1967 300SEL Mercedes - Cleaning, Softening, Repairing and Refinishig old Mercedes leather seats

[Roger Koh]

Looks good, sanding is to removed weak, old and deteriorated finishes without etching into the leather crust or removing the grain.

Wet sanding can continue during the Hydrator-3.3 process, during wet sanding the leather becomes stronger and the finishes becomes weaker. An effective hydrating with control evaporation using cling wrapper can be left to dwell up to 72 hours (optimum level is to squeeze between thumb and finger for a little moisture oozing out and maintaining this level with replenishing if necessary). Any darkening effect experience during the Prep-7.7 would be eliminated during the hydrating period (refer to picture #1 left side darkening effect). Stretchable paper may be place over darkening areas for a reverse transfer of foreign contamination during the dwelling and drying process. During the hydrating period the leather thickness should be saturated and any unwanted creases are worked out crosswise.

Please show some pictures for further tips!


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]

[Gary Kuster]

Roger, here's a picture of the rear seat backrest soaking in Fatliquor and wrapped in plastic. After 2 days I will unwrap it and see if it feels like a baby's bum.

[Roger Koh]

Correction!

My post #17 describe Hydrator-3.3 process.

You mention about soaking in Fatliquor-5.0 and under wrapped which is not in practice.
Fatliquor-5.0 is applied at regular interval drying cycle – as the water contents evaporates it is reapplied.

If your picture shows Hydrator-3.3 dwelling in progress instead, note that the leather is not under stress with your duct tape otherwise you will create unnecessary creases and need to be rework with Hydrator-3.3 again. You may remove the duct tape and let the whole plastic sheet just drape over would be a preferred method without any stress to the leather tension.


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]

[Gary Kuster]

Roger, I did let the 3.3 soak in before I applied the fat liquor. When I applied the fat liquor, I kept adding it until the seat would not absorb any more. I did remove the tape and plastic shortly after taking the picture so I could add more fat liquor. I will drape the plastic over the seat loosely as you suggest.

Gary

[Roger Koh]

Dwelling with plastic wrapping is for evaporation control during Hydrator-3.3 process and not used during Fatliquor-5.0 process.

During the fatliquor replenishing process there is no need for evaporation control, quite the contrary it should be left open so that the moisture contents evaporates for the next application until the leather is saturated or does not absorb anymore.

To remove any surface remnants work over with Hydrator-3.3 until the surface is squeaky, remember that fatliquor is for below surface. This ends the leather rejuvenating system and repairs begin.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]

[Gary Kuster]

Roger, I'm satisfied that the rear seats are hydrated now and would like to move on to the repair and re-dye part of the repair.
Please let me know what products I need next and some step by step info. I have a very small tear in the seat bottom and a larger repair on the front of the armrest.

Gary

[Roger Koh]

We may begin the repair but like to have an inspection if the tear without missing parts able to overlap a bit otherwise the cushion or section need to be compressed to create an overlap prior to the repair. Better you show pictures to give you specific instruction.

Products you will need are Bond-3D and Patch-4S. A pipette plastic makes inserting the Bond-3D between both suede sides easier.

Technique is to bond one side and let it perfectly dry before applying the other side. Remember that this bond is waterbased and will not bond until it is dry. Advantage is, it allows final adjustment for holding the bonding in place. Concept is just like working with fiberglass.

Micro-Pigment color is custom match from Micro-54:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-54/Categories

Custom matching services:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...ing/Categories



Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]

[Gary Kuster]

I have started the repairs on the rear seat bottoms! The small tear was dealt with by cutting out a small leather patch, coating the backside of the patch and tear with Bond 3D and positioning it under the tear with the help of pic tools. I was unable to support the seat from behind, so I went around the tear and used the holes in the leather to push up the patch in place. I repaired the damaged piping on the seat bottom by making an application tool out of a piece of hose and used it to coat the damaged leather with Leather Stucco 90. I'll wait for it all to dry and sand it smooth.


Gary

#1



#2



#3



#4

[Roger Koh]

Tips:
Stucco-90 is sandable when dry, easy to work with, however to increase flex strength Bond-3D can be added.
Bond-7A is design to work with Bond-3D when sanding becomes tough.
Stucco-90 + Bond-3D + Micro-54 may be used as the final filling to reduce color buildup in those repair areas.

When working with d’Urine-2.1 on the bottom of the hand rest it is preferable to apply the product from the suede side to ensure fully saturation. When dry the suede side is brush with Suede Brush-3 or Eraser-5 to remove wick-up soiling particulates. Repeat Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 application and erase or brush off wick up residue during each application. Impregnator-26 application from the suede side is recommended to strengthen up the leather fiber structure before bonding repair recommended.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]