King Ranch Leather Interior Restoration

I recently bought a set of 2003-2007 King Ranch leather seats.
They haven't really been maintained and are now dry and stiff with some cracking.
I wanted to restore the leather to as best of condition I can and redye the seats to get the original color back.
I was looking through the "Problem solving matrix" that you have on the King Ranch page, but I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be missing anything.
I've also included pictures for your benefit.
It definitely looks worse in real life.
You can't tell how stiff it is.
The back seats aren't that bad, but if I would rather do it too all the seats to make it even.

So my question is: which products do I need to remove some blackening and discoloring from oil (on the armrest and console), bring the softness back, and redye the leather?
Also would I be able to do 2 center consoles, 2 front and 2 rear captian's chairs with a bottle of each?


#1
Attachment 6818


#2
Attachment 6819


#3
Attachment 6820


#4
Attachment 6821


#5
Attachment 6822


#6
Attachment 6823


#7
Attachment 6824


#8
Attachment 6825

Hey thanks for posting this for me. I'm about to upload some more pictures so you can get a better look at the front and rear seats. I've also read Kevvy55's thread from top to bottom. Seemed like for his results he used Stripper 2.3 -> Leather eraser -> Rinse 3.0 -> Degreaser 2.2 -> Hydrator 3.3 -> paper towel spot cleaning -> Fatliquor 5.0 -> Adhesor 73, which seemed to yield the best results by the looks of it, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. He never did show final results after he finished the spot cleaning, but I would assume the next steps would have been the Fatliquor 5.0 and Adhesor 73 like he did on the console.

Here are the driver's seats
#1
Attachment 6827

#2
Attachment 6828

#3
Attachment 6829

#4
Attachment 6830

#5
Attachment 6831

#6
Attachment 6832

#7
Attachment 6833

#8
Attachment 6834

#9
Attachment 6835

Here is the passengers seat

#1
Attachment 6836

#2
Attachment 6837

#3
Attachment 6838

#4
Attachment 6839

#5
Attachment 6840

#6
Attachment 6841

#7
Attachment 6842

#8
Attachment 6843

#9
Attachment 6844

Here are the Rear right and leaft seats respectively

Right #1
Attachment 6845

#2
Attachment 6846

#3
Attachment 6847

#4
Attachment 6848

#5
Attachment 6849

#6
Attachment 6850

Left #1
Attachment 6851

#2
Attachment 6852

#3
Attachment 6853

#4
Attachment 6854

Use this Aniline (A.k) King Ranch Leathers Problem Solving Matrix as reference
Attachment 6855


>>> which products do I need to remove some blackening and discoloring from oil (on the armrest and console), bring the softness back, and redye the leather?

“blackening and discoloring from oil (on the armrest and console),” is removed under “Stain Type” from the matrix row B1 and there are 6 steps you may follow accordingly.
“bring the softness back” is under “Structure Problems” from the matrix row F1 basically 2 steps Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system, the third step is the protector that reduce wear to the leather.
“redye the leather?” or rather refinishing the leather has three options
Refinishing Options 1: Adhesor-73 > AnilineTop-76G > Protector-B
Refinishing Options 2: Adhesor-73 > Aniline-76 > AnilineTop-76G > Protector-B
Refinishing Options 3: Adhesor-73 > Micro-54 > Aniline-76 > AnilineTop-76G > Protector-B

Repairs to cracking is prior to refinishing – see Row F3

Other stains removing is after Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0


>>> Also would I be able to do 2 center consoles, 2 front and 2 rear captian's chairs with a bottle of each?

Recommend that you start with the smallest surface areas like the armrest or the console and you will know how much you would need for each of the products to finish your project.

Stripper-2.3 > Rinse-3.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system may be combine in used after Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 for surface cleaning of deteriorated finishes if any.

In every drying cycle ensure to ends with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system to ensure that the leather have sufficient “fat and oil” to impart suppleness to the leather from further cracking.


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

Okay great, thank you! I'll get those ordered and update with pictures as I go!

Hey Roger,

So I've done all the steps on the detached seat base (stripper>degreaser>acidifier>clean>rinse>hydrator>fatliquor>hydrator>protector B). Yet it's still very dark and it isn't smooth. It's much softer than before but it's not smooth like it should be. The picture shows the drivers seat (left) rear passanger seat (right) and the front passenger seat (front & detached).The rear seat is in great condition: soft, buttery and smooth, however I can't get the front ones even remotely close to matching the rear. Anything I'm doing wrong, or need to do differently to obtain the results I want? Thanks!

