Bridle Leather - over conditioned!

Hi
I have a lovely English Bridle blacklogwood dyed Leather Wallet. The leather was very stiff. I have not had the patience to let it soften up through normal day to day using it so to attempted the natural wear and tear myself with tallow boot grease and handling the leather myself. I over did it and its has gone too soft and has lost the shine. I think I have used too much Tallow . Even Beewax will not polish up. It just goes to a waxy flat finish. I am thinking I have put too much grease and wax into the leather. I am waiting for some RTC Sheridian Finish to arrive but have feeling its just going to be another wax polish. Anyhow, I would very much like to “undo” as much as I can. This has been an interesting learning experience. I realise less is more now.
I have read so many threads I was wondering if anyone has an idea a solutionI missed? Attachment 2440
Is there anything to take it back a few stages so its more like the new stiff shiny leather it was? I have only “worked” a portion of one side. Any advice would be much appreciated. I also tried a bit of logwood dying myself!
Thanks for reading
Gus

>>> I have a lovely English Bridle blacklogwood dyed Leather Wallet. The leather was very stiff. I have not had the patience to let it soften up through normal day to day using it so to attempted the natural wear and tear myself with tallow boot grease and handling the leather myself.

Stiffness of the leather is structural related, depending on the inherent percentage of fatliquor and typically up to 14%. Like Fatliquor-5.0 (fat, oil and water) emulsion, the fat solidifies at a lower temperature plumps the leather structure with fullness holding them up without collapsing; the oil lubricates the millions of fibrils that behaves like hinges need to be lubricated so that the inter-connecting fibrils slide over one another smoothly to give good flexibility without cracking them; and the water which has a smaller micron than oil encases the fat and oil molecule with an ionic negative (-ve) charge. When the ionic negative (-ve) charged Fatliquor-5.0 comes into contact with the
ionic positive (+ve) charge leather structure protein fiber hydrogen-bond takes place, just like magnets “unlike poles attracts”. Leather protein fiber is an amphoteric material, while the other constituents like the tanning agent; dyestuff and fatliquor are not (non-amphoteric). Leather is known to be pH sensitive and denatures or revert to rawhide when exposed to alkalinity or when the leather protein fibers shift ionic negative (-ve). Strengthening of the pH chemistry integrity is to use leather-safe cleaning solution with pH range from pH 3 to pH 5, otherwise a pH 2.0 acidifier (Acidifier-2.0) is used to protonate the leather protein fiber ionic positive (+ve). A healthy leather feels squeaky when wet and a denatured leather will feels tacky or sticky becoming like rawhide or skin.


>>> I think I have used too much Tallow.

Stuffing the leather inter fibrillary spaces with tallow is over doing it, besides it block all the structural spaces and pores, suffocating the leather from natural transpiration with ill effect.


>>> Even Beewax will not polish up. It just goes to a waxy flat finish. I am thinking I have put too much grease and wax into the leather. I am waiting for some RTC Sheridian Finish to arrive but have feeling its just going to be another wax polish.

Just like the old fashion wood flooring that uses the old fashion waxes does not compare to the modern day wooden flooring without waxes or polishes. Finishes have evolves both for wood flooring and leathers and both industries have progressed to urethane finishes. Example, both AnilineTop-21G (gloss) and AnilineTop-21S are super soft urethane without the yellowing effect of traditional types. Perhaps the leather is using a modern finishes so would be not comparable to traditional finishes. It is good to identify the leather finishes prior to any cleaning and conditioning so that we know how to back to the original.


>>> Is there anything to take it back a few stages so its more like the new stiff shiny leather it was? I have only “worked” a portion of one side.

To start the reverse process we need to take a look at the original side to know how it looks and what system will take us there.


>>> I also tried a bit of logwood dying myself!

I believe the logwood dye impart the “bronzing” effect and is unstable to dry transfer or wet bleeding, thus an incomplete solution. Using Aniline-21 (staining dyestuff) with topcoat AnilineTop-21G (gloss) will produce a deep durable shine; AnilineTop-21S (satin) will produce a satin luster, AnilineTop-21W (waxy-matte) will produce a matte appearance with a waxy feel and AnilineTop-21N will produce the most natural look with the most degree of breathability for the leather natural transpiration. All these four topcoat will alter the appearance to a degree without the “bronzing” effect.


>>> Anyhow, I would very much like to “undo” as much as I can. This has been an interesting learning experience. I realise less is more now.

To undo it, what incompatible input have to be removed from below surface and it will take this sequence of process:

1. Degreasing:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0 or Acidifier-2.0 to control bleeding and protonate the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) for leather pH chemistry integrity.

2. Hydrating
Hydrator-3.3 to help remove suspended or emulsified oily particulates to resurface by extraction during wet cleaning and “reverse transfer” during the wicking process with stretchable paper towel.

