Deep Vachetta water damage

Vachetta is a vegetable-tanned leather that is pH sensitive, water with a pH value of 7 will cause browning rings and alkaline soap mixed with a higher pH value will darken it more. Besides the discoloration, the leather becomes stiff and when flex may crack. With a pH value above 7 the fatliquor (fat and oil) also migrate causing the leather stiffness and will need to be replenished accordingly.

A holistic approach to rectify the discoloration and restore the suppleness is as follows:

VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Vachetta-2.8 > Protector-D.

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Attachment 9949

Vachetta Leather Browning Remover - Kit-V3 by Leather Doctor is updated to include the VachettaLeatherPro-1.2 > LeatherAcidifier-2.0 system to remove the general accumulated soiling and also to pH balance alkaline liquid over-exposure that causes the browning discoloration. Alkaline pH-sensitive Vachetta leathers when neglected often suffer unsightly browning stain marks from a variety of liquid sources. Even apparent clean rain or tap water often leaves a lightening spot with an outer ring. The pH 7 alone of water will often cause a rippling effect on the tannin that destabilizes and causes it to move. The higher the pH value above water the darker the browning stain becomes. Browning correction is performed in two stages, a pre-cleaning, and a post-treatment. Pre-cleaning soiling removal in combination with pH balancing the leather structure improves the appearance and returns the pH chemistry integrity to its original pH neutral of between 3 and 5. When pre-cleaning becomes satisfactory it is essential that leather rejuvenating continue while the leather is about 25% combined moisture level or terry towel extract until the towel shows dry. The reason being that when leather is wet and dry without sufficient fatliquor it will shrink and in extreme cases cracks when dry with insufficient fatliquor. A 15% of fat and oil moisture read with a leather moisture meter or equivalent when perfectly dry without the water content is a healthy leather and would never crack. Leather rejuvenating with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 is a 1st-step hydrating the leather structure of stiffness and separates any stick together leather fibrils free or preconditioning it prior to the 2nd-step of fatliquor replenishing it. 5/6 of the fatliquor water contents will evaporate and only leaves 1/6 of the remaining fat and oil, the fat plumps the leather with fullness, and the oil lubricates the fibrils like millions of interlocking hinges for sliding over one another for suppleness with softness and tensile-strength from breaking. A fully saturated fat and oil with breathing pores make the natural leather less absorbent to any liquid ingress. The 3rd-step is to remove any fatliquor fat and oil remnants that turns milky again from the leather surface with Hydrator-3.3, and preferably to move it into the leather instead with the horsehair Brush-1. Slow drying will produce a softer leather and flexing or massaging it while almost dry also helps in extra desired suppleness. The leather is scrutinized once again when dry for discoloration or undesired sun-tanning or aging effect. It is then rejuvenated with a redox (reduction-oxidation) treatment using Vachetta-2.8. It is applied, brushed and towel extracted until the towel shows clean. The final treatment is to even out and left to dry naturally for the product to take effect. Any powdery residue is wiped off with Hydrator-3.3 and let slow dry again. Protector-D enhances a rub-resistant draggy-feel against friction rubs and is used routinely to conceal and fill scuff marks. Body contact areas should be cleaned routinely with Clean-3.8 followed by 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 > Acidifier-2.0 system in most cases. Preventive cleaning and protection to shield against sticky soiling, with the ability 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 denote its pH value in this holistic approach to removing the vegetable, plant, and water stains from vachetta, saddlery, and veg-tan leathers.

Tips 1– Cracks Control:
Aged, dried, or signs of leather cracking should be first leather rejuvenated with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system and let dry prior to Vachetta-2.8 treatment. This precaution is to prevent any further cracking accelerated to the leather. In other words, any leather dryness less then 7% of original fatliquor moisture content measured with a leather moisture meter or an equivalent wood moisture meter should first be rejuvenated to top up or replenish to its original fatliquor up to 15% prior to treatment with Vachetta-2.8. Due to the “Van der Waal '' or “London Forces' ' phenomenon in the drying process, the empty or insufficient fatliquor in the leather fiber structure is likely to result in stiff leather as the fibers become stuck together. Slower natural drying will reduce the stiffness ill effect from the lack of fatliquor

Tips 2– Appearance Control:
Water stain spotting may be done with a cotton swab until it shows clean. It is recommended that the entire panel be treated equally to an even appearance to eliminate any rings when dry thereafter. The treated panel may take up a lightening effect as it also reduces the sun tanning effect if any and recommends that the entire article be treated accordingly. Always pre-clean with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 prior to post-treatment with Vachetta-2.8 so as not to over-clean it too early.