Attachment 6905

>>> Yet it's still very dark
Most of these “still very dark” are penetrated soiling that are still below the surface and some on the surface. For above surface removal leather Eraser-4 is used for better traction to remove surface soiling particulates both during the wet cleaning and after drying. For below surface moving up the surface to be erased you will need sufficient Degreaser-2.2 to do so and rinsing below the surface will require sufficient amount of Hydrator-3.3 to flood it up. Complete removal may require repeated removal at each drying cycle. The towel T-5 is also used as an extension of the leather surface so that each drying cycle the wick through soiling particulates are peel off instead of depositing on the leather surface.


>>> and it isn't smooth. It's much softer than before but it's not smooth like it should be.

Smoothness of the cracks is improved with sufficient hydrating with Hydrator-3.3 and the technique may include using the Towel-5 as a reservoir and control evaporation with a cling wrapper. This technique will ensure that the hydrator goes into the leather structure to relax it rather than just evaporating off wasted. The crack gaps will close-up when the leather thickness is fully saturated maybe up to 72hours. There after Fatliquor-5.0 continues to takes its place. It is the resulting fat and oil that remains on the leather structure that will maintain the suppleness of the leather and reduces the cracks opening gaps. Repeat the Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 process to improve the edges of the cracks.


>>> The rear seat is in great condition: soft, buttery and smooth, however I can't get the front ones even remotely close to matching the rear.
Anything I'm doing wrong, or need to do differently to obtain the results I want? Thanks!
The leather Eraser-4
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/leathereraser-4/
mentioned above for both the wet cleaning and the dry erasing will definitely show better result. As mentioned earlier, most of the darkening effect are foreign contamination that will need to float to the surface so repeat Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 to get it out. Finally the last option is to use Vachetta-2.8
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/vachetta-2-8/ to correct appearance by redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction will lighten up vegetable-tanned leathers – See the Matrix on “Stain Type” Row B1 . . .

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

Here are some examples how to flush out the penetrated darkening stains . . .

#1 The leather is saturated with Hydrator-3.3 until a little moisture ooze out when press between finger and thumb, then seal off with plastic sheet to control evaporation.
Attachment 6906


#2 Towel-5 is used as an extension of the leather surface without any air space.
Attachment 6907


#3 When dry the Towel-5 tightens up and foreign soiling particulates wick through to be peeled off and leather Eraser-4 works to remove soiling remnants. And may be repeated until the towel shows no soiling.
Attachment 6908

So let me get this straight. When using the towel method I only use Hydrator 3.3 with the towels then use Fatliquor 5.0 and Hydrator 3.3 again after the Towel 5 is removed? Or do i use Hydrator 3.3 -> Fatliquor 5.0 -> Hydrator 3.3 -> Towel 5?

Also for using Degreaser 2.2, do I apply it to the foam brush then wipe it on or apply it directly to the leather then use the brush to evenly distribute?

1 – Degreaser-2.2 - purpose is to degrease penetrated soiling.
Application is to reach the depth of the dark appearing soiling, horizontal distribution maybe by foam brush or detailing brush however more important is to work with the horsehair Brush-1 into the depth of the soiling.

2 – Surface rinsing is performed with Acidifier-2.0, which also acts to pH balance the ‘sweat’ contamination with a dry cotton extraction.

3 – Deep rinsing will require Hydrator-3.3 to disperse emulsified soiling particulates to the surface and time plays an important factor for it to floats to the surface, and fully saturating it and evaporation control with plastic covering facilitates the soiling removal to the surface. The Towel-5 used to become an extension of the leather surface helps to wick the soiling through and when dry is easily to peel off.

4 – An option during the Hydrator-3.3 process is to removed the partially damaged topcoat with Razor-60
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/razor-60/
and refinish with a new topcoat to seal off the damaged cracking existing topcoat.

#1
Attachment 6909


#2
Attachment 6910


#3
Attachment 6911


#4
Attachment 6912


5 - The stain removal process may be repeat until satisfactory prior to Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system. The 1st part of the Hydrator-3.3 in this system is to precondition the leather to easily accept the Fatliquor-5.0. The 3rd part of the Hydrator-3.3 is for rinsing off any Fatliquor-5.0 residue from the leather surface. The previous Hydrator-3.3 under plastic wrapping is to move penetrated soiling particulates to the leather surface.

Here is an example of Topcoat Refinishing.

#1 - Before
Attachment 6913

#2 - Poor result that need redo
Attachment 6914

#3 - After redo
Attachment 6915