Hi Roger,
I found this page and I'm in the same boat - http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...fa-See-My-Pics
I have the same Restoration Hardware Lancaster Brompton Cocoa sofa and it needs some serious attention (photos attached).
I'd like to restore it up to how it looked new if possible. What would you recommend?
Best,
Jason
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Hi Roger,
Thanks so much for the help!
The soiling is mostly on the right hand armrest in Photo 3, you will see a dark spot. Could just be the leather though.
My ultimate goal is to really bring this sofa back to life and make it look like new. I'd like the whole sofa to look like the untouched leather on the bottom of the cushions as you can see in the lower section of Photo 5 under the zipper. I love the rich color and crumbled wax paper like finish. Is it possible to rejuvenate the sofa to look like this?
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My biggest concern is that I don't make the leather all the same color. I love the crumbled wax paper like finish with the lights/darks & highs/lows.
I want to really avoid it looking like this at all costs...
Attachment 8747
Quote:
Originally Posted by ja2000on
Hey Roger,
I used 80% of the bottle of Hydrator like you said to do and wrapped it in a clear garbage bag. Even though I used 80% of the bottle the cushion absorbed ALL of it and still wasn't very wet, just damp, and did not ooze out when pinched.
I tried working out all the creases but they're DEEP and even though I punched and massaged it this is how it looks. I let it sit for 24 hours for hydrating and this is now what it looks like. They leather looks much better but I'm concerned about the color difference now on the left side of the cushion where we worked the degreaser deep and rubbed hard with the towel. It seems to have removed a lot of the high/low color. What should I do now? Go straight to the fatliquor process?
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>>> and did not ooze out when pinched.
When the leather structure is not fully hydrated with moisture oozing out when press with fingers, logically -
1- the creases will fail to response
2- the 24 hours dwelling will not work as well.
>>> the color difference now on the left side
Viewing from the last pictures, it shows that it is still damp on the left side, while the right side is much drier, for the color difference.
Show the same picture when it is fully dry - to determine the color difference.
>>> What should I do now?
Lay it flat, stretch it out, let it dry, show another picture and we can go from there . . .
>>> Go straight to the fatliquor process?
Logically, after viewing the completely dried cushion, we have to make a U-turn back to Hydrator-3.3 again with complete saturation or wetting out, this means the thickness of the leather and checking out the reverse suede side if it is wet as well . . .
Attachment 8782
Roger Koh
Leather, Skin & Hair Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Online-Life-Coaching
online store: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
You were right, the left side was still just damp. Here are the photos of it dry and all the color came back. Also notice how I hydrated the left side more and the leather is MUCH more smooth where as the right side (bottom) is much more wrinkly. I think I need A LOT more hydrator to smooth this thing out. I placed another order for it.
The reverse side of the suede was just damp as well. I used 80% of the bottle and the leather still was absorbing all of it...its super dry.
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(Please send your pictures and technical questions here instead of email)
Hi Roger,
I just realized that I don't think the color is gone. I think that side of the cushion is just still wet. The other side is much dryer because I soaked the left side more because thats where the stain was. But after looking closely at the leather the soaked area is much smoother and the area just to the right is still wrinkly (Photos attached). Does that mean the wrinkly areas need a LOT more Hydrator? Should I wait to add more Hydrator and get it soaking wet before moving on to the Fatliquor process?
I just placed a bigger order.
Thanks,
Jason
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>>> Does that mean the wrinkly areas need a LOT more Hydrator?
The entire thickness of the leather should be wet out through the reverse suede side (the cushion inside is wrapped with plastic bag).
>>> Should I wait to add more Hydrator and get it soaking wet before moving on to the Fatliquor process?
Yes! Until the wrinkling (Hydrator-3.3) is to satisfaction before working on suppleness (Fatliquor-5.0).
