White Vintage Coat Has Small Tears and Cracks

This whole coat needs cleaned. The leather is soft and appears to have a waxy coating. It has a few tears. The leather looks like it is cracking in areas.

This is the dirtiest part of the coat and as you see is heavily soiled.
Attachment 2228

Does this small tear need to be fixed?
Or can the leather be cleaned & restored without repairing?
Attachment 2229

This shows cracks and wear.
Attachment 2230

A closer look at the cracks.
Do they need special care or will the clean, rinse, & fatliquor be all it needs?
Attachment 2231

Another view of a tear.
Can the coat be whitened or bleached?
Attachment 2232

Thanks and Blessing to all.

>>> This is the dirtiest part of the coat and as you see is heavily soiled.

A general restorative cleaning is done with Kit P3, use the Pigmented (P.m) Leather Problem Solving Guide for reference for specialty solution to the problem.

Attachment 2246


Attachment 2247
Leather Doctor Kit P3 – Pigmented Leather Care Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit P3, pigmented leather care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system developed for keeping leather at their highest level of appearance besides maintaining their structural chemistry integrity and enhancing their suppleness. Pigmented finishes develop micro crazing as it ages and heat dries out the fat and oil from these weak point and stitching holes. The diminishing of the fat and oil empties the leather that results in creases and wrinkles. Stiffness to the leather is another sign of fat and oil diminishing that collapse the inter fibrillary spaces making the fiber becomes stick together and when flexed during used will lead to cracks. Periodic use of Hydrator-3.3 to hydrate the stick together fibers prior to fat and oil replenishing with Fatliquor-5.0 will keep the leather supple and strong. Thus, reduce the premature ageing of the leather against stiffness and cracking. The surface wear of the leather is greatly reduced when friction noise is kept low. The noise reduction is accomplished with rub-resistant Protector-B+ that imparts a natural buttery-feel. Periodic cleaning and rinsing with Cleaner-3.8 follows by Rinse-3.0 to the body contact area helps reduce greasy soiling build-up. Removing of unwanted stains such as ink or the common new blue jeans is accomplished with Prep-7.7. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system.


>>> Does this small tear need to be fixed? Or can the leather be cleaned & restored without repairing?

Use this leather Bond-3D, since it is a clean flap; suggest clean (Prep-7.7 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0) the surrounding area prior to bonding it.


Attachment 2248
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.


>>> A closer look at the cracks. Do they need special care or will the clean, rinse, & fatliquor be all it needs?

Cracks to the leather structure leads to the finishes cracks. Restorative cleaning – Prep-7.7 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0, then first repair the structure before repairing the finish for long lasting repairs in this sequence – Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Impregnator-26 > Bond-3D, follows by finish repairs – Adhesor-73 > Micro-54 (Micro Pigment color) > MicroTop-54S (satin) > Protector-B+.


>>> Another view of a tear. Can the coat be whitened or bleached?

Restorative cleaning with Prep-7.7 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 will return the appearance close to the original. Next is a refreshing color as necessary. Bleach is not recommended for this leather.



Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com