3. Transparent Aniline “Stain” Dyeing
Aniline-21

4. Fatliquor Replenishing
Fatliquor-5.0

5. Topcoat Refinishing
AnilineTop-21G or AnilineTop-21S or AnilineTop-21W or AnilineTop-21N

6. Protector to match Topcoat Finishes
AnilineTop-21G and AnilineTop-21S use Protector-B+ (buttery-feel).
AnilineTop-21W use Protector-W+ (waxy-feel) or Protector-D+ (draggy-feel)
AnilineTop-21N use Protector-S+ (silky-feel)


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com


Products information:
Individual products mentioned and Kits for aniline leathers are found in this link: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...ers/Categories


Attachment 2444
Leather Doctor Kit A7.cl – Aniline Leather Dye Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit A7.cl, aniline leather dye refinishing kit is designed for dyestuff and topcoat refinishing from the simple sunlight fading to the severely sweat damages from body oil and grease. Most severely penetrated, prolonged and neglected stains show a darkening effect with a sticky feel have its topcoat and dyestuff probably deteriorated by the sweat. When the stain feels sticky, it is a sign of leather denaturing and reverting to rawhide from breaking of bonds with the tanning agent. When sign of color is transfer to a white towel, it indicates that the dyestuff has also break bonds with the protein fiber. When leather is stiff or shows signs of whitish residue migrating, it shows that the fatliquor is breaking bonds as well with the protein fiber. The main component of the leather protein fiber is amphoteric while the other constituents are not; shifting of the pH mainly caused from sweat to alkalinity affects the pH imbalance. To revert from denaturing into rawhide prior to topcoat refinishing, contaminated alkaline soiling is removed with Degreaser-2.2, a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that emulsifies greasy contamination besides controlling dye bleeding and charging the protein fiber ionic positive for strengthening the attraction between the ionic negative tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. Deflocculated and suspended soiling is towel extracted, thereafter rinse and pH balanced with Acidifier-2.0 to prevent the leather from reverting to rawhide. When leather feels sticky or slimy it is a sign of leather denaturing, a squeaky feel when wet is a sign of a healthy leather. Hydrator-3.3 relaxes stiff leathers and removes surface tension free from surface blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fat and oil is replenished with Fatliquor-5.0 to rejuvenate the leather for the desired suppleness when dry. Custom redyeing commences prior to topcoat refinishing. Protector-B+ imparts a non-stick rub-resistant protection with a buttery-feel that shield against sticky soiling and reduce friction noises. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline leathers dyestuff and topcoat refinishing system.


Attachment 2445
Leather Doctor Kit A6.tc – Aniline Leather Topcoat Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit A6.tc, aniline leather topcoat refinishing kit is designed for topcoat repairs from friction wear, accidental scratch, scuff and abrasion to deteriorating greasy sweat stains. These topcoat damages are identified as white, dull or darkening stain from bare body contacts. Accidental whitish damages in most cases are free of soiling and direct AnilineTop-21G application with in between dry sanding rectifies most damages. Repairs to topcoat from daily wears that dulls will require a degreasing to remove penetrated rub-in soiling prior to topcoat application in a sequence process including Degreaser-2.2 follows with Rinse-3.0; Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0 prior to topcoat application. In a greasy and sweaty topcoat damaged areas especially to the headrest and armrest, a deep degreasing is essential follows with Acidifier-2.0 to stabilize the hydrogen bonding between the protein fibers with the other leather constituent like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. This deep degreasing process is assisted by leather Eraser-4 in both the wet and dry cleaning process to remove soiling particulates off the leather surface. Hydrator-3.3 helps in the colloidal water movement bringing suspended soiling particulates to resurface through a dwelling and wicking process. Fat and oil is replenished by Fatliquor-5.0 in an emulsion form to penetrate into the leather structure. Once the fat and oil is hydrogen bond with the protein fiber, the water content breaks free leaving a breathing space for natural transpiration. The fat plumps the leather with fullness preventing the leather structure from collapsing during compressing and flexing while the oil lubricates the fiber from sliding smoothly over one another like millions of connecting hinges. Protector-B+ impart a non-stick, rub-resistant surface with a buttery feel helps reduce friction wear to the topcoat and extended a high level of appearance for a longer period of time. When the leather is contaminated with foreign soiling, it is essential to look at topcoat refinishing in a holistic approach. Note that the cleaning and rejuvenating products suffix denotes its pH value in this leather-safe aniline leathers topcoat refinishing system.

I much appreciate you going into such detail with my problem, the wallet is a bit of test bed for me so what you have said is very interesting, I will give it some thought and let you know if I am going to act further, thanks again.
Cheers