>>> I have a fully tanned black alligator belly skin. Its HUGE(13'6"). It has been along the back of a couch that is a near a window for several years. I've discovered it has faded on the sections facing the window.
A 13'6" alligator is quite a rare find, and keeping its originality would be the wisest approach, otherwise, you end up a 'pariah' alligator and would lose its value and authenticity.
Several years of exposure to sunlight not only fades the aniline dye it also dries up the fatliquor (fat and oil) that keeps it supple and from dry rotting.
A simple answer to restoring the fading and dryness is to rejuvenate the fading by hydrating and fatliquoring first and then reassess before deciding the best option on adding the color back.
A simple test to activate the dormant dyestuff to freshen up and saturate the color intensity with fatliquor is a 4-step process as follows:
A thumb size or one of the faded scale sizes will do. Use a simple cotton bud to do the test cleaning and application.
1: Leather Cleaner 3.8 is for cleaning by saturating a cotton bud and cleaning up until the cotton bud shows clean, otherwise clean again using another saturated cotton bud until the new cotton bud shows clean, then proceed to rinse.
2: Leather Rinse 3.0 is for rinsing by saturating a cotton bud rising and another dry cotton bud to extract until the cotton bud shows clean.
3: Leather Hydrator 3.3 is for activating the dormant dyestuff from within the skin structure to resurface by saturating with a cotton bud and dripping wet out the rinse spot repeatedly until the spot is fully saturated and when pressed with fingers a little moisture oozes out. You may place a cling wrapper to prevent evaporation to allow a slow activating of the dormant dyestuff to resurface. Check when completely dry if the color intensifies, repeat as necessary to satisfaction. Otherwise, apply to wet out again and proceed to Fatliquoring.
4: Leather Fatliquor 5.0 is for replenishing the diminishing fat and oil back to the skin structure by a cotton bud to saturate after Hydrator 3.3. Each time the water content evaporates more is applied until the skin absorbs no more and leaves natural drying.
When dry observed and compared with other areas to reassess the need for an aniline dye refinishing system to bring back the skin to its original state.
The products mentioned are found in this Kit.
11381
Leather Hydrator and Softener Kit HS3
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-hydrator-and-softener-kit-hs3/
11382
Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com (http://www.leatherdoctor.com)
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phone: 604 773 1878