Zebra skin restoration

[Desperate]

The wall of my den got mold and the zebra skin was hanging on it so got mold too. A friend cleaned it with lysol spray. It is totally clean but has been ripped in many places and very very dry. How can I restore it? I live in Toronto. If I get your kit, how do I pay you? Help!

[Roger Koh]

Please show some pictures of the both sides and I will recommend.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator / Practitioner / Consultant / Instructor / Coach

[Desperate]

I have sent you the pictures. Please help.

[Roger Koh]

Pictures received. . .

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[Roger Koh]

Take a look at this Kit-H7+ and we can discuss further from here . . .


http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-h7-...ng-repair-kit/
Leather Doctor Kit-H7+ Zebra Hide Rejuvenating & Repair Kit is an upsize version from the Kit-H7 with extra Hydrator-3.3 in 60ml concentrates that becomes 1.64quarts and Fatliquor-5.0 in 250ml concentrates that becomes 1.58quarts. When hide/skin tears it indicates that it is too dry and sufficient fatliquor is essential to revert the weakness. An up to 14% fatliquor (fat and oil) content when dry is highly recommended. Dry bonding repairs to the tear come last in the sequence after cleaning and rejuvenating. Bond-3D is a water-based medium soft polyurethane that bonds with the hide/skin fibers when dries and becomes part of it. Repairs will require close contact until it dries to bond. Reinforcement is either with donor suede fibers taken from surrounding areas or scrap pieces similar to fiberglass repairs techniques for better appearance or simply with Patch-4S for extra strength. Generally repair is done after the hide/skin in rejuvenated with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system. Prior to rejuvenating the hide/skin to soften and strengthen it, dry soil is removed by using suede Brush-3 and Eraser-5 and vacuuming. General cleaning is done with Clean-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 on the hair/skin side. The hair side is then clean using CleanHair-5.5 follows with RinseHair-4.0. Protector-S+ impart a rub-resistant silky-feel to lubricates the hair from abrasion wear and a non-stick properties to shield the hair from sticky soiling with a classic leather scent to charm. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system for hair-on-hide.

Instruction:

Suede/Hide/Skin Side Cleaning and Rejuvenating prior to Repair:

Sequence-1: A) Dry Soil Removal: Instruction: A1) Vacuum off foreign soiling with help of suede Brush-3. A2) Exfoliate to renew fresh nap with help of suede Eraser-5 follows with vacuum cleaner. Proceed to Sequence-2.

Sequence-2: B) Wet Soil Removal: Instruction: B1) Apply Clean-3.8 and agitate with Brush-3/Eraser-5 and towel extract until it shows clean. B2) Spray Rinse-3.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean. B3) Let natural drying and wick-up soiling is erased with Eraser-5 prior to hydrating. Proceed to Sequence-3.

Sequence-3: C) Hydrating:Hydrating is to relax the hide/skin of stiffness from diminishing original fatliquor. Fatliquor diminishes as the hide/skin ages, accelerated when expose to direct heat and evaporate as VOC (volatile organic compound). Stiffness is common from a water damage situation too, when fatliquor leaches out, and when it becomes dry again the fibrils becomes stick together. Hydrating is to precondition the hide/skin for fatliquoring; it helps to relax and separate the stick together fibrils and opens up the inter-fibrillary spaces for effective colloidal water movement within the hide/skin structure. It facilitates to wick-up foreign contamination to be towel extracted when damp and erased when crispy dry. It plumps the hide/ skin to ease away the unnatural creases and wrinkles. It stabilizes the pH integrity of the hide/skin and charges the protein fiber ionic positive below its iso-electric point (pI) to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively. It is recommended therefore to hydrate the hide/skin to an optimum level, with moistures oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers. Prolong dwell time will maximize the effects with the help of covering with clear plastic to prevent evaporation. Instruction: C1) Spray Hydrator-3.3 with foam brush control to hydrate the entire thickness of the hide/skin; extract with dry absorbent white terry towel to inspect for an even appearance without blotchiness and it is ready for immediate fatliquor replenishing. C2) Severe dryness or stiffness will require a longer dwell time of up to 72hours with evaporation control, covering with a clear plastic sheet. When the hide/skin is plump, limp and lay flat extract until towel shows dry or about 25% reading from a moisture meter and immediately proceed to Sequence-4.

