Jaguar Skin Rug - Vintage and need Repairs/Restoration

>>> I am looking for advice on which products would be best to use in repair/restoring a vintage Jaguar skin rug that I inherited.

Use this Hair-on-Hide Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference.

Attachment 2172

>>> The skin is pretty old and starting to dry out and brittle in a few places. It still bends and folds, but is definitely dry.

Restoring the skin to softness and tensile strength is by rejuvenating it with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system.
Using Kit H4

Attachment 2173
Leather Doctor Kit H4 – Hair-on-Hide Care Kit

Leather Doctor® Kit H4, hair-on-hide care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system designed for keeping zebra / cowhide at their highest level of appearance, enhancing their softness and strength and prevents premature ageing. The tell tale sign of hide starving for fat and oil is the creases, wrinkles and fold lines during shipping or storage that fail to make the rug lay flat. As the hides are almost returning to rawhide with lack of fat and oil it becomes noisy as the fiber becomes stick together. The reverse suede side, which we do not see, is vital in producing a pleasing appearance and need to be relaxed and soften up. Rejuvenating the suede side is accomplished by Hydrator-3.3 first to relax and separate the stick together fiber prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fatliquor-5.0 with its fat plumps the suede and the oil lubricate for softness without darkening effect. A well-rejuvenated hide will lie as flat without curls to the edges is a job well done. Cleaning to the suede side is performed with Cleaner-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 using a suede Brush-3 / Eraser-5 and towel extract. The hair side is clean with Cleaner-5.5 follows with Rinse-4.0 towel extracts and groom with suede Brush-3. Protector-3+ imparts is silky-feel rub-resistant to lubricates the hair from abrasion wear when the hair is rubbed and a non-stick properties to shield the hair from silky soiling as a preventive care. Moreover, it diffuses a classic leather scent to charm. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system for hair-on-hide.

Instruction:

Hair-on-Hide (Suede Side Cleaning):
The objective of this process is to remove general surface soiling.
1st phase – Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off foreign soiling with help of Suede Brush-3.
2. Exfoliate to renew fresh nap with help of Suede Eraser-5, follows with vacuum cleaner.
2nd phase – Wet Soil Removal:
1. Apply Cleaner-3.8 and agitate with Brush-3/Eraser-5 and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Spray Rinse-3.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean.
3. Let natural drying and wick-up soiling is erase with Eraser-5 prior to hydrating.
3rd phase – Hydrating:
Hydrating is to relax the skin of stiffness from diminishing fatliquor. Fatliquor diminishes as the skin ages, accelerated when expose to direct heat and evaporates as VOC (volatile organic compound). Stiffness is common from a water damage situation too, when fatliquor leaches out, and when it becomes dry again the fibrils becomes stick together. Hydrating is to precondition the skin for an effective fat and oil replenishing; it helps to relax and separate the stick together fibrils and opens up the inter-fibrillary spaces for effective colloidal water movement within the leather structure. It facilitates to wick-up foreign contamination to be towel extracted when damp and erased when crispy dry. It plumps the leather to ease away the unnatural creases and wrinkles. It stabilizes the pH integrity of the skin and charges the skin protein fiber ionic positive below its iso-electric point (pI) to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively. It is recommended therefore to hydrate the skin to an optimum level, with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers. Prolong dwell time will maximize the effects with the help of covering with clear plastic to prevent evaporation.
1. Spray Hydrator-3.3 with foam brush control to hydrate the entire thickness of the leather; extract with dry absorbent white terry towel to inspect for an even appearance without blotchiness and it is ready for immediate fat and oil replenishing.
4th phase – Fat and Oil Replenishing:
Fatliquor an emulsion of fat and oil originally introduces to the skin to impart it desirous suppleness continues to diminish through evaporation as the skin ages, accelerated when exposed to heat. It diminishes through leaching as well in a non leather-safe solution, manifest as stiffness when the skin becomes dry again. Replenishing is done with “fatliquor-in-a-bottle” as a spray-on instead of the original immersion method. Fatliquor, the lifeblood of leathers derived from fats, oils and water. Looks like fresh milk, when applies penetrates the leather and hydrogen bond with the skin protein fiber. The fat plumps the skin with fullness, the oil lubricates the individual fibrils and the encasing water breaks free leaving the inter-fibrillary spaces void for transpiration. Effective fatliquoring will leave a non-greasy or non-oily surface when dry. Besides softening the skin with flatness, fatliquor enhances its rip tensile strength greatly. It relaxes coarse breaks, creases and wrinkles and prevents cracking. It helps to keep the skin at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing.
1. Spray Fatliquor-5.0, with foam brush control for an even appearance.
2. Repeat application in between drying as the water contents evaporates until it’s saturated.
3. The fully saturated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4. Use Eraser-4 to remove wicks up residue and inspect for visual satisfaction.

Hair-on-Hide (Hair Side Cleaning)
The objective of this process is to remove general surface soiling with a non-stick, rub-resistant protection.
1st phase – Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off foreign soiling with help of Suede Brush-3.
2nd phase – Wet Soil Removal:
1. Apply Cleaner-5.5, brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Spray Rinse-4.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean. 3. Let natural drying and dry towel wipe of wick-up soiling.
3rd phase – Non-Stick, Rub-Resistant Protection:
1. Shake well, mist spray Protector-S+ evenly and brush-in with towel to pick up soiling at the same time.
2. When dry thereafter groom with suede Brush-3 for best appearance and it is ready for use.

