Ruitertassen - Leather Briefcase hot green tea burned an ugly dark stain and causing lots of cracks!

I accidentally spilled a large cup of hot green tea on my Ruitertassen briefcase, which both burned the hide -causing lots of cracks - and left an ugly dark stain. I have attached a picture below. Do you think your product, Leather Doctor Kit A5.ns – Aniline Leather Tannin-Stain Remover Kit, will be effective in evening out the stain? I'm not looking for perfection, just enough to make the bag useable and not such an eyesore. It was a beautiful bag before the mishap.

#1
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#2
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This Rutertassen leather is identified as vegetable-tanned probably naturally naked unfinished similar to saddle leathers. This is one reason the hot green tea stains it easily not just the surface but penetrated. The heat causes the leather to shrink thus resulting in cracks as the fatliquor leaches out. Besides reducing and even out the stain, the stiffness need to be restored as well to prevent further cracking, cracks are broken fibers and best to leave it alone for better aesthetic however the gap could be significantly reduce with hydrating to relax the shrunk fibers.

We notice that the color variation ranges from almost black to almost biscuit light color and to even out this range of color will need both localized and general treatment with Vachetta-2.3.

Recommended sequence of process:

Tannin stain removal:
Tea stain is tannin derived, vegetable-tanned leather is also tannin color derived thus Vachetta-2.3 will affect both the unwanted eyesore stain and the existing blotchy darkening effect to an even lightest possible existing color. The technique to remove these degrees of darkening effect to produce an even appearance is not to leave any dry area resulting in rings or lines but to feather out using more penetration to more severe areas and less to less severe area. It is after the surface is entire left to natural drying that we can see the effect of the result and repeat accordingly to satisfaction. Vachetta-2.8 application techniques may vary from direct spraying and working with horsehair Brush-1 and towel extract to see stain transfer until it shows clean as the first round and leave to dry for inspection. Sprays transferring the product into Brush-1 and towel extract or to towel for direct wiping are also options to explore for practical reason. Each stain transferring to white towel during extraction until towel shows clean and after natural drying will show progressive desired result. Cautious when handling dried leather as they may be stiff and when flexed may crack.

Shrinkage and Crack Treatment:
Hydrator-3.3 is recommended to relax the shrinkage thus reduces the crack appearance. Effective result is to leave the Hydrator-3.3 to dwell for up to 72 hours with control evaporation. Technique involves using the stretchable paper towel as reservoirs to hold the Hydrator-3.3 as it slowly seeps into the leather structure under cling wrapping. When paper turns opaque reapplication of Hydrator-3.3 is repeated until the leather is plumps up and relaxed.

Fatliquor Replenishing:
Fatliquor-5.0 is applied to the damp leather as a continuous process, as water contents evaporates more fatliquor is applied until the leather is saturated. The optimum moisture content (fat and oil) when dry for vegetable leathers should be up to 15%. Suppleness of leather will return with softness and strength thus reduces stiffness and prevents cracking.


Surface Protection:
Protector-D is a non-film forming, non-stick scentless protector that enhances a natural draggy-feel. It imparts a non-stick breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling. Its natural draggy-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus reduce stretch, scuff and abrasion. It is also used as a scuff repairer, filling and concealing surface scuffs to improve appearance.


Products mentioned are found in this Kit V3


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com
[email protected]


Attachment 3409
Leather Doctor Kit V3 – Vachetta Leather Browning Removal Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit V3, unfinished leather care system is design for corrective appearance of vachetta, saddlery and veg-tan leathers from browning liquid stains. These alkaline pH sensitive leathers when neglected often suffer unsightly browning stain marks from a variety of liquid sources. Even apparent clean rain and tap water often leave a lightening spot with an outer ring. The pH 7 alone of water will often cause a rippling effect on the tannin that destabilize and causes it to moves. Browning correction is performed by using Vachetta-2.8, a pH 2.8 specialty leather cleaner that is particularly effective in emulsifying oily soiling, redox mild brass tarnish, lightening suntan and water staining effect. A holistic system includes rejuvenating the leather structure for softness with Hydrator-3.3 to relax, follows with Fatliquor-5.0 to soften when dry and protecting with the healing properties of Protector-D thereafter. The lightening effect takes place when the leather dries. When leather is wet and dry again, it will often stiff up, as the fibers becomes stick closer together. Hydrator-3.3 helps separate and open up the inter-fibrillary spaces preconditioning for effective Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing to lubricate for leather flexing smoothness from cracking. Replenishing the leather structure with fat and oil after browning corrective cleaning besides the softening effect also prevents the ingress of liquid stains as a preventive measure. When leather is full of fat and oil, it makes the leather less absorbent. Fat and oil conditioning or rejuvenating with Fatliquor-5.0 mellows and enrich the appearance of the leather while most oil conditioners will simply darkens and dulls the appearance poorly. Protector-D enhances a rub resistant draggy-feel against friction rubs and is use routinely to conceal and fill scuffmarks. Body contact areas should be clean routinely with Clean-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0, thereafter applied with non-stick protection and commence for another cycle of use. Darken and prolong body grease and sweat contacts will require a degreasing process with Degreaser-2.2 follows with Acidifier-2.0 in most cases. Preventive cleaning and protection to shield against sticky soiling, with the abilities to heal and conceal lightening scuff and abrasion marks keeps the leather appearance level high at all times rather than relying on corrective or salvage cleaning where the cleaning appearance deteriorates and diminishes with each cycle. Note that the mentioned products suffix numbers denotes its pH value in this holistic approach to removing vegetable, plant and water stains from vachetta, saddlery and veg-tan leathers.