Previously painted chair

I purchased this painted chair as a restoration project for $50. It was made by the Old Hickory Tannery around 2001. I believe it may be aniline leather. After trial and error I was able to remove almost all paint however I had to resort to using paint stripper as nothing else worked. Once most of the paint was removed I used mineral spirits, then Dawn dish soap and warm water to remove any left over residue.I have been using a high pressure steamer to soften and remove the remaining paint chips from the seams. The seat and seat back are dry, stiff and cracked. The arms have more significant damage I am hoping can be salvaged. I can’t tell if the darkness on the arm rest is soiled or if the leather has been compromised with the harsh solvents I used. It has always been much darker than the rest leading me to believe it was heavily soiled before it was painted. However it is tacky and peeling now. I tried using leather cleaner and conditioner which has lightened it some but I am afraid I am just causing more damage.

What can I do to salvage this chair? It is otherwise in good used condition. I’m not opposed to dying if needed but I would like to try to keep the original light color if possible.

>>> I believe it may be aniline leather.

Aniline is a transparent dyestuff that is usually dyed through the back, to the reverse suede sides, if there is the same color shade as the front, then it is aniline leather.


>>> After trial and error I was able to remove almost all paint however I had to resort to using paint stripper as nothing else worked.

If you are removing 'all paint' then it is not aniline leather and is considered as 'pigmented' leather with an opaque coloring. Using a paint remover dries up the already diminished fatliquor (fat and oil). So the leather becomes drier. Note: This could be an aniline leather and have been refinished with 'pigment' to cover up the the stains.


>>> Once most of the paint was removed I used mineral spirits,

Mineral spirits again dries up the leather further.


>>> then Dawn dish soap and warm water to remove any left over residue.

According to the Materials Safety Data Sheets, the pH level of Dawn dish soap is between 8.7 and 9.3. Remember the pH value of leather is between 3 and 5. Note that leather is an amphoteric protein material and this pH of 8.7 and 9.3 shifts the anionic positive charge from positive (+ve) to negative (-ve) causing the other negative (-ve) leather constituents like the dyestuff, tanning agents, and fatliquor to loose its ionic attraction and leached out reverting the leather to rawhide, these side effects are manifested as dye bleeding if the leather is aniline dyed, tackiness when the leather is tested with wet fingers, and cloudy residue from migrating fat and oils.


>>> I have been using a high pressure steamer to soften and remove the remaining paint chips from the seams.

Any hot steam will further evaporate the fatliquor (fat and oil)as fat and oil are VOC volatile organic compound.


>>> The seat and seat back are dry, stiff and cracked.

These problems and damages are due to not using proven 'leather-safe' products.


>>> The arms have more significant damage I am hoping can be salvaged. I can’t tell if the darkness on the arm rest is soiled or if the leather has been compromised with the harsh solvents I used.

Looks like the darkening effect is from body oil, grease, and sweat. It can be improved with a water-based leather-safe degreasing system.


>>> It has always been much darker than the rest leading me to believe it was heavily soiled before it was painted.

Yes, I agree.


>>> However it is tacky and peeling now. I tried using leather cleaner and conditioner which has lightened it some but I am afraid I am just causing more damage.

The pH value of any product has to be known since we are working with leather that has a pH value of 3 and 5.


>>> What can I do to salvage this chair?

There are 2 parts involved in salvaging this chair. Restoring the leather structure to its chemistry integrity with softness and strength and the other part is the repairs and refinishing.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Attachment 11019
Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected],
email: [email protected]
phone: 604 773 1878

>> The pH value of any product has to be known since we are working with leather that has a pH value of 3 and 5.

What is the best way to find this out? I didn’t paint the chair, I purchased it this way so I don’t know what products were previously applied. What products would you recommend I use to restore and repair it?

>> The pH value of any product has to be known since we are working with leather that has a pH value of 3 and 5.What is the best way to find this out?

The making of leather from the modern tannery is made up of 2 phases, the 'wet phase' and the 'dry phase'.

The wet phase is pH sensitive since leather has its other leather constitutions like dyestuff, tanning agent, and fatliquor that is hydrogen bond to the leather protein fiber. The pH value should be found in the product description, example Leather Doctor product name used for the 'wet phase' suffix number is the pH value of the products, Acidifier 2.0, is a product that has a pH value of 2.0.

The dry phase is the repair and refinishing and only water-based products are recommended. Solvent-based products will again dry up the leather. This product base is usually found in the description.


>>> I didn’t paint the chair, I purchased it this way so I don’t know what products were previously applied.

What products used to paint the chair, has no relevance from now on.


>>> What products would you recommend I use to restore it?

There are 2 product systems used for restoration, 1st Degreasing System and the
2nd Softening System.

The 1st-step Degreasing System is to remove the darkening effect from oil, grease, and sweat contamination. The result is free from the darkening effect and the leather has to shift from an unhealthy "tacky" to a healthy squeaky feel. This is the pH-balancing chemical reaction that shifts from an ionic negative (-ve) to an ionic positive (+ve) charge. Preparing for the ionic negative (-ve) Fatliquor 5.0 to hydrogen bond with the leather protein fiber resulting in softening up the leather.

The recommended product system is Degreaser 2.2
https://leatherdoctor.com/degreaser-2-2/
and Acidifier 2.0.
https://leatherdoctor.com/acidifier-2-0/
and work with leather Brush 1
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-brush-1/
and Leather Eraser 4
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-eraser-4/

The 2nd-step Softening System is softening and strengthening the leather structure. This is performed with Hydrator 3.3
https://leatherdoctor.com/hydrator-3-3/
and Fatliquor 5.0
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-fatliquor-5-0/


>>> What products would you recommend I use to repair it?

There are 7-step systems comprised of

1st Stain Dyeing,

2nd Structure Strengthening,

3rd Crack Repairing,

4th Abrasion Repairing,

5th Coat Dyeing,

6th Top Coating, and

7th Rub-Resistant Protection.

Stain Dyeing, the 1st step is recommended with deep staining into the leather structure with expected blotchiness or uneven absorption with Aniline 21 (to be corrected with Aniline 76 before the final sealing of the dyestuff)
https://leatherdoctor.com/aniline-21/

Structure Strengthening is recommended to strengthen the cracking leathers with Impregnator 26
https://leatherdoctor.com/impregnator-26/

Crack Repairing, the 2nd step is to fill with a mix of shaved suede fibers dyed to match with Bond 3D
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-bond-3d/

Abrasion Repairing, the 3rd step is to smooth the grain of the rough leather surface with Adhesor 73
https://leatherdoctor.com/adhesor-73/

Coat Dyeing, the 4th step is to even out the color appearance with Aniline 76.
https://leatherdoctor.com/aniline-76/

Top Coating, the 5th step is to seal the dyestuff with Aniline Top 76G.
https://leatherdoctor.com/aniline-top-76g/

Rub-Resistant Protection, the 6th step is to protect the finished leather with a non-stick rub-resistant protection with a buttery feel, with an option with a leather scent to charm leather lovers with Protector B'plus.
https://leatherdoctor.com/protector-bplus/

>>> What products would you recommend I use to restore it?

The product system I mentioned in my earlier post is found in these 2 kits . . .

Attachment 11020
Aniline Leather Redyeing Kit A7.cl
https://leatherdoctor.com/aniline-le...ing-kit-a7-cl/


Attachment 11021
Leather Repair Kit A8.r
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-repair-kit-a8-r/