Stickley leather chairs bad reaction to acidifier and rinse 3.0

Hello,
I started to restore the chairs by using the degreaser. The chair arms were whitish and dry. They loved the degreaser, they browed up and got shinier. Then I began to rinse with acidifier 2.0 and rinse 3.0. Some brown dye came up on the towel, not much. But the leather turned white and very suede-like. It is alarming. Should I keep going or just use the degreaser and let that dry? I was agitating with the small brush lightly.

I am not sure what to do next. I fear I have caused more damage to the chair. Should I go to fatliquor next? Should I try to continue to clean the sweat/grease/stains? If I could have the leather back to a nice texture even with a few stains, I would be happy. Please tell me how to restore the texture and feel of the leather. Thank you.

I have attached a few pictures of the chair before I started and then (what shows up as the first picture below, close up of the arm) a picture of a close up of how the leather turned white and sueded after I used the rinser and acidifier.

Thanks,
Kate

What you describe will require a topcoat refinishing to the worn areas. And AnilineTop-76G will restore the sheen back closed to the surrounding areas. See the below instructions:

Attachment 10099

http://www.leatherdoctor.com/leather...ing-kit-a6-tc/

Let me know if you need further help.

Topcoat Refinishing Instruction:

Leather Doctor Kit-A6.tc Wet Process is a continuous system that includes the working sequence of Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Rinse-3.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0. The leather is at a continuous wet stage of about 25% total moisture measured with a moisture meter or wipes with a cotton terry towel until it is dry through the product applications. It is then left to slow natural dry and when almost dry a little stretching to dry produces the softest leather, in terms of suppleness and strength. The dry process begins with Eraser-4 to remove wick-up surface residues. AnilineTop-76G is applied with foam brush, varnishing brushes, padding or by airbrushing. Recommend that a little practice on a piece of leather scrap to familiar with characteristics prior to actual application. Sand2000 may be an option to use in-between coatings. Sanding on the leather crust alone is not recommended. Protector-B/B+ is the end of the Dry Process.

Degreasing: Removing of surface and penetrated grease is essential for a good bonding topcoat, just like any other refinishing work base on the same principle. However, amphoteric protein leather material is especially pH-sensitive, leather pH value of 3 to 5 should be maintained at all time during the degreasing process. Otherwise, high pH value bleeds the dyestuff and displaced it with blotchiness. High pH or alkalinity degreaser denatures the leather when the tanning agents leaches out result in tackiness and in worst case sliminess. All degreasing process will also dry up the original fatliquor to a degree and high pH value does more harm in drying up the leather. When degreasing existing cracks or dried leathers of fatliquor contents below 7% (read with a leather moisture meter), it is recommended that hydrating it with Hydrator-3.3 prior to Fatliquor-5.0 first to top-up the fatliquor content up to the original 14% prior to degreasing. This pre leather rejuvenating helps prevent over-drying of the leather during the degreasing process that may accentuate or magnifies existing cracks. Degreaser-2.2 is a dual-purpose formulation with a pH value of 2.2 to safely degreasing the leather surface and penetrated soiling, while charging the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) below its iso electric-point or pH neutral or pI for an increase hydrogen bonding with the other ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor. Instruction . . . 1- Apply Degreaser-2.2 after shaking it well, saturating sufficiently where apparent body contact soiling is evident and feather out to less body contact soiling areas. 2- Leather Eraser-4 is used for better traction without the risk of scratching the finishes. 3- Horsehair Brush-1 is used for stitching rows, welting, groves, creases, and wrinkles, 4- Emulsified and suspended soiling is extracted with a dry cotton terry towel until it shows clean.

pH-Balancing: Dye bleeding and or tackiness during the wet cleaning process manifested from unknown previous cleaning will need further pH-balancing with Acidifier-2.0. With a pH-2.0 treatment, the amphoteric leather protein fiber will increase its ionic positive (+ve) charge in relation to the other ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents, restoring its pH chemistry integrity. Instruction . . . 1- Apply Acidifier-2.0, let dwell and before it dries towel extracted. 2- Towel is check for signs of bleeding and surface check for tackiness. 3- Advanced treatment is allowed for a longer dwell with control plastic covering and inspect for satisfaction thereafter.

