintaining its pH chemistry integrity, enhancing their suppleness and prevents premature ageing. Leathers that faced the sun, closed to fireplace and heaters dries out the fatliquor (ionic negative charged fat, oil and water) that keeps it supple sooner than the non-heat exposed areas. The diminishing of the fatliquor through evaporation results in the leather fibers being stick closer together that results in stiffness and when flexed during used will lead to cracks. Periodic use of Hydrator-3.3 to plumps the stick together fibers prior to fatliquor replenishing with Fatliquor-5.0 will keep the leather supple and strong. Thus, reduce the premature ageing of the leather against stiffness and cracking. The surface wear of the leather is greatly reduced in preventive care with a rub-resistant Protector-S+ that enhances a non-stick silky-feel to shield against sticky soiling. Periodic cleaning and rinsing with Cleaner-3.8 follows by Rinse-3.0 to the bare body contact areas like headrest and armrest helps reduce greasy soiling build-up. Restorative cleaning and occasional dye stains removal from new blue jeans is accomplished with Prep-4.4. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system for nubuck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Roger Koh

>>> scared to touch the suede outside....

You should be scared or course!
It is wrongly identified, should be “Nubuck” instead.
The reverse side of nubuck is suede, so the front is nubuck and the reverse is suede.
Nubuck is also known as velvet suede with very fine nap.

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So I should scrape it off, clean it, and then refinish it? or the other way around? Is it absolutely imperative that I use all these items? ( i don't have a lot of money to throw around) I really appreciate your advice and help!

Thank you!

>>> stain my socks.

If this is what bordering you, remove the deteriorated finishes may be the most economical answer for you, then we are not talking about restoration back to the original.


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com