Is there a way to clean and revive a faded calfskin bag or is this type of leather known by another name? Thanks
Printable View
Is there a way to clean and revive a faded calfskin bag or is this type of leather known by another name? Thanks
Fading suggest that the leather is "aniline" dyed.
However, the finishes may defer, example could be a smooth leather or could be nubuck or suede.
Products used for cleaning may be the same for aniline dyed leathers but tools like brushes and erasers may defer to match the finishing.
Revive (leather suppleness):
Leather softness is revive by hydrating follows with fat and oil replenishing.
Revive (color):
Leather that fades are usually aniline dyed through the thickness. The below surface dormant dyestuff could be reactivated with hydrating to resurface. Fatliquor replenishing will in most cases improves the appearance as well.
Name:
Leather may be known by name from a)origin or b) finish types. In cleaning and restoration, we are more interested in the finishing types.
Please attach pictures for specific answers.
Roger
www.LeatherDoctor.com
This bag was described as being "distressed". The fading is where the bag is turning more "pink". The bottom of the bag seems fine, not as faded. I would still like to fix/even out the color. What would you suggest?
“Distressed”
Distressed could either be a smooth leather with differing intensity of dye absorbency also known as “sauvage” as seen from picture #2.
Or it could be a smooth finish that have its randomly buffed or sanded to give a nap effect as seen from picture #1. In this picture we see different of sheen from the dark spots are shine and the light areas as dull (nubuck).
Fading:
When leathers are dye with different dyestuff mix (example blue and red) to produced the desired color. Overtime the weaker color may fade off faster than the other to give this “pink” hue. Restoring the blue alone will rectify the color difference. Remember that aniline are “transparent” in color.
Suggestion:
Aniline color can be activated by using Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0. When the Hydrator-3.3 saturated into the thickness of the leather with sufficient dwell time up to 72 hours it will bring the dormant dyestuff to the surface. Fat and oil do adds the intensity of the color as well. Those areas that are exposed to sunlight will also have less of these moisture contents. By replenishing the fatliquor will also adds to refresh the color.
Do the above hydrating and fatliquoring steps prior to considering about color refinishing.
fix/even out the color:
Aniline dyes comes in two forms, staining and coating. Staining dyestuff is Aniline-21 and the coating dyestuff is Aniline-76. In this situation you may want to use Aniline-21.
Products information:
Attachment 1412
Leather Doctor Aniline-21
Leather DoctorŽ Aniline-21 is design for refinishing aniline leathers that is porous like smooth pure aniline or napped aniline like nubuck and suede. Other smooth aniline leathers that has existing impairing dye penetrating topcoat has to be stripped with the help of Stripper-2.3 otherwise use Aniline-76 instead to coat over existing topcoat. Aniline-21 is a new generation odorless waterbased “staining” transparent aniline dyestuff that is more lively and brilliant than most liquid dyes. Provides a more superior light fastness and fades resistance than most standard liquid dyes.
Matching topcoat is mandatory to seal it with AnilineTop-21N for natural, AnilineTop-21W for waxy-matte, AnilineTop-21G for gloss or AnilineTop-21M for matte finishes.
8 standard colors are available for direct application or to create a secondary or tertiary color to match.
Attachment 1413
Leather Doctor Aniline-76
Aniline-76 is a transparent dyestuff that is design for coating over existing topcoat. This lively and brilliant new generation aqueous dyestuff provides a more superior light fastness and fades resistance than most standard liquid dyes.
To stain directly into leather with no impeding topcoat use Aniline-21 instead.
Use AnilineTop-76 thereafter to seal dyestuff from crocking or bleeding that also decides the luster with either gloss or matte, or a mix for a satin luster.
Nine (9) standard colors are available for direct application and for creating a secondary or tertiary color to match.
The popular Antique-Brown is an example of a mix of one part Orange, Red-Brown and Dark-Brown.
Products mentioned are found in this kits
Attachment 1414
Leather Doctor Kit A3 – Aniline Leather Care Kit
Leather DoctorŽ Kit A3, aniline leather care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system designed for keeping leathers at their highest level of appearance, maintaining its pH chemistry integrity, enhancing their suppleness and prevents premature ageing. Leathers that faced the sun, closed to fireplace and heaters dries out the fat and oil that keeps it supple sooner than the non-heat exposed areas. The diminishing of the fat and oil through evaporation results in the leather fibers being stick closer together that results in stiffness and when flexed during used will lead to cracks. Periodic use of Hydrator-3.3 to plumps 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 with friction noise reduction. This is preventable with a 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 bare body contact areas like headrest and armrest helps reduce greasy soiling build-up. Restorative cleaning and occasional dye stains removal from new blue jeans is accomplished with Prep-4.4. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system.