Rinsing: Rinsing ensures a residue-free surface. Instruction . . . 1- Apply Rinse-3.0 agitates with Eraser-4 and Brush-1 and terry towel extract until the towel shows clean.

Hydrating: Hydrating is introducing the leather-safe surface-active agent to penetrate, relax and separate the stick together fibers from locking up shrunk, creases and wrinkles stiffness. The leather may dwell up to 72hrs while seal with plastic cling wrapper to control evaporation until the leather is plumped or limped or softened to be stretch or manipulated crosswise to satisfaction. Instruction . . . 1- Apply Hydrator-3.3 for an even appearance and fully saturated to relax out the leather structure to satisfaction. 2- When leather is almost dry or about 25% total moisture content Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing commences.

Fatliquoring: Fatliquoring is the process of replenishing original fatliquor content up to its formal tannery standard of 14% when dry. The fat and oil encased water molecule when ionic attracted by the protein leather fiber breaks free and evaporates leaving breathing space for natural leather transpiration to take place for seating comfort. The fat plumps the leather for fullness when dry and the oil lubricates the millions of interconnecting like hinges for suppleness without cracking when the leather is flexed from used. Instruction . . . 1- Apply Fatliquor-5.0 and spread for an even appearance until fully saturated. 2- Before the leather is completely dry or about 25% moisture level more is applied until saturated again. 3- When dry for use, the leather moisture content may be read with a leather moisture meter or an equivalent moisture meter to about 14%.

Fatliquor-Free Surfacing: Surface Fatliquor-5.0 residue if any is removed with Hydrator-3.3 driving all surface residues below surface. Remember that Fatliquor-5.0 is a structural conditioner and not suppose to remain on the surface. Instruction . . . 1- Surface is sprayed with Hydrator-3.3 and work with horsehair Brush-1 until cloudy moisture if any turns clear.

Topcoating: AnilineTop-21/76G is a waterbased polyurethane topcoat that is lightfast and non-yellowing. It has excellent flow and leveling properties, recoatable and forms a flexible film coat that gives good performing results from friction wear. Instruction . . . 1- Application is either with foamBrush-3, Towel-5 or fine airbrushing to produce professional results. 2- Streaking or drippings if any is immediately corrected with a lint-free towel like Towel-5. 3- Sanding with a 2000grit in between coats improves the feel and touch of the finishes. 4- Gloss builds up with additional coatings.

Protection: Protector-B is a non-film forming, non-stick scentless (optional Protector-B+ for a classic leather scent) protector that enhances a natural buttery-feel. It imparts a non-stick breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling. Its natural buttery-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus reduce stretch, scuff, and abrasion. Instruction . . . 1- Shake well, mist spray and spread evenly with a foam brush. The leather is ready for use when dry.

Attachment 10100
Roger Koh
Leather, Skin, Hair, Eye & Acne Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]

Hello,
I did the degreaser steps through fatliquor. The leather still looks whitish and dry. Should I do the fatliquor/hydrate steps again? Or is the leather ready for the topcoat 21? Also, whenever I spray hydrate it gets very white. Is it possible it needs the baser product because it's too much acid? I have added another picture, although it looks similar to the first pictures.
Thank you for your response. (This is very stressful as I still feel like I'm ruining the chairs.)

>>> The leather still looks whitish and dry.

Am I right to say that this "whitish and dry" only appears in the worn areas?

If it is so, then do a little test with a cotton bud with AnilineTop-21 (a few coatings) at the near edge to see the difference.

Show us a picture.

>>> Also, whenever I spray hydrate it gets very white. Is it possible it needs the baser product because it's too much acid?

Top coating it should return back to original.