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Thread: Cleaning Leather Bag problems

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    1

    Angry Cleaning Leather Bag problems

    Just bought an excellent messenger bag from Bethesda for work (link included for comparison: https://gear.bethesda.net/products/v...c-overseer-bag)

    I tried cleaning it as a I do with all my leather, with Kiwi Saddle Soap, and the black lettering and outline began looking ORANGE.

    This is a great bag and I have no idea what went wrong. Any ideas on how to fix it?

    Thanks!
    -Czar
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greater Vancouver, Canada.
    Posts
    5,102

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    >>> I tried cleaning it as a I do with all my leather, with Kiwi Saddle Soap,

    I have been fooled a long time ago that “saddle soap” is good for leather. Yes, it was originally used in the tannery to emulsify some neatsfoot oil for fatliquoring and fails to take off and has become obsolete. Due to its high pH value, it denatures the leather with side effects in what you are now turning orange to brown.


    >>> and the black lettering and outline began looking ORANGE.

    To revert back from the side effect of “looking orange”, a low pH cleaner is used either with Degreaser-2.2 or LeatherProCleaner-1.5 and follows up with a low pH rinse like Acidifier-2.0. Besides the high pH value of the “saddle soap” to be pH balanced to pH values 2 to 4, the soap also leaves a sticky scum that is a magnet to soiling particulates, so if we used the Degreaser-2.2 the scum residue removal is more certain.


    >>> and the black lettering and outline began looking ORANGE.

    Since this is vegetable-tanned leather and for outdoor use, this is almost like an oil pull-up leather that has a secondary conditioner of oil to impart a “distress” or “crazyhorse” look, it also is a leather structure waterproofing conditioner. In tannery terms, a waterproof leather will still appear wet from the outside but it will not penetrate through.

    >>> Any ideas on how to fix it?

    A holistic system approach in sequence is as follows:
    Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > EffectOil-2.8 > Protector-B/B+

    Note: a possible color restoration to the lettering is by EffectOil-2.8 concentrates with 10% of transparent Aniline-17 dyestuff.
    Very unlikely it is painted on with a micro-pigment, anyway will need a little testing to confirm the best approach for the lettering.

    Let me know what you think?


    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]


    Let me know what you think?

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    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]

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