Attachment 8790
Roger Koh
Leather, Skin & Hair Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Online-Life-Coaching
online store: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]
Great - I will soak with Hydrator through to the suede side as soon as I receive it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
I had one question about the Fatliquor. My question is about how much Fatliquor should I expect use on this one cushion? I know you mention to get it to about 14% but I don't have a moisture meter. Is there a rule-of-thumb or do I need a moisture meter?
>>> Is there a rule-of-thumb or do I need a moisture meter?
Moisture meter is not necessary. To go by the rule-of-thumb, observed that the last application gets absorbed much slower into the thickness of the leather. And any surface remaining is clean off with Hydrator-3.3 to reduce a sticky surface. The purpose of fatliquoring is to restore plumpness and suppleness to the leather structure. Thus creases and wrinkling is reduced to smoothness.
Hi Roger!Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
So I got my latest order and continued to use another entire bottle of Hydrator on this one cushion. So far I've used two entire bottles on this one cushion. I wrapped it in a plastic bag for 24 hours and it was fairly dry after. It seemed like no matter how much I soaked it in Hydrator it never completely saturated the suede underside. It was cold and damp on the underside but not wet.
Nevertheless I decided to move on to the Fatliquor process because after two full bottles of Hydrator I figured that was sufficient. These photos are after 2 coats of Fatliquor and about 25% dry and about to put another coat. Does this look right?
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Here is what its looking like after using about 5 coats of Fatliquor and it takes a while to absorb at this point. The front of the cushion is much darker than I would like and than how it originally came. Its not even brown anymore, its more of a deep maroon/purple color. How can I lighten it up back to a brown like on the bottom of the cushion (like the photo below)?Quote:
Originally Posted by ja2000on
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>>> Does this look right?
Pictures 4 and 5 still shows the texture dryness that is the leather is not plump with fullness.
The fullness of the leather is achieved by Hydrator-3.3 wetting it out through the suede side.
Thereafter continue with Fatliquor-5.0 to satisfaction.
As a rejuvenating system Hydrator-3.3 helps to relax and plumps up the leather, however it is the remaining 1/6 of the Fatliquor-5.0 fat and oil when dry determines the desire result.
You may continue Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 in repeat sequence to satisfaction before EffectWax-8.6.
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Roger Koh
Leather, Skin & Hair Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Online-Life-Coaching
online store: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]
>>> How can I lighten it up back to a brown like on the bottom of the cushion (like the photo below)?
Remove all the water content, together with the fat and oil and it will lighten up to your desired appearance.
My recommendation is to move on - what you see is not what you get when working with transparent aniline wax pull-up, unlike monotone leather appearance which you do not like (as your post #6).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
Ok will do. I'll continue moving forward. I'm starting to see that stretching and pulling the leather really lightens it up.
Here is what I have so far. All 4 cushions are cleaned, hydrated, fatliquored, and have one coat of EffectWax 8.6. I need more wax and still haven't done the AnilinTop 76G so waiting on the wax to do that. Really happy with the results so far.
1. How do these look to you so far?
2. Should I do about 5 coats of wax and then a few coats of AnilinTop 76G?
Thanks!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ja2000on
Hi Roger,
I had one more question:
Should I be doing all the coats of wax (3-5 coats) and then all the coats of AnilinTop 76G (about 3 coats)? Or is it better to do Wax, AnilinTop 76G, Wax, AnilinTop 76G, Wax, AnilinTop 76G?
The reason I ask is because I saw this thread that Matt mentioned he had Excellent results doing wax/AnilinTop 76G/wax/AnilinTop 76G, etc. in post #15 -
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...-Hardware-Help!
>>> 1. How do these look to you so far?
a- Some dark natural marks are to stay.
b- Dark patches mark may need to be pull or stretch out to even out the appearance.
c- Light patches mark is most probably the lack of Fatliquor-5.0.
d- To darken it evenly out, use an iron on silk setting and iron over a white print paper.
A wax pull-up leather is alive and healthy with sufficient Fatliquor-5.0 and EffectWax-8.6.