Tips 3– Suppleness Control:
Unlike other leather tanning types, vegetable-tanned leathers are more susceptible to cracks as it is characteristically more fatliquor thirsty. Dry leathers are handled with care for inspection and continue with rejuvenating it with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.

Tips 4– Sealing and Concealing Scuffing Control:
The final of the holistic Vachetta care system ends with Protector-D or the leather scented version of Protector-D+ to seal and conceal scuffing leaving the leather with its natural transpiration. For a lighter appearance "D" is recommended.

Instruction

A– Browning Discoloration Removal with VachettaPro-1.2 > Acidifier-2.0 system: A1- Dry soil removal with horsehair Brush-1: terry towel or optional Eraser-4 depending on soiling severity prior to product application. A2- Pre-cleaning with VachettaPro-1.2: spray and saturate evenly with simultaneous agitation from horsehair Brush-1 and/or optional Eraser-4 for an even appearance and towel extract until it shows clean. Another option is to use a saturate cotton swab or a terry towel to do a test cleaning until it shows clean. Extend cleaning to the entire panel without leaving any dry area until the towel shows clean for an even appearance. A3- Rinsing with Acidifier-2.0: spray and agitate with horsehair Brush-1 and towel extract until it shows clean. Proceed with Hydrator-3.3 while the leather is still damp.

B– Hydrating with Hydrator-3.3: Hydrator-3.3 is evenly applied, agitated and spread with horsehair Brush-1 or PolyBrush-3” and towel extract for an even appearance prior to Fatliquor-5.0. Proceed with Fatliquor-5.0 while the leather is still damp.

C– Fatliquor Replenishing with Fatliquor-5.0: Fatliquor-5.0 is a continuous process that proceeds immediately after satisfactory Hydrator-3.3 appearance inspection.The process is repeated when the leather is almost dry until the leather is saturated before it is let to a slow natural drying process. It will take up a seasoning effect in relation to the amount of fatliquor intake. 15% of fat and oil moisture level without any water content is the optimum moisture level when the leather is completely dry. Fat and oil moisture content is measurable with a leather moisture meter or equivalent. Penetrated stains are further fully saturated with Hydrator-3.3 allowing for structural water movement to float or wick any soiling particulates to the surface. The entire surface may be cling wrapped to control evaporation keeping at the highest level of moisture content for up to 72hrs. The cling wrapper may be removed and wicks up the soiling towel extracted until the towel shows clean. Fresh application is applied and ‘reverse-transfer’ technique with Towel-5 replaces the cling wrapper. Air bubbles or spaces are worked out taut or stretch-tight with horsehair Brush-1 and let to dry. As the surface dries and the Towel-5 shrinks it will wick all water contents bringing soiling particulates through the Towel-5. It is then peel off the surface trapping the soiling particulates.

D– Redox (reduction-oxidation) treatment with Vachetta-2.8: Product may be adjusted with distilled water to match desired appearance. D1- This product is highly recommended to treat leather after drying from Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system. D2- Shake well, spray and saturate with horsehair Brush-1 or FoamBrush-3” for an even appearance and towel extract until it shows clean. D3- Extend cleaning to the entire panel when the towel shows clean for an even appearance working out line or rings to an even appearance without leaving any dry area. D4- Let natural drying and inspect the result. D5- Note: In most cases the treated panels will look lighter than other untreated panels, as the product not only corrects discoloration, it also reduces any ageing or sun-tanning effect (adjustment is made by an initial test and adjust product concentration accordingly with distilled water ratio 1: 1). The entire article is therefore recommended to be treated accordingly for an overall appearance.

E– Sealing and Concealing Light Abrasion and Scuffing with Protector-D: Protector-D is applied for sealing and concealing light abrasion and scuffing, besides shielding the leather from the detrimental effect, soiling becomes easier to remove during the routine care.

Attachment 9948
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]