Kit Content and Product Description:

Leather Doctor® Cleaner-3.8 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Cleaner-3.8 is a pH 3.8 all purpose leather-safe anionic universal cleaner for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede. It is particularly effective in emulsifying oily soils and in suspending particulates. It works by penetrating, lubricating and suspending soiling safely and effectively through gentle chemical reaction working in perfect harmony with all leather constituents that include the tanning agent, preservative, dyestuff and especially the fatliquor.

Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0 is a pH 3.0 waterbased leather-safe universal rinse for all leather types that include pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede. It is to removes suspended soiling by towel extraction while neutralizing harmful alkaline residues and charging the protein fiber ionic positive to increase the attraction between the ionic negative leather constituent like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor.

Leather Doctor® Hydrator-3.3 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Hydrator-3.3 is a waterbased pH 3.3 leather-safe hydrator. It is a fatliquor preconditioner with multi functional abilities. Surface application is primary to check for even surface tension free of blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing. Structural application will require saturating to an optimum level with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers. The multi functional abilities include: a) to check for surface tension for an even appearance free from blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing. b) To plumps, relaxes and separates crushed, shrunk and stick together fibrils for manipulating away-unwanted creases and wrinkles. c) To rectify alkaline overexposure areas by facilitating colloidal water movement to redistribute the leather constituents from surrounding areas. d) To activate the dormant dyestuff within the leather structure for color refreshing. e) To facilitates colloidal water movement within the inter-fibrillary spaces for wicking foreign soiling particulates to resurface. f) To stabilize, pH balance and charge the protein fiber below its iso-electric point (pI) ionic positive to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively. This universal Hydrator-3.3 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Leather Doctor® Fatliquor-5.0 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Fatliquor-5.0, a micro emulsion of fat, oil and water is an anionic charged pH 5.0 fatliquor for rejuvenating all leather types. It relaxes coarse breaks, creases and wrinkles enhance suppleness and prevent cracking. It softens the leather with stretchability, compressibility and flexibility, while enhancing its rip tensile strength greatly. It is for replenishing the original fat and oil that diminishes thru sun-bleaching, ageing, heat and alkaline overexposure or cleaning. On application, the water-encased molecule breaks free when hydrogen bond attraction takes place between the fat and oil with the protein fiber. The excess free water content wicks out leaving a breathing space behind for leather natural transpiration. The fat plumps the leather with fullness from easily collapsing into creases and wrinkles during stress or flex, while the oil lubricates the fibers so that they slide over one another smoothly like millions of inter-connecting hinges. Thus helps to keep leather at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing. This universal Fatliquor-5.0 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Leather Doctor® Cleaner-5.5 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Cleaner-5.5 is a waterbased pH 5.5 wool-safe mild disinfectant cleaner. It cleans gently by penetrating, lubricating and suspending soiling through chemical reaction. It is design for hair-on-hide, woolskin, sheepskin, shearling, feather and all fabrics except rayon and silk. Leather Doctor® Rinse-4.0 (250ml) Leather Doctor® Rinse-4.0 is for hair-on-hide, woolskin, sheepskin, shearling, feather and all fabrics except rayon and silk. This is a pH 4.0 aqueous wool-safe rinse for rinsing, neutralizing and stabilizing wool and hair pH-chemistry integrity. Email [email protected] for price in quart or for trade.

Leather Doctor® Protector-S+ (120ml)
This is a non-film forming, non-stick rub resistant protector that enhances a soft natural silky-feel with an unforgettable classic leather scent. It is for imparting a non-stick breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling. Its natural silky-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus prolonging the characteristic finger writing effect of nubuck. Odorless version is available as Protector-S.

Suede Eraser-5
This is a 2½ x 2 x ¾ inch fine pumice block with corrugated side for effective nap exfoliation.

Suede Brush-3
This brass bristles detailing brush is ergonomically design to be an extension of our hand with sturdy grooved grip, designed to produce effective result easily and efficiently. It is recommend for split suede that provides tough, aggressive cleaning with mild abrasiveness; to reduce aggressiveness slant it at an angle especially for cleaning hair on hide. Length is 7 inches with a three-row bristle 1½ inches cleaning head.

3 inch Poly-Brush (1 pc)
This is a dense foam that resists tearing and shredding and carries more material. It has a solid wood handle that allows greater control for quality results. It is for controlling and spreading fatliquor for a more even distribution.

Paper Towel Rags (5 pc)
This rag works like cloth, lint free, highly absorbent and washable. General application is for extracting suspended soiling or for spreading hydrator, fatliquor or protector. It is for both dye and topcoat padding for smooth leathers.

>>> There are also numerous tears that need to be repaired, and the ears are curling, although I am not sure what if anything I could do about that.

Attachment 2174
Leather Doctor Leather Bond-3D (30ml)

Leather Doctor® Leather Bond-3D is for leather structure bonding repairs, such as abrasion, cat-scratch, and filling repairs with Stucco-90, Pigment-64, Micro-54, Anline-76 and Aniline-21. This waterbased medium soft polyurethane leather bond will not lift the leather finishes unlike other dry solvent-based glue. Works in conjunction with leather Patch-4S as sub patch and suede fibers as fillers. Excess clean up when dry will require the help of Bond-7A.

Attachment 2175
Leather Doctor® Leather Patch-4S (6” x 4”)

Leather Doctor® leather Patch-4S is use as a sub-patch during surface skin repair in conjunction with leather Bond-3D. This is 0.4mm thick vegetable tanned full-grain leather.

>>> I am considering putting some kind of backing (felt?) on it to make it easier to hang on the wall, while also protecting the skin from future holes required to hang it.

It is not a good idea to put a backing to the suede side - need to remove each time to rejuvenate it, any glue will just kill the skin from breathing, and solvent glue will dry up the skin as well.

Once product is at hand I will walk you through.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com