>>> I tried a couple off the shelf "leather rejuvenators" with no success in restoring the leather.
There are three levels or restoration:
1st - Leather Stiffness
2nd – Grain Texture
3rd – Shriveled or damaged Finishes.
1st - Leather Stiffness
Any products used for rejuvenating the leather for suppleness has to be within the pH value of 3 – 5, any pH value higher than 5 will denature the leather by weakening the ionic positive (+ve) charged strength of the amphoteric leather protein fiber. Thus the leather structure may become tacky as the tanning agent break the hydrogen bond and the fatliquor (ionic negative charged fat and oil) leaches out and when dry becomes more stiff. When a full color refinishing is desired leather rejuvenating process comes after a preparation cleaning with Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 / Rinse-3.0. To restore suppleness back to the leather, the entire thickness of the leather has to be hydrated with Hydrator-3.3 to an optimum level when a little moisture oozes out when gently press between fingers and thumb. To facilitate penetration the damaged or shriveled finishes are shave off with Razor-60 during this hydrating process when the leather becomes stronger and the finishes becomes weaker. To fully relaxed the shrunk leather it is recommended that the fully saturated leather structure is wrapped with food cling wrapper to control evaporation and left to dwell up to 72 hours for an inspection to determine that the shrinkage and stiffness has improved. It is also timely that the shrunk areas are work with a smooth edge of a spoon to get back to dimension eliminating any unnatural wrinkles. Both Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 is recommend to be applied during the stretching to lubricate it while pressure stretching. When satisfied with the shrinkage correction and before the leather structure dries or about 25% of moisture level Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing process commences to the entire surface area.
2nd – Grain Texture
Design grain texturing or embossing are done with heat and high pressure plating hydraulic machine during the tannery process. Water and heat damages reverse them back to the original leather grain. To lessen the contrast if any is by feathering out the damage edges with Razor-60 during the wet hydrating process.
3rd – Shriveled or damaged Finishes.
When refinishing is the desired degree of restoration, then the damaged finishes is recommend to be shaved off during the hydrating wet process.
Dry preparation after Fatliquor-5.0 includes appropriate sanding to smooth out the finishing edges and refinishing sequence of process is as follows:
1 – Adhesor-73 coating
2 – Micro-54 Pigment Coating (with help of Thicknener-48 when necessary)
3 – MicroTop-54 Matte or Satin coating
4 – Protector-B or B+ (leather scented)
Products mentioned are found in this Kit-Ap7.cl
6826
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-ap7-cl-auto-pigmented-perforated-leather-color-refinishing-kit/
and individual products like Razor-60 are add on individually from
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/razor-60/
We can continue to discuss in more details of each of the sequence of process.
Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email:
[email protected]