Sequence-4: D) Fatliquoring: Fatliquor-5.0 an emulsion of fat and oil originally introduces to the hide/skin to impart its desirous suppleness continues to diminish through evaporation as it ages, accelerated when exposed to heat. It diminishes through leaching as well in a non leather-safe solution, manifest as stiffness when the skin becomes dry again. Replenishing is done with “fatliquor-in-a-bottle” as a spray-on instead of the original immersion method. Fatliquor, the lifeblood of leathers derived from fats, oils and water. Looks like fresh milk, when applies penetrates the leather and hydrogen bond with the hide/skin protein fiber. The fat plumps the skin with fullness, the oil lubricates the individual fibrils and the encasing water breaks free leaving the inter-fibrillary spaces void for natural transpiration. Effective fatliquoring will leave a non-greasy or non-oily surface when dry. Besides softening the skin with flatness, fatliquor enhances its rip tensile strength greatly. It relaxes coarse breaks, creases and wrinkles and prevents cracking. It helps to keep the skin at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing.

Hide/Skin Approximate Quantity or Percentage of Fatliquor:The quantities of fatliquor (fat and oil) contents retained in the hide/skin after an universal modern tannery fatliquoring process may varies up to 14% depending on the leather types and it usage. This percentage drops as the fat and oil content diminishes or leaches through ageing, water, heat or chemical overexposure.Leather rejuvenating or fatliquor replenishing is base on weight of the hide/skin in relation to the percentage of remaining fatliquor. A simple calculation of percentage of fatliquor topping up requirement would be as follows:If the weight of the hide/skin in question is 100gm and fatliquor (fat and oil) content meter reading is less than 1%.By applying 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to it will deliver an end result incremental of 13.3% fatliquor when dry as the 66.6% water contents evaporates.In the hide/skin rejuvenating Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system, Hydrator-3.3 plays an important role by relaxing, opening up the inter-fibrillary spaces, facilitating and redistributing colloidal water movement, protonating and doing all the pre-conditioning work prior to fatliquoring including cleaning up any excess surface remnants to have a sticky-free surface. In practice with severe dryness the ratio for Hydrator-3.3 are 2 to 1 of Fatliquor-5.0.It works out to be approximately 160gm of Hydrator-3.3 plus 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to replenish a 100gm dry leather from less than 1% back to the original tannery up to 14% fatliquor content. Instruction: D1) Spray Fatliquor-5.0, with foam brush control for an even appearance. D2) Repeat application in between drying as the water contents evaporates until it’s saturated. D3) The fully saturated hide/skin is left for slow natural drying for extra softness. D4) Use Eraser-4 to remove wicks up residue and inspect for visual satisfaction.

Sequence-5: E) Fiberglass Technique Repairs: Using donor hide/skin fiber repairs result in better appearance without a noticeable sub-patch. Fibers are scrape from surrounding thicker areas and used as cross laying across tears over the Bond-3D until satisfaction.

Sequence-5: F) Sub-patch Repairs: F1) A half to one inch width on both sides of the tear is cut to shape and the center line is drawn as divider onto the sub-patch. F2) The lower tear side is first bond with the suede side of the patch press and let to dry before bonding the upper side of the tear. F3) Bond the other side and press to let it dry.

Hair Side Cleaning and Conditioning:

Sequence-6: G) Dry Soil Removal: Instruction: G1) Vacuum off foreign soiling with help of suede Brush-3.

Sequence-7: H) Wet Soil Removal:Instruction: H1) Apply CleanHair-5.5, brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean. H2) Spray RinseHair-4.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean. H3) Let natural drying and dry towel wipe of wick-up soiling.

Sequence-8: I) Non-Stick, Rub-Resistant Protection: Instruction: I1) Shake well, mist spray Protector-S+ evenly and brush-in with towel to pick up soiling at the same time. I2) When dry thereafter groom with suede Brush-3 or a slick comb for best appearance and it is ready for use.

[Desperate]

Thank yo for your reply. If you think this kit will save the zebra skin, I would like to get. The skin is already very clean, but if you suggest I clean it further, I will. Please tell me how to get the kit. Also, before it used to hang on the wall. The wall has new drywall and fresh paint. Is it advisable to hang it there again? And how would I do it? It had been nailed to the wall and I would prefer not to nail it again if there is another option.