Louis Vuitton Vachetta Leathers

Here is a description of Vachetta leathers:

Vachetta leather derives its popular brownish range of color from the tannin found in vegetable matter such as tree bark. Its exact shade depends on the mix of the tanning agent and the color of the skin or hide. It is popularly made into luggage including trimmings of Louis Vuitton handbags. This leather is left unfinished or naked; therefore, it is susceptible to body oil, grease, sweat, water and other liquid stain. It is more pH sensitive than most leather types thus the common sweat and cleaning products alkaline overexposure darkens and denatures the leather and eventually cracks when flexed. Sunlight will cause the natural leather to darken in shade or suntanned, just like our skin; unlike aniline dyes that fades.

This is also a Vachetta (V) Leather Problem Solving Matrix or Instruction for reference . . .
Attachment 7064

>>> The colour of the handles is very dark and uneven

The darkening effect shown on both the edging and the strips is mainly due to body oil, grease and sweat accumulation. Degreasing would most probably reveal micro cracking once the soiling is removed, thus it is recommended that it is immediately leather rejuvenated to restore suppleness to the leather without accentuate the micro-cracking.

>>> and they have extremely bad tarnishing stains from the hardware.

Metallic staining would require a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction with CleanTarnish-1.3.

>>> If you think this isn't beyond repair, which vachetta leather cleaning kit would be the most suitable?

In reference to the Vachetta (V) Leather Problem Solving Matrix, we have identify or match the soiling condition (row #B1, B8 & E1) and would like to combine them in a linear process without unnecessary repetition.

Recommended combine procedure for cleaning and restoring sequence in a holistic approach according to the Matrix for the strip is as follows:

1st - Ref. Row #B8 – Tarnish Based Stains:
Step-1 & Step-2 is skipped in this instance and proceed straight with Step-3 onto the dry leather with a cotton swab, until the cotton swab show clean and leave to dry for the redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction to take place. Stain removal will also reveal the worn unfinished surface in most cases. CleanTarnish-1.3 because of its low pH value has to be pH balance with Basifier-8.8 as the following step. Step-5, Step-6 and Step-7 is differed after the other stains are taken care of.

2nd – Ref. Row B1 – Penetrated Body Oil, Grease and Sweat:
Step-1, Step-2 and Step-3 is incorporated with the below Row B2.

3rd – Ref. Row B2 – pH Related Browning:
VachettaPro-1.2 is inserted into Row B1 as follows:
Degreaser-2.2 > VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3.

3rd – Ref. Row E1 – Dryness & Stiffness:
Step-1, Step-2 and Step-1 again is incorporated and Step3 is delayed as:
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3.

4th – Ref. Row D1 – Patina, Seasoning, Sun-Tanning, UV Overexposure:
Start with Step-5 using Vachetta-2.8 alone and leave to natural drying.

5th – When the mentioned stains are removed and leather structure is rejuvenated this holistic sequence ends with Protector-D.

>>> which vachetta leather cleaning kit would be the most suitable?

Kit-V7 – Louis Vuitton Vachetta Leather Care Kit
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-v7-...ther-care-kit/
Attachment 7065
takes care of both the simulated and Vachetta leathers and you will still require CleanTarnish-1.3
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/cleantarnish-1-3/
and Basifier-8.8
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/basifier-8-8/
to take care of the tarnish stain.

Kit-V4 – Vachetta Leather Browning/Oil/Grease/Sweat removal kit is only for the leather trim.
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-v4-...t-removal-kit/
Attachment 7066
and you will still need the add-on individual product CleanTarnish-1.3 > Basifier-8.8 system to remove the tarnish stain.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]