>>> 2. Should I do about 5 coats of wax
Use about the equal amount of Fatliquor-5.0 (primary structural conditioner) to EffectWax-8.6 (secondary structural conditioner). Recommend applying a very heavy EffectWax-8.6 (instead of shallow surface coatings) and repeats before it dries to saturate the leather structure with the pull-effect. The wax component that stays on the surface when dry is activated by a hot hair dryer to shine.
>>> and then a few coats of AnilineTop-76G?
This AnilineTop-76G is applied by foamBrush-3 or folded Towel-5 to shine, to satisfaction.
>>> Should I be doing all the coats of wax (3-5 coats) and then all the coats of AnilinTop 76G (about 3 coats)? Or is it better to do Wax, AnilinTop 76G, Wax, AnilinTop 76G, Wax, AnilinTop 76G? The reason I ask is because I saw this thread that Matt mentioned he had Excellent results doing wax/AnilinTop 76G/wax/AnilinTop 76G, etc. in post #15 -
It does not matter which sequence you prefer - my recommendation, you activate the wax crystalline only one time versus 3 times done by Matt.
Ok I'll follow your instructions and send you the photos. Much appreciated!Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
Hi Roger,Quote:
Originally Posted by ja2000on
Ok here are the photos of the cushions after full Cleaning, Hydrating, and Fatliquor. I did a thick coat of wax like you said and heated it. The wax melted perfectly and looked completely invisible after heating. After heating it was very dark so I tried to lighten it up a bit by pulling the leather. It lighted but it created a waxy residue that would come out of the surface and would fall out. Keep in mind it was completely melted and invisible after heating. It only reformed and started falling off once I pulled and stretched the leather.
I haven't top coated it with 76G yet so what should I do? Simply re-heat the wax to melt again, let cool and Topcoat 76G? (I'm assuming the Topcoat will seal in the wax?)
Thanks!
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Excess of surface wax may be brush off with horsehair Brush-3.
Then re-activate with hot hair dryer.
See how it looks . . .
Here are the photos after I reheated the wax. How does this look?Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
Photo 1 & 2 are the same cushion, just one photo is close up.
Photo 3 & 4 are the same cushion, just one photo is close up.
Photo 5 & 6 are the same cushion, just one photo is close up.
Photo 7 & 8 are the same cushion, just one photo is close up.
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Also, photos 3 & 4 and 7 & 8 had to be treated with more Fatliquor than the others because the leather was more dry. This caused them to turn out much darker. Is there a trick I can use to lighten them up to a brown color like the others? They look almost dark espresso like.
>>> Is there a trick I can use to lighten them up to a brown color like the others?
To lighten up means the percentage of the fat and oil content has to be reduced, either by evaporation or by emulsification. Pulling, stretching and surface scuffing is another possibility.
1- Emulsification is by using Degeaser-2.2 and rinse with Rinse-3.0 and would have to inspect each round for satisfaction.
2- Evaporation is by heat and humidity; warm air blower with low humidity (30%) will accelerate the evaporation process.
3- Pulling, stretching and light surface scuffing will also reduce the surface hue intensity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Koh
Got it - what would you recommend is the safest option? (I tried the pulling, stretching, scuffing and it didn't really work well)
As far as the photos though, would you say these are ready for a Topcoat 76G? (followed by one more layer of wax)
Thanks!
>>> Got it - what would you recommend is the safest option?
Safest is by Pulling, Stretching & Scuffing,
Next is by Evaporation
And by Degreasing is messy.
>>> (I tried the pulling, stretching, scuffing and it didn't really work well)
Maybe you need “online-life-coaching” session to determine that you have employed the right technique?
>>> As far as the photos though, would you say these are ready for a Topcoat 76G?
As long as the cloudy wax crystalline has been activated to a natural gloss, it is ready for topcoat refinishing.
>>> (followed by one more layer of wax)
You may do